Howa Mini 6 Dasher

[Stocky]

View attachment 875067


Out of Varget, so I loaded up 20 rounds of 95tmk, 108eldm, 87vmax over Lever.

No matter what I seem to do the 108’s seem to shoot sub moa.

I can’t seem to get the TMKs to behave. I may stop messing with them and just roll with the 108’s and make the gun happy.

Nothing wrong with the elds. I'd prefer them in the 223 but the latest rifle won't shoot them at all.

 

[KyleR1985]

Couple of updates.

I modfied the Jefferson internal mag box to make more room for the Dasher cases, and got it to function with 2 down. I really had to slam the bolt home and eject cases with full force and speed to get it to operate. But, it proved that it can work. I'm sending the modified box back to Jefferson, and he's going to assess and program one up to match the dimensional changes I made, but that should function correctly. It's possible he can get a softer spring that would allow 3 rounds. Current spring ejects the 3rd round into the action when the bolt is pulled back. Holding out hope he can pull this off - it would allow 2.455" COAL with .020 to spare. To be continued.



In the mean time - I modified a 6ARC mini mag by shortening the bottom spring plate (cutting the little feet off), shortening the piece hanging down off the bottom of the follower, and clipped one spring coil off, in an attempt to cut down the Mag flush with the bottom metal. Success! It was able to hold 3 rounds. I windowed the front of the mag above the mag catch - this allowed any COAL I'd need for those 3 rounds. Boom! Bolt wasn't picking up the rounds though because of the tight fit against the bottom metal was pulling mag downard. I decided to open the feed lips some to lift top cartridge up so the bolt would catch it. I made a mistake in going to the point I thought it should be instead of taking a little off and trying it. What do ya know - I went too far and opened it too much.


I ordered a couple new mags, and noticed they had 450 bushmaster mags in stock. I ordered one of those. It may as well say "6 Dasher" on the side - it works perfectly for the Dasher. Feed Lips match perfectly, bolt picks up round every time, follower right shape. Internal length inside the mag is 2.36" - Gives me 2.345 COAL - this is .020" off with the ELDM's. I can still window this one and go to any COAL I want for 3 rounds. The 4th sits behind the mag catch.

I'm going to run this mag through it's paces next range session. Assuming it works fine, I'll order a couple more and get to modifiying one flush like I did with the 6ARC. If you want to run a BR or Dasher in the Howa Mini, this mag looks to be the answer.


Ran out of Varget - can't make myself pay 60.00 a pound right now. So I loaded up 40-50 rounds with Lever.


Shooting with the DD Wolfhunter last range session was great. Except mirage. I need to get a blanket for the suppressor. But all good things!

 

[KyleR1985]

 

[Lawnboi]

Just get a tikka already!

 

[KyleR1985]

Just get a tikka already!

Haha - honestly the time I’m spending tinkering with hinged metal and modifying a mag is from boredom waiting to shoot again.

The rifle has been a breeze to put together, honestly no real fuss. It was shooting sub moa within 30 shots of having it in my hands.

I could use the 6ARC mags as is and move right along. Just trying to make a good finished product slightly better.


I wanted to cram as much powder as I could in the tiny action. Mission accomplished!

 

[KyleR1985]

Bushmaster mag is the answer if you want a BR or Dasher in the mini. Feeds perfectly like it’s made for it.

Also tamed the TMK - I was too far off the lands trying to fit inside the mag. Windowed the front of the mag - can load out to 2.4” now.

Shot .020, .030, .040 off the lands, all under MOA. .020” looks to be the best. I need to get a suppressor cover by the time I get to that 5th shot I was contending with mirage- the 4 measured .55”

Also too hot. Ejector swipes and heavy bolt lift - not surprising given the velocity I was seeing. Not sure how to true up QL, the velocity I saw was same as a full grain more powder. I wouldn’t think chamber was heating up the case that fast but I guess it could.


108eldm shoots under moa no matter what I do. 2750fps with lever no issue.


Will try less powder at .020 off with the 95tmk to be around 2800fps. Done messing with the 108’s - .030 off with 32gr Varget or 34gr lever and it’s money.

 

[KyleR1985]

Just under MOA at 200 yards.

95tmk lever 2830ish fps.

Getting fun

 

[KyleR1985]

8208 XBR and CCI 450’s got me pushing 95tmk 2825 at 31.8gr. Hoping to shoot at 3-400 yards over the next couple days. Have load worked up for 108’s over 8208 as well.

Bushmaster mag has been flawless. Will be ordering a few more spares.

 

[KyleR1985]

95tmk, 8208xbr, cci41, Peterson brass - 2830fps MV

7 at 200 yards - .85moa tall, .34moa wide.

Mirage was pretty bad from heat and I’m shooting through a metal culvert for part of the distance.

I’m assuming that’s got something to do with the vertical string. Or maybe it’s me.

Either way, pretty happy with result. It’s a hot load, want to back off a little and see if I can keep it small somewhere between 2750-2800fps.

I shot it at 300 with same load and missed target because I’m dumb and dialed scope(wrong) instead of just hitting low. Luckily hit tree behind target and best I can tell was around MOA group of 5.


Will load up 10 at slightly lower charge and see if it still groups. If it does I’ll load up to take it to distance.

The two shots scratched out were pressure test with 8208 and eldms.

 

[KyleR1985]

108’s held 1.4 moa at 200 for 10. Mirage was brutal being last string I shot.

 

[HandgunHTR]

@KyleR1985, thanks for keeping us up to date on this one.

The more I read about and watch videos about the Dasher, the more intrigued I get. I got out of the 6mm cartridges a while ago mainly because the bullet selection in 6.5 and 7 were just so much better, but with the popularity of the 6mm in the comp world now I just may have to get back into them.

One thing to note. If you watch any of Piet Malan's (Impact Shooting) content, one of his main hunting rifles for plains game and primates is a 6 Dasher. He is using the 87 grain Berger VLDH and is getting 2900 fps out of an 18" barrel. Might be something to keep in mind if you cant get the TMKs to behave the way you want them to.

 

[KyleR1985]

@KyleR1985, thanks for keeping us up to date on this one.

The more I read about and watch videos about the Dasher, the more intrigued I get. I got out of the 6mm cartridges a while ago mainly because the bullet selection in 6.5 and 7 were just so much better, but with the popularity of the 6mm in the comp world now I just may have to get back into them.

One thing to note. If you watch any of Piet Malan's (Impact Shooting) content, one of his main hunting rifles for plains game and primates is a 6 Dasher. He is using the 87 grain Berger VLDH and is getting 2900 fps out of an 18" barrel. Might be something to keep in mind if you cant get the TMKs to behave the way you want them to.

The Dasher is the "biggest" gun I have now. Given that I won't be shooting dangerous game any time soon, and the odds that I shoot at any ungulate past 500 yards any time soon is pretty low, this doesn't feel like a sacrifice. In my case, there's no point in having any more powder in a case or more destruction from a bullet than the .223 and 6mm bullets have on offer. And the dasher gives me enough juice to have fun at the range beyond hunting distances.


A couple lucky bounces led me to pick the Dasher. Plus I have an affinity for the Howa Mini, and wanted to get as much powder in that little action as possible just to say I did. And you shouldn't take my journal here for how this would go for anyone with more experience than me. I am making it more difficult than it has to be because I'm taking a crash course in reloading, rifle function and assembly, etc. I constantly get "It's a dasher. If it doesn't shoot, you're the problem." This makes sense to me after the first 5 shot group with the 108's and 32g varget. Point and click.

I've basically landed on .223 bolt and gasser, 6ARC gasser, and 6x45 6Dasher bolt guns in my stable. I've narrowed down to the same primers, 2-3 powders(and in a pinch a single powder for all), and 4 dies and brass. My entire reloading setup fits in a single tote now, plus jugs of powder. With a suppressor screwed on, I can watch any of my guns make holes through the scope.




Specific to this rifle being a Howa Mini, and the barrel being the stock barrel, that led to a couple kinks needing to be worked out.

- Magazines. The 450 bushmaster is perfect for the Dasher cases. I haven't had a feeding issue yet now across a couple hundred rounds. Jefferson Outdoors is still working on mag box for his hinged metal. 6ARC magazines work fine unmodified, but work better if you open up feed lips barely.

- Bolt face. I opened up my 6ARC bolt face. But if you ship to an FFL, legacy will sell you a .450 bushmaster bolt for under 200.00. My guess is you can sell whatever bolt you have, and your total out of pocket would be less than the work to have a bolt opened up.

- Barrel - I'm happy with the dispersion of this factory barrel. I'm sure that things could be tightened up with a good aftermarket blank and chamber job. Especially to meet the competition gun expectation of Dashers. For hunting - this barrel seems like it exceeds needed precision for hunting. This was done to minimize up front cost, to prove the concept. I'll build a good barrel after shooting this one out, provided the experiment still makes sense.

- Freebore/Mini Action. The mini action is limited to COAL 2.4" from a windowed magazine, and 2.45" from a hinged metal if it ever gets executed. This limits optimal loading of some of the 107, 108, 112, 115 grain heavies. Doesn't prevent you from shooting them. You just start to lose case capacity, and ability to get close to lands. That said, it is absolutely perfect for the 108ELDM and 103ELDX. The 95TMK, 87Vmax, and like you mentioned 87VLDH are all optimized for case capacity, and come down to powder selection and liking distance from lands. 108's 2650-2750 with a 16" barrel no issue. I bet folks would be really happy with an 18" barrel and 2700-2800 too.

- Trigger. Some people don't like the Howa trigger. I don't know any better. That said, I installed the gunbloke spring for reduced pull. I like it a lot more now.

- bedding action. I bedded the front of the action and spot bedded under the rear tang. It took about an hour of total work. This, and proper torquing of the action, seem like they're absolute necessities to get this action shooting well.







You could build way nicer guns. But Everything comes with tradeoffs.

 

[KyleR1985]

@KyleR1985, thanks for keeping us up to date on this one.

The more I read about and watch videos about the Dasher, the more intrigued I get. I got out of the 6mm cartridges a while ago mainly because the bullet selection in 6.5 and 7 were just so much better, but with the popularity of the 6mm in the comp world now I just may have to get back into them.

One thing to note. If you watch any of Piet Malan's (Impact Shooting) content, one of his main hunting rifles for plains game and primates is a 6 Dasher. He is using the 87 grain Berger VLDH and is getting 2900 fps out of an 18" barrel. Might be something to keep in mind if you cant get the TMKs to behave the way you want them to.

the 95TMK's are shooting plenty good enough. I just need to buy varget.

How does that bullet compare to the 87vmax? I've gathered enough evidence to tell me that bullet will do most of what I do hunting wise, and I have acquired a pile of them. May look into it though.

 

[PC356]

87 Gr VLD H has been devastating on hogs for me out of a 16” 6 ARC Howa Mini. Ridiculously accurate. 2825-2850 fps, admittedly a hottish load but I only see pressure signs on a hot chamber. 32.3 gr Lever, used the same load data from Hornady for the 87 V Max in Hornady 6 ARC brass. Running them a touch longer on COAL so maybe pressure is slightly reduced. Know I have 5-6 firings on some of the brass and haven’t noticed any issues to date.

 

[KyleR1985]

87 Gr VLD H has been devastating on hogs for me out of a 16” 6 ARC Howa Mini. Ridiculously accurate. 2825-2850 fps, admittedly a hottish load but I only see pressure signs on a hot chamber. 32.3 gr Lever, used the same load data from Hornady for the 87 V Max in Hornady 6 ARC brass. Running them a touch longer on COAL so maybe pressure is slightly reduced. Know I have 5-6 firings on some of the brass and haven’t noticed any issues to date.

Tough to stomach double the cost of the vmax for what sounds like similar terminal performance.

It does a have a slight BC edge though. Not sure it would matter where I’d use the bullet though. If I’m planning to shoot past 300 yards I’m probably shooting the TMK or ELDM.

It will be high on the list though when I burn through all these Vmax though.

Seeing what you’ve seen on pigs, any hesitation to shoot at deer?

 

[PC356]

Tough to stomach double the cost of the vmax for what sounds like similar terminal performance.

It does a have a slight BC edge though. Not sure it would matter where I’d use the bullet though. If I’m planning to shoot past 300 yards I’m probably shooting the TMK or ELDM.

It will be high on the list though when I burn through all these Vmax though.

Seeing what you’ve seen on pigs, any hesitation to shoot at deer?

Zero hesitation on deer. I’ll check it out on some axis does soon.
I tried these pills on a whim finding them on a local shelf in my small hometown in W TX.
When I saw what they did at 600 yds on steel repeatedly, then saw the performance on pigs.
I couldn’t diverge from em, cost or not.