Howa Mini Rifles, Builds, and Upgrades

[Te Hopo]

My supplier of these lists them at 25-27oz so I'd say you've got a good light one.

I see the Sporter is listed at 17-20oz

 

[UnckleBob]

I just got my Stocky's VG1. Should it be weighing this much out of the box? I thought they advertised 17 - 20 oz for the Howa Mini inlet. Mine is coming in at 25.25 oz.

Mine is 23 oz.

 

[Middle_Ridge]

My supplier of these lists them at 25-27oz so I'd say you've got a good light one.

I see the Sporter is listed at 17-20oz

Fantastic. Thank you much!

 

[Caseknife]

0the Stocky's VG's are considerably heavier than the sporter stocks.

Cutting the mags is relatively easy, just take your time and do a little at a time and keep fitting, saw and file work.

 

[General RE LEE]

Bugholes installed Muellerworks 22” barrel chambered in 6 ARC. It’s a heavier contour so I can direct thread 5/8x24. Shot first 50 rounds with 108 ELDM/Varget handloads from previous bore. It’s got potential.

 

[Stocky]

Mine

I just got my Stocky's VG1. Should it be weighing this much out of the box? I thought they advertised 17 - 20 oz for the Howa Mini inlet. Mine is coming in at 25.25 oz.

Was 21oz

 

[Schroedernd]

Muellerworks

Can you give me the specs on what you ordered for that barrel? Looks impressive!

 

[General RE LEE]

Can you give me the specs on what you ordered for that barrel? Looks impressive!

Smallest contour to thread 5/8x24. 22” with 1:7.5 twist. Painted black.

 

[nate907]

Bottom metal tip and STATUS UPDATE on my bottom metal project.

FYI, you can modify your factory mags to fit into MDT's bottom metal that works with the Mamba mags they discontinued. Here is a bottom metal for $75 bucks. I figured out how to do it as I was playing with mags for a new design. All you have to do is cut a little notch in the back of them like the Mamba mag. Or, you could probably epoxy on a wedge shaped piece of kydex, but cutting a shallow spot has worked so far. Just don't cut all the way through.

I have been working on new designs for bottom metal for the Mini and Superlite. The mag release will be by the trigger guard which should eliminate some of the reported problems with the Superlite factory bottom metal which is also made of plastic.

I own the factory and DIP bottom metal for both Mini and Superlite, along with Jefferson and MDT's discontinued mag bottom metal. I did a video call explaining it to a CAD engineer, and am now sending all them to have a bottom metal designed off MDT's discontinued version, but improve it.

I will get a couple 3D printed prototypes. Maybe I'll have a few of you test them for me.

Along with the bottom metal prototypes, I am having them make me some magazines. Yes, I am pushing out the front of the magazine so that you can load longer in the Mini. I am making the bottom metal compatible with the factory magazines with the same modification I describe above.

Here is a listing for the discontinued MDT bottom metal.

Pardon Our Interruption...

any updates on this @hereinaz ?

 

[hereinaz]

any updates on this @hereinaz ?

This project is on hold for now. I want to make it happen in 2026 though.

We focused on the Tikka barrels for 2025.

 

[nate907]

This project is on hold for now. I want to make it happen in 2026 though.

We focused on the Tikka barrels for 2025.

bummer, i suppose that's a worthy project as well. Might try tracking down one of the MDT bottom metals. Did you find that the factory mags locked up well after modification? i wont have one of the discontinued mags to compare with, not sure if that will be an issue or not.

 

[Williammcinall]

bummer, i suppose that's a worthy project as well. Might try tracking down one of the MDT bottom metals. Did you find that the factory mags locked up well after modification? i wont have one of the discontinued mags to compare with, not sure if that will be an issue or not.

I was also following this. I've seen some mdt ones still in stock at a few shops in canada. I will say the mdt bottom metal with a modified factory mag works amazing

 

[hereinaz]

I was also following this. I've seen some mdt ones still in stock at a few shops in canada. I will say the mdt bottom metal with a modified factory mag works amazing

Correct, if you can find the MDT bottom metal, my experience is that the simple modification works great.

 

[buck40]

I may have overlooked it but how many in-lbs are you guys torquing the action screws to on the Stocky's carbon stocks?

 

[buck40]

With Jefferson bottom metal