Howa Mini Rifles, Builds, and Upgrades

[J_Jacobson196]

If I can bed one anyone can haha. Those bone stock tikkas with factory ammo sure make a fella question himself tinkering and loading for other things from time to time haha.

Every time I buy or build a rifle that isn't a T3x I question why I bother. The t3x is just the easy button!

 

[TimberHunter]

Every time I buy or build a rifle that isn't a T3x I question why I bother. The t3x is just the easy button!

Same here… I get a wild hair to do something different like a super lite howa mini but then realize that I did all this to save about a lb or so lol


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[General RE LEE]

Every time I buy or build a rifle that isn't a T3x I question why I bother. The t3x is just the easy button!

Yep, my Howa Mini 6 ARC has required a lot of load development to find a load that shoots under a minute.

I got this load in less than 100 rounds with my new 6.5 PRC T3x Lite.

 

[TimberHunter]

To clear the air I wanted to follow up since I just took delivery of the stockys stocky.

With the barreled action in the stock and the tang bolts threaded in about 3/4 of the way, the action has little to no movement in any direction within the stock. Very tight fit, so I’m going to try shooting it before I bed it since it’s such a tight fit

I ordered the varmit barrel channel opening on this stock. The 20” HB leaves next to zero gap in the barrel channel so I’ll need to open that up about 1/8” on each side of the barrel.

Trigger reach is great, much shorter than a tikka in a stockys stock.

Howa trigger has pretty decent amount of creep just before it fires at the weight it comes from the factory. Hoping the creeping just before it first will go away when I lighten the trigger

20” HB, factory bottom plastic, empty mag and stock is coming in at 5.9-6lbs. So a tikka super lite lol

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[hereinaz]

To clear the air I wanted to follow up since I just took delivery of the stockys stocky.

With the barreled action in the stock and the tang bolts threaded in about 3/4 of the way, the action has little to no movement in any direction within the stock. Very tight fit, so I’m going to try shooting it before I bed it since it’s such a tight fit

I ordered the varmit barrel channel opening on this stock. The 20” HB leaves next to zero gap in the barrel channel so I’ll need to open that up about 1/8” on each side of the barrel.

Trigger reach is great, much shorter than a tikka in a stockys stock.

Howa trigger has pretty decent amount of creep just before it fires at the weight it comes from the factory. Hoping the creeping just before it first will go away when I lighten the trigger

20” HB, factory bottom plastic, empty mag and stock is coming in at 5.9-6lbs. So a tikka super lite lol

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Trigger creep, are you talking about the first stage with take up? Or, creep in the second stage?

 

[TimberHunter]

Trigger creep, are you talking about the first stage with take up? Or, creep in the second stage?

Creep just before the trigger goes off. Not the take up right when you touch the trigger. I was surprised the trigger has creep but after dry firing for a while it’s pretty noticeable


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[Unckebob]

I may be unlucky but I almost always have to tweak stocks. So much so I generally have the dremel and bedding material waiting when they come in. McMillan manners high tech specialty stocky etc. I wasn’t surprised at all to have to relieve a little material with the $400 stocky and bed it since I’ve had to with $1,000 manners stocks. Not a dig at manners by any means it’s just more common than not to have to make some minor adjustments to allow for different triggers BM and good barrel clearance. Could be ignorance on my part but I’ve always kinda thought it was just part of modifying factory rifles and building custom rifles.

I believe that you will be happy with the stock even if it requires some small modifications.

My H&S Precision Hunter Bottom Metal that is supposed to be a drop in to a BDL inlet - it fit in my Grayboe stock, but I had to give the front of it a little elbow grease. I will probably have to dremel a bit.

 

[nate907]

Needed a winter project so i drafted and printed a mag release guard for the elf owl chassis. Mounts up with the existing handguard screw and snugly wraps the sides of the mag well. This in combination with the flush mag modification should make a pretty slick hunting chassis. No field use yet, but I'm pretty happy with it so far

 

[TimberHunter]

FYI 20” HB SWFA fixed 10x empty mag is 120 oz (7.5lbs). With my light can I’ll be at 8lbs plus 5 oz for my bipod. So about 8.5lbs. Not as light as I was hoping


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[Cantharellus]

FYI 20” HB SWFA fixed 10x empty mag is 120 oz (7.5lbs). With my light can I’ll be at 8lbs plus 5 oz for my bipod. So about 8.5lbs. Not as light as I was hoping


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What stock are you running?

I'm running the Stocky's VG on mine. It's right around 8lbs with the 22" sporter, SWFA 3-9, pic rail, Warne rings, Nomad Ti XC with a Weka cover, and some LOP spacers and a Victor cheek riser.

I'm hoping to get close to 7.5lbs with the barrel cut and a switch to the RokStok lite when it comes out. Should save some weight from the cheek riser. We'll see...

 

[TimberHunter]

What stock are you running?

I'm running the Stocky's VG on mine. It's right around 8lbs with the 22" sporter, SWFA 3-9, pic rail, Warne rings, Nomad Ti XC with a Weka cover, and some LOP spacers and a Victor cheek riser.

I'm hoping to get close to 7.5lbs with the barrel cut and a switch to the RokStok lite when it comes out. Should save some weight from the cheek riser. We'll see...

Stockys VG. I think the difference is the 20” HB which is about .5lbs heavier than your 22”. In hindsight probably should’ve went with the 22”


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[Cantharellus]

Stockys VG. I think the difference is the 20” HB which is about .5lbs heavier than your 22”. In hindsight probably should’ve went with the 22”


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Yeah. That makes sense then. Any plans to cut your barrel? I debated the 20" and 22" for a while before I decided on the 22.

 

[Te Hopo]

I've got a hankering for a curry so found a fat young nanny an hour ago.
Thick bush, shot was around 7yds, glad I had the scope set on 2.5x

 

[Stocky]

View attachment 849489

I've got a hankering for a curry so found a fat young nanny an hour ago.
Thick bush, shot was around 7yds, glad I had the scope set on 2.5x

You know you want a VG for those long shots mate

 

[TimberHunter]

Yeah. That makes sense then. Any plans to cut your barrel? I debated the 20" and 22" for a while before I decided on the 22.

The little bit I’d gain from cutting the barrel is not worth the cost of cutting and threading. And I’d loose some velocity. TBH I may just end up selling this as if I don’t it will just sit in my safe


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[Cantharellus]

The little bit I’d gain from cutting the barrel is not worth the cost of cutting and threading. And I’d loose some velocity. TBH I may just end up selling this as if I don’t it will just sit in my safe


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Fair enough!

 

[Te Hopo]

You know you want a VG for those long shots mate

Hahaha I've been thinking another .223 or even going to a 6ARC would be fun in a VG with a bit more scope for more of a play rifle.
I had Chris Murf slab my action but after seeing yours....we might have to get a bit more greedy on the mill

Hard in my mind to beat my current set up for general hunting use in the Sounds, most shots are in the bush with the odd one out to a couple hundred meters.

 

[Stocky]

Hahaha I've been thinking another .223 or even going to a 6ARC would be fun in a VG with a bit more scope for more of a play rifle.
I had Chris Murf slab my action but after seeing yours....we might have to get a bit more greedy on the mill

Hard in my mind to beat my current set up for general hunting use in the Sounds, most shots are in the bush with the odd one out to a couple hundred meters.

Chris is doing my 22 Creed Barrel atm. And don't downgraded to the 6mm. If you want a play thing the 22ARC is the way. You know 22 works why not launch the 88s with the same BC but faster than the 108s. My slabbing is a similar material removal to stabbing due to the angles. It's more of a skim. I modelled both to see and there's grams in it. The difference is I did the front bridge skeletonised the rear bridge and added recoil pin holes. I may make up a super pencil barrel. I modelled up the profile and I can likely knock out another 200-250grams if your down Canty way reach out.

 

[Te Hopo]

Chris is doing my 22 Creed Barrel atm. And don't downgraded to the 6mm. If you want a play thing the 22ARC is the way. You know 22 works why not launch the 88s with the same BC but faster than the 108s. My slabbing is a similar material removal to stabbing due to the angles. It's more of a skim. I modelled both to see and there's grams in it. The difference is I did the front bridge skeletonised the rear bridge and added recoil pin holes. I may make up a super pencil barrel. I modelled up the profile and I can likely knock out another 200-250grams if your down Canty way reach out.

Oooh yeah I was just reading up on 22ARC the other day, thats very tempting especially with how many .22 projectiles of various weights I have kicking around.

I get down to Canterbury a few times a year, we're bound to have a few mates in common.
but next time I'm down I'll reach out, be great to get together and compare ideas
Just saw your thread on NZHS, off to have a read now