Howa Mini Rifles, Builds, and Upgrades

[Te Hopo]

Tikka vs Howa Mini?
I like the Tikka, every one I've handled has shot well but size wise, there's no comparison to a trim and handy Mini.
My 223AI Mini gets grabbed and used more than any other rifle I have in the safe because it carries so nicely.

 

[Schroedernd]

Here’s my Howa Mini with a custom barrel chambered in 6 ARC. Great rifle and I enjoy it as much as my Tikkas.

View attachment 957918

What barrel and profile is that?

 

[General RE LEE]

What barrel and profile is that?

Muellerworks. Bug Holes picked a profile that a 5/8x24 would thread directly.

 

[KyleR1985]

Watch Shaw too for sales.

I got a deep chambered 223ai 16” threaded lightweight Shaw contour raw chrome for 250.00.

Should be inexpensive to have any smith set headspace.

Mines at the shop now, I’ll cerakote it all if it’s a shooter. Which, the Shaw’s seem to be.

Cheap option to rebarrel your mini to cartridge of choice. 6x45 comes to mind!

 

[waspocrew]

I was playing around with my gun and noticed that if I pull the trigger with the safety on and then take the safety off the trigger pulls extremely hard unless I cycle the bolt again. Does anyone else’s trigger do this?

Yes, I was experiencing that with the factory trigger as well. Would have random crazy heavy pulls, unless you cycle the bolt again.

I put a Jard in mine. No issues now.

 

[Choot]

Yes, I was experiencing that with the factory trigger as well. Would have random crazy heavy pulls, unless you cycle the bolt again.

I put a Jard in mine. No issues now.

I may have to do the same

 

[Te Hopo]

I don't recall coming across that issue before, but I do love using the Timney I put on mine

 

[Bratch]

Anyone had any weird accuracy issues with their Minis or noticed they are sensitive to dirty barrels?

I have a 22” 6 Arc in a Stockys with 50-60 rounds through it. During initial break in it was shooting 1-1.5 MOA, next range trip was .75-1 MOA but trip this week was 2-2.5 MOA. I checked scope rings and action screws and everything was torqued properly.

I cleaned it good and will take it back out to test; just curious if it’s happened to others

 

[douglasfir]

Yes, I was experiencing that with the factory trigger as well. Would have random crazy heavy pulls, unless you cycle the bolt again.

I put a Jard in mine. No issues now.

Glad to hear that the aftermarket trigger fixes it. Howa needs to fix their trigger.

 

[Johnboy041586]

Here’s my Howa Mini with a custom barrel chambered in 6 ARC. Great rifle and I enjoy it as much as my Tikkas.

View attachment 957918

What stock is that?

 

[Austin Kaufman]

Anyone had any weird accuracy issues with their Minis or noticed they are sensitive to dirty barrels?

I have a 22” 6 Arc in a Stockys with 50-60 rounds through it. During initial break in it was shooting 1-1.5 MOA, next range trip was .75-1 MOA but trip this week was 2-2.5 MOA. I checked scope rings and action screws and everything was torqued properly.

I cleaned it good and will take it back out to test; just curious if it’s happened to others

I have right at 1000 rounds on a 223 with in the last few months and haven’t cleaned it and no change. I also have a 6 arc with 360 rounds no cleaning and it hammers too. The 223 is 20” heavier barrel and the 6 arc is 20” carbon. Worth a shot to clean it before diving too deep down any rabbit holes! Hope that is a quick fix for you.


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[tall]

What stock is that?

Looks like a Bell and Carlson M40

 

[KyleR1985]

I haven’t cleaned my minis they shoot the same as they have since I bedded the stocks and torqued action properly.

 

[BasicUtahrd95]

I haven’t cleaned my minis they shoot the same as they have since I bedded the stocks and torqued action properly.

How much torque did you use for your Mini’s? I have the mini with the 22” barrel in a Stockys VG and Jefferson Outdoors bottom metal. I am struggling to get it under 2 MOA with factory 108 eldm and 103 eldx. I don’t hand load. I have sanded down the barrel channel so it does not touch the barrel. The stock has not been bedded yet. How much improvement am I likely to see from bedding?

 

[KyleR1985]

How much torque did you use for your Mini’s? I have the mini with the 22” barrel in a Stockys VG and Jefferson Outdoors bottom metal. I am struggling to get it under 2 MOA with factory 108 eldm and 103 eldx. I don’t hand load. I have sanded down the barrel channel so it does not touch the barrel. The stock has not been bedded yet. How much improvement am I likely to see from bedding?

I don’t know the amount.

I cleaned and degreased action screws and holes.

A little bedding for the rear action screw, and I cheated on the recoil lug - I bedded behind it, and had relief under the recoil lug.

The action screw being in the bottom of the recoil lug means you can’t torque it down unevenly or you’ll flex stock and/or action. You have to torque evenly.

Once I cleaned everything, and used actual metal bottom metal, I went pretty tight, alternating back and forth. I did not use a torque wrench. I just went tight as I felt aluminum and carbon would handle.


I don’t know if the bedding or the cleaning of action screws and holes, or the amount of torque, or a combination of all are responsible for the gun shooting well - I did them all at the same time.

But I don’t think a dirty barrel has much to do with accuracy in these guns.

 

[Bratch]

How much torque did you use for your Mini’s? I have the mini with the 22” barrel in a Stockys VG and Jefferson Outdoors bottom metal. I am struggling to get it under 2 MOA with factory 108 eldm and 103 eldx. I don’t hand load. I have sanded down the barrel channel so it does not touch the barrel. The stock has not been bedded yet. How much improvement am I likely to see from bedding?

I’m using 40-45# with that setup, when I checked torque after the range trip 45# turned just a little.

When I swapped from factory to Stockys I torqued and went to the range and got .75-1 MOA with factory 103 and 108gr. I decided that was good enough for my use and not to mess with bedding.

I’m now in that 2 MOA range with you and troubleshooting.

 

[General RE LEE]

What stock is that?

Bell and Carlson M40 olive black web

 

[Johnboy041586]

Bell and Carlson M40 olive black web

nice, I've been eyeing that bell and carson to replace my stocky's vg stock.

 

[BasicUtahrd95]

I don’t know the amount.

I cleaned and degreased action screws and holes.

A little bedding for the rear action screw, and I cheated on the recoil lug - I bedded behind it, and had relief under the recoil lug.

The action screw being in the bottom of the recoil lug means you can’t torque it down unevenly or you’ll flex stock and/or action. You have to torque evenly.

Once I cleaned everything, and used actual metal bottom metal, I went pretty tight, alternating back and forth. I did not use a torque wrench. I just went tight as I felt aluminum and carbon would handle.


I don’t know if the bedding or the cleaning of action screws and holes, or the amount of torque, or a combination of all are responsible for the gun shooting well - I did them all at the same time.

But I don’t think a dirty barrel has much to do with accuracy in these guns.

Thanks for the detailed response! Once I am ready to bed, I will refer back to this post.

 

[BasicUtahrd95]

I’m using 40-45# with that setup, when I checked torque after the range trip 45# turned just a little.

When I swapped from factory to Stockys I torqued and went to the range and got .75-1 MOA with factory 103 and 108gr. I decided that was good enough for my use and not to mess with bedding.

I’m now in that 2 MOA range with you and troubleshooting.

I believe I am right around 45# as well. I put roughly 300 rounds through mine before I cleaned it and I have about 50 rounds though it after cleaning with no noticeable change in accuracy. Keep us posted if you find something that helps!