Howa Mini Rifles, Builds, and Upgrades

[The Guide]

Was assembling it for an antelope hunt in the fall for 300yards and in. It’s a 22” barrel and I’m get 2620fps with suppressor shooting the factory loaded 103 eld-x. Was hoping for about 100fps more. Even called and talked to Hornady and they did state the factory loading was being loaded lighter than advertised.
Just doesn’t hold a candle to the Barnes 130ttsx factory loading outa my 18” 308.

I'm getting nearly the same velocity as you are with factory Hornady Precision Hunter 103 ELDX and my gun is an easy 600 yard gun. Even if you want a 2000 fps impact, you are good to 450 yards. I have no issues hunting for deer/elk/antelope to 600 yards and the 103 ELDX has been a great bullet.

Jay

 

[jpndave]

That is strange. My wood stock came in at 31.8oz.

Is your barrel free floated? The sides on mine are fine, but it is touching on the bottom. I will almost certainly sand the channel to get my barrel.

The pillar bedding seems sturdy, but I will probably glass bed the recoil lug

Mine is porky with the heavy 3-12 scope I am testing. Once that test is done, I'll swap in a lightweight Leupold and lighter rings. That will save me about 12oz.

Yes, it is floated as delivered from the factory. That's within the weight differences that walnut can have. Higher figured (prettier) wood is usually quite a bit more dense than the straight plain wood so that tracks looking at both stocks. The one I have is definitely nicer to look at but yours has better layout on the grain directions and is lighter. I suspect you could loose 8 oz or so on that stock by hollowing it out. I am not pursuing that as I bought that rifle for the action only. Yes, kind of stupid but I REALLY wanted a stainless one. I have one of the Stocky's carbon stocks. I'll either sell that wood stock with the 6mm ARC barreled action or part it all out. It's getting re-barreled with a Bartlein gain twist I have from a BLR project I changed my mind on. Should work out well just need to get to the lathe and get after it. I'll probably bush the bolt and true things up while I'm opening up the bolt face for the larger case head.

 

[jpndave]

Shot my 6arc mini this weekend and loved it. I am going to throw a brake on it but I am having trouble finding a 6mm 1/2"x28 brake though. Any suggestions?

Are you wanting a self timing brake or something that can be blended in to look more at home on the rifle?

 

[The Guide]

I’m showing 2000fps out to roughly 375 yards. Rifle shoots sub moa by a little. But that’s with significantly more drop and only slightly less wind drift then my 308 with 130ttsx that’s a ~1/2moa gun. I think I would have felt better if it had that 100fps more and at least was close to matching the 308s drop.

What altitude are you using? I used 4500' DA as that is a very common altitude for antelope to live at in Montana and Wyoming. The only way I can get close to your drops is by putting my calculator to sea level.

Jay

 

[UnckleBob]

Yes, it is floated as delivered from the factory. That's within the weight differences that walnut can have. Higher figured (prettier) wood is usually quite a bit more dense than the straight plain wood so that tracks looking at both stocks. The one I have is definitely nicer to look at but yours has better layout on the grain directions and is lighter. I suspect you could loose 8 oz or so on that stock by hollowing it out. I am not pursuing that as I bought that rifle for the action only. Yes, kind of stupid but I REALLY wanted a stainless one. I have one of the Stocky's carbon stocks. I'll either sell that wood stock with the 6mm ARC barreled action or part it all out. It's getting re-barreled with a Bartlein gain twist I have from a BLR project I changed my mind on. Should work out well just need to get to the lathe and get after it. I'll probably bush the bolt and true things up while I'm opening up the bolt face for the larger case head.

I didn't even notice there were stainless actions available. . I really don't like actions that rust. If I had known, I would have done the same thing.

The gun is really light as is. The easy weight solution is the scope. The last Sig scope I had was trash. SIG sent me the one on the rifle to replace it. It is better, by a mile than the old SIG, but it will be comeing off once I can source a lighter scope I like. The bolt handle just barely clears the SIG. That change gets me into the 6.5lb range.

The $299 Stocky's factory second stock gets me under 6lbs, but I don't know I want to go that light.

I hope you like yours.

 

[Gstew1930]

I'm having hell trying to get my 6 arc to group. I bedded it last week. The inlet on my VG was awful. Groups tightened up some but nothing what j would consider good. Best so far is a 10 shot group around 2". Most have been closer to 3"

 

[Gstew1930]

Have you opened up the barrel channel on the stock. Even more than you think you should have to. I have having vertical stringing till I went to town on the barrel channel.

Yeah i had to open it up quite a bit. It's not touching at all

 

[Gstew1930]

Also it’s a really really thin barrel for a 10 shot group unless you’re letting it really cool between shots.

Yeah i don't know about that. It's thicker than my tikka and I've shot plenty of 10 shot groups that are fantastic

 

[Qholum37]

Opening up the barrel channel and spot bedding around the recoil lug and tang did wonders for mine. Shot about 50 rounds of factory and hand loads at different charge weights and nothing was better than an inch until I did those things. It now shoots most everything an inch or under (5 shot groups).

 

[Gstew1930]

I’m guessing you have the 20” heavier profile barrel.

I do

 

[PC356]

Had to share this one. Wind finally stopped gusting 30+ mph in the TX Hill Country long enough to get some decent data. Howa Mini that started life as a stainless 7.62x39 action. Had a 16” PBB .22 ARC barrel spun up for it. Found some 80 ELD X factory ammo and wanted to see if it liked the bullet okay before I started some load development on some hand loads with that pill. 600 yd group, oughta be plenty of room to step on the gas a bit more as factory ammo is loaded to AR pressure specs. Hoping to get 2900+ out of handloads.

 

[khuber84]

I do

Its a cheap ass howa.......they gonna make a junker prob one of every 7-10 rifles. I bought a howa 65prc 4 years ago then they first came out, barrel was so rough and tight it blew primers on every type of factory ammo I tried. Sent the POS back for a refund.

 

[Te Hopo]

Well, to take my rifle build further down the rabbit hole, later this week I'm getting a barrel in 223AI
Apparently the round feeds fine in the factory magazines in my gunsmiths Mini.
Velocity wise, he was just over 2900fps with 73s in a 17.5" length.

 

[Gstew1930]

Its a cheap ass howa.......they gonna make a junker prob one of every 7-10 rifles. I bought a howa 65prc 4 years ago then they first came out, barrel was so rough and tight it blew primers on every type of factory ammo I tried. Sent the POS back for a refund.

very true

 

[Stocky]

Well, to take my rifle build further down the rabbit hole, later this week I'm getting a barrel in 223AI
Apparently the round feeds fine in the factory magazines in my gunsmiths Mini.
Velocity wise, he was just over 2900fps with 73s in a 17.5" length.

You brought Chris' barrel? I was looking hahaha

 

[Te Hopo]

You brought Chris' barrel? I was looking hahaha

Yeah bro, he made me a great offer and seing as I'm local.... it just made sense

 

[Stocky]

I

Yeah bro, he made me a great offer and seing as I'm local.... it just made sense

Saw it and was going to wait a week. Good stuff. Be cool to see how it goes

 

[IDVortex]

Never owned a custome/fancy stock until this stocky. Only one blemish on it.
Ill have to take a dremel to the stock to get clearance, left side of the barrel touches. Figured as much. Guess I'll be busy with a dremel this weekend.

its sexy, so glad i got it.

 

[waspocrew]

My Jard trigger arrived today. Installed and feels very nice. Only gripe is they have very small specific hex keys needed to adjust over-travel, etc and they don't include one. Looked all over my bench and couldn't find it, so have to head to ACE to fine tune it.

Overall, very nice trigger though.

 

[khuber84]

Never owned a custome/fancy stock until this stocky. Only one blemish on it.
Ill have to take a dremel to the stock to get clearance, left side of the barrel touches. Figured as much. Guess I'll be busy with a dremel this weekend.

its sexy, so glad i got it.
View attachment 858006View attachment 858007View attachment 858005

Suggestion: use sand paper wrapped around a deep wall socket to open the barrel channel. Dremel sounds like a good idea but it can remove too much material very quickly. Don't ask how I know......