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.

 

[Stocky]

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.

Out of interest cycle your bolt with mag open and with it close (empty) and let me know if theres a significant difference. There was in mine. Maybe it was a limited experience.

 

[Tanner]

I see Lipseys is showing a number of Mini 22 ARCs. Anybody know when they’ll actually be available for purchase ? I need one like I need air.

 

[The Guide]

I see Lipseys is showing a number of Mini 22 ARCs. Anybody know when they’ll actually be available for purchase ? I need one like I need air.

I have one. Got it in June. They are available.

Jay

 

[Stocky]

I have one. Got it in June. They are available.

Jay

How's it shoot?

 

[The Guide]

How's it shoot?

Did not like the 62 or 75 grain factory ammo but did better with the 80 and 88 grain offerings. I'm running the 88 ELDM @ 2790 fps and holding sub MOA to 700 yards. I've shot steel to 1k and the bang made a ding.

Jay

 

[droptine818]

Late to the party on this thread. I have a Superlite in .308. Originally bought it with a wood stock but after 3 shots it cracked right behind the action. Howa sold me a stockys at cost because the wood was back ordered. Haven’t done anything to the rifle since I changed out the stock but I did kill a mule deer with the cracked wood stock at 260 yards…

Other than the stock issue I never had any problems with the gun. It feeds well, and the barrel floats perfectly in the channel. Are there any internal mods that would be beneficial?

 

[KY_coop]

Late to the party on this thread. I have a Superlite in .308. Originally bought it with a wood stock but after 3 shots it cracked right behind the action. Howa sold me a stockys at cost because the wood was back ordered. Haven’t done anything to the rifle since I changed out the stock but I did kill a mule deer with the cracked wood stock at 260 yards…

Other than the stock issue I never had any problems with the gun. It feeds well, and the barrel floats perfectly in the channel. Are there any internal mods that would be beneficial?

Bedding helped mine get a lil more accurate but it wasn't terrible to start with.

 

[Austin Kaufman]

I put these two guns together the last few months. The green gun is a 6 ARC with 20” carbon. I went with a trybe defense chassis, mk machining vertical grip with thumb rest, warne 20 moa rail, vortex precision rings, and arken epl 6-24x50mm MIL scope, MDT GRND pod, topped off with a banish 30 suppressor. This gun weights right under 10 pounds. Most of my rifles are 11-13 pounds so I wasn’t super weigh concerned. I have about 500 rounds through it and shoot it daily between 300-1300 yards. It’s been an awesome gun and hoping to fill all my rifle tags with it this season. Shooting factory 108 ELDMs at 2625 fps. Very impressed with accuracy. The grey gun is a 223 I tossed together to have close to exact copy but cheaper to shoot. Only differences on this gun is 20 inch steel barrel, I went with the 34mm Arken sh4 4-16x50mm, warne mtn tech rings, mdt 30 moa rail, and rugged ridge bipod. So far I only have 60 rounds on the 223. 50 rounds of cheap 55 grain fmj Winchester that shot a 10 round group of 1.5 moa and then I tried some 73 grain ELDMs and it was about a 1.25 moa group. Going to try some different loads and put some more rounds through it to get the barrel broke in and see what loads it likes best. This gun weights closer to 13 pounds due to a heavier scope and suppressor, but once again wasn’t concerned on weight I just wanted a gun that was fun to shoot practicing positions. If you aren’t super weight concerned the trybe defense chassis are awesome. MDT makes them and they are very similar to an mdt oryx, but they go on sale for around $200 frequently.


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[PC356]

I see Lipseys is showing a number of Mini 22 ARCs. Anybody know when they’ll actually be available for purchase ? I need one like I need air.

One I jazzed up a little for the ol man. Cerakote on factory barreled action and cut to 16”. Bedded into a Stockys. Shoots 80 ELD Xs very well.

 

[Tanner]

One I jazzed up a little for the ol man. Cerakote on factory barreled action and cut to 16”. Bedded into a Stockys. Shoots 80 ELD Xs very well.

That’s nice! What are you seeing for velocity on the 80s?