How many people are happy with their Howa Mini?

[KyleR1985]

How do you like your VG stock?

I'm not a gun nerd, yet. This is the second aftermarket stock to make it's way into my house.

This is a present for my wife - her first rifle.

I spent an hour with it at the range. It's awesome as far as I'm concerned. But I don't have much to compare it to, other than 42" long 7mm and .30 cals I had typically used for hunting. a 36" long 6.5lb scoped rifle that I watch holes appear in paper and gongs swing is a completely new experience for me.

It's got a lot of crossover with AR for what I do, but assuming no boogiemans pop up as she puts it through the paces, I'm going to build a similar one in 6 or 22 ARC. And if she hates it, I'll start carrying it in the woods tomorrow.

 

[Marshfly]

I am not a chassis guy but has anyone tried the excel lite stocked version?
View attachment 804170

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Looks like they are 6 lbs 12 oz rifle and stock according to guns magazine that actually weighed one. That's almost 2 pounds more than one with a VG.

 

[PC356]

So you’re the reason I can’t get a stainless action

Sorry man, in my defense only picked up 3 of em before they dried up

 

[Ferrulewax]

Sorry man, in my defense only picked up 3 of em before they dried up

I was stupid and just assumed that would be a normal offering from now on. Of course now they’ll probably never be available again.

 

[Lentuk]

Well thank you everyone, just ordered a barreled action from Brownells.

 

[Deli]

Hypothetical here and looking for opinions. If I had +/- $800 to spend on a low recoil rifle, would I be better off with a one of the howa actions and get a caliber I’m interested in like a 6 cm or 6 arc and a nice carbon stock from stockys or just buy a tikka 223 or 243 and have what people say is a better action and trigger but a less modern cartridge and an inferior stock? I don’t currently own either brand right now but looking to try something new and get in the low recoil using match bullets game contest it out for myself.


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[hereinaz]

I would get a 6 arc mini action in a Stocky’s, but I am biased. The Tikka Mafia will tell you Tikka, and I won’t argue with them about the awesomeness.

Handle a Howa and Tikka at the gun store and make a choice.

Unless you reload, the 243 is limiting. You can go .223 in Tikka or Howa, but I would rather go 22 arc when Howa drops that.

Is having a compact easy running rifle in your priorities?

Is having a smooth running bolt high?

 

[KyleR1985]

Hypothetical here and looking for opinions. If I had +/- $800 to spend on a low recoil rifle, would I be better off with a one of the howa actions and get a caliber I’m interested in like a 6 cm or 6 arc and a nice carbon stock from stockys or just buy a tikka 223 or 243 and have what people say is a better action and trigger but a less modern cartridge and an inferior stock? I don’t currently own either brand right now but looking to try something new and get in the low recoil using match bullets game contest it out for myself.


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How many of your shots, practicing or hunting, by percentage and quantity, will be past 300 yards?

Do you hunt in a caliber restricted state?

Do you reload?

 

[BBob]

Hypothetical here and looking for opinions. If I had +/- $800 to spend on a low recoil rifle, would I be better off with a one of the howa actions and get a caliber I’m interested in like a 6 cm or 6 arc and a nice carbon stock from stockys or just buy a tikka 223 or 243 and have what people say is a better action and trigger but a less modern cartridge and an inferior stock?

In my mind the Mini and a Tikka are in two different categories altogether. Sure they're both guns but they are quite different. The Mini is a little lightweight thing that serves the purpose of wanting something small, compact and light none of which the Tikka really is. The Tikka is a full sized rifle where the Mini is a reduced size compact little thing. Maybe it's hard to get that until you have handled both. If you just want a regular low recoil gun to shoot, practice or hunt with I'd steer you to the Tikka. If you want a small almost toy like thing to throw in your truck or pack get a Mini, they're a great little gun to have but most of the time I'm hunting with a regular sized rifle.

 

[Deli]

How many of your shots, practicing or hunting, by percentage and quantity, will be past 300 yards?

Do you hunt in a caliber restricted state?

Do you reload?

I practice to about 500 and occasionally reach out to 800 yards just to see how I do. Hunting, my limit is 400 yards to be honest with myself since I can’t practice as much as I’d like. I’ve never needed to shoot past 300 yet on an animal. No restrictions on states and I have bigger calibers I can use if I ever draw those tags. I don’t reload but would like to since all my buddies do it. Just don’t have time with your kids right now.


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[hereinaz]

In my mind the Mini and a Tikka are in two different categories altogether. Sure they're both guns but they are quite different. The Mini is a little lightweight thing that serves the purpose of wanting something small, compact and light none of which the Tikka really is. The Tikka is a full sized rifle where the Mini is a reduced size compact little thing. Maybe it's hard to get that until you have handled both. If you just want a regular low recoil gun to shoot, practice or hunt with I'd steer you to the Tikka. If you want a small almost toy like thing to throw in your truck or pack get a Mini, they're a great little gun to have but most of the time I'm hunting with a regular sized rifle.

This, two different things. What do you want from the gun? Decision tree with two sides. That makes your decision.

 

[Deli]

I would get a 6 arc mini action in a Stocky’s, but I am biased. The Tikka Mafia will tell you Tikka, and I won’t argue with them about the awesomeness.

Handle a Howa and Tikka at the gun store and make a choice.

Unless you reload, the 243 is limiting. You can go .223 in Tikka or Howa, but I would rather go 22 arc when Howa drops that.

Is having a compact easy running rifle in your priorities?

Is having a smooth running bolt high?

I’ve handled a tikka before and it was nice but I didn’t love the stock. Never touched a howa and stumbled on this thread which has me interested. I sadly don’t reload (yet) so can’t count on taking advantage of a 1:8 twist 243. A compact light rifle sounds great since all my hunting is either in a tight stand hunting whitetail or putting on hiking miles out west. Bolt throw doesn’t need to be butter smooth as long as I have no issues with feeding and it’s consistent.

Side note that I can’t get a suppressor because I live in NJ but all my family is in WI so trying to figure out if I can get on a trust since all my rifle hunting is in states where it’s legal. If I can, then a shorter barrel that’s threaded moves up on my priority list making a compact and light rifle even more intriguing.


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[Kyguy]

Love the mini action.... BUT.... my experience with 3 of them has been varied.

My first, 7.62x39, 22" sporter, bought 5 years ago. HTI stock, JO blind bottom metal, rifle basix trigger. consistent 3/4" rifle with Horn Black 123gr SST. Other quality ammo would be in the 1.5" range, which was perfectly fine with me for what the rifle was. Surplus was anywhere from 2"-4" groups. I was stupid and sold it buy the Grendel barreled action below, since quality ammo for it costs as much as any other caliber nowadays.

2nd on was ,223, 20" heavy barrel. Absolutely wouldn't shoot MOA with anything I tried. At last count I think I have over 20 different factory loads in the ammo bin. Tried the factory HTI stock, B&C M40, three different bottom metals and 4 different scopes. In my mind, there's NO reason a factory .223 shouldn't be an MOA with multiple loads.

3rd (and current) is 6.5 Grendel, 20"HB, bought as barreled action from Brownell's. B&C sporter stock. JO floorplate bottom metal. So far the only thing it will shoot under an inch is AAC 123gr OTM and the AAC 123gr FMJ, out of 10 different factory loads, and nothing with a hunting bullet will do under 1.75". Super disappointed in it. I bought it to have a light recoil 300 yd deer rifle and longer range predator gun than the 7.62x39. But damn does it handle well and feel good in the hands, even with a 22 oz Nightforce SHV on it. I might rebarrel it, not sure. Tempted to buy a .223 bolt off ebay and then have it turned into a 300 HAM'R, unless a smith wants to do work on the original bolt face to make it work. I'm not a reloader though, so 300 HAM'R will cost as much or more to shoot than my .308. It just won't have as much recoil and the mini rifles handle SO nicely. Decisions, decisions.