Howa Mini Rifles, Builds, and Upgrades

[KyleR1985]

Are all shaws barrel nuts or do they make shouldered prefits now?

My understanding is I’ll be getting a deep chambered shouldered barrel that will require setting back tenon threads and shoulder to headspace.

I called and asked if they would run the threads up further because I found a company making Howa mini barre nuts. They said no. So I assume it’s all pre programmed

 

[AZBG]

Shot my 6 ARC for the first time. Zeroed it and the next five rounds were a 1.25" group, not amazing but it was a really windy day and just shooting off the bipod. Looks like this thing will be a shooter with the factory 108eldms. The bolt lift was insanely heavy when cycling. Anybody else have a rough action that smoothed out with more use?

 

[waspocrew]

Shot my 6 ARC for the first time. Zeroed it and the next five rounds were a 1.25" group, not amazing but it was a really windy day and just shooting off the bipod. Looks like this thing will be a shooter with the factory 108eldms. The bolt lift was insanely heavy when cycling. Anybody else have a rough action that smoothed out with more use?View attachment 915644

Mine was a little rough to start out with. I cycled it a ton and it’s definitely better.

 

[waspocrew]

Took the 6 ARC out this evening shooting factory 108 ELDM and factory second 105 gr Black Tip from Midway.

Rifle doesn’t seem to care for the 108 ammo (I’ll reserve it for my 6 ARC gasser).

The 105s show promise with Lever powder. ES is pretty high though. 5 shot groups at 100 yards. 1” squares.

108:


105 Black Tip (Midway and Midsouth):

 

[270quest]

Got the 6arc out today to verify drops at long range. Had the gongs set at 400 and 600.

105 Berger Hybrid was dead on at 2.0 mils at 400 and was only .1-.2 mil off at 600, but still went 8/8 at 400 and 7/8 at 600 (8” gong). Bullets are verified at 2725 FPS.

So much fun shooting this little rifle - ready to go chase a big mountain muley!

 

[65Remmy]

@270quest What kind of shooting table are you using there? It looks like it's handy for portable shooting setups.

 

[270quest]

Not sure of the model but it’s a cabelas brand…my wife bought it for me for Father’s Day. Folds down flat - sets up in 30 seconds. I like it a lot

 

[nm.otter]

Looks like it might be this?

 

[270quest]

Yes that’s the one

 

[KyleR1985]

I've measured 3x 1 in 8 223 barrels and a 1 in 9.

I just looked back at my notes. All 4 had 77tmks touch the lands at 2.39. 73 elds measured identical. I only measured 69tmks in the 1 in 9 and its also the same. The seating die can be left the same. I expect the ogive profile is more or less the same on these 3.

All the longer sleeks elds (62 VT, 75m, 80 m, 80 x, 88 m) where around 2.49-2.51. Are you sure your notes aren't for one of these? Also I could get any barrel to shoot any of these better than 2 inchs. I tried 4895, varget, staball match, benchmark, 8208, lever, cfe223 as i really wanted the 75s to work.

I will add I've gone away from the Jeffersons in 223. It makes function significantly worse in 223. It feeds alright 100% when bolts worked slowly but if the bolts run fast it only feeds about 80%. The spring is also incredibly stiff and the follower and round impinge directly on the bolt and cause significant bolt bind. Night and day different compared to factory mags.

Seems the grendel etc are different and have feed lips built into the magazine so may be different but the 223 i want to like but end up buying a metal floor plate for factory mags.

I also get 2.39 with just thinning the front bit not notching it. This means rounds are captive in the magazine some aftermarket bottom metals arent guided all the way to the action so a full window can cause feeding issues. I can load to 2.37 in the magazines. Since I've not been able to get any truly long bullets to shoots it doesnt matter for now.

@KyleR1985 does your jeffersons centre feed?

2.445” oal to the lands in my .223 mini. I was off .025” my calipers weren’t dialed in.

It’s stagger feed.

I haven’t had any feed issues yet. I had plenty of issues with the oregunsmith metal and mag box. Put a Jefferson mag box in it and it works fine now too.

I only have a few hundred rounds through this gun though.