Howa Mini Rifles, Builds, and Upgrades

[KyleR1985]

Is that the “hurried dad at the range” routine? Cause if so, I can relate!

Haha zackly!

 

[huckfin]

Where did you order the JO Bottom metal from? The last I looked, they were out of stock.

Scratch that, I ordered a lolo tactical bottom metal kit.

 

[BigWoods]

Don't think I've posted this yet!

What length is your barrel?

 

[9.3koolaid]

What length is your barrel?

16"

 

[BigWoods]

16"

Gotcha! Must be a reflex suppressor on it? Really wanting to get mine cut down, but deciding when I want to wait without my rifle...

 

[9.3koolaid]

Gotcha! Must be a reflex suppressor on it? Really wanting to get mine cut down, but deciding when I want to wait without my rifle...

Yep, Ab Raptor. I recommend the chop!

 

[Te Hopo]

Took the 223ai 16.5" Mini to the range yesterday.

I loaded 77tmk and 88eldm over Lever and 8208xbr in LC and Lapua brass, cci 450 primers.

I loaded each bullet/powder/brass combo across three different versions of sizing:

- fired, chamfered deburred lee collet die neck sized LC brass
- fired, chamfered deburred lee collet die neck sized Lapua brass
- fired, full length sized, chamfered deburred LC brass

Total of 60 rounds, plus 20 AAC 77tmk factory loads.

Nothing shot over 1" for 5. And I had no trouble chambering any of the rounds, including the fired/neck sized rounds. The 88's shot slightly smaller than the 77's. I basically shot as fast as I could as I had limited range time.

77's over lever shot 2800fps, 2675fps over 8208xbr
88's over lever shot 2700fps, 2575fps over 8208xbr

Loads were warm for sized standard 223, but seemed mild for forming.


I picked two cases that were fired/neck sized, 77 over lever to measure capacity after forming. The LC brass measured 32.8gr, the Lapua measured 31.8gr. The shoulders on the Lapua didn't look super sharp - thinking they may need another round of fireforming for full capacity.


Gun is plenty accurate to hunt with fireforming loads. And at just under 6.5lbs scoped and suppressed, I was still able to spot shots. There's no recoil, its so fun to shoot.

I broke the gun down and cleaned it. I'll load up 30 of the 77/Lever combo to hunt with late season if the chance arises, and load up the formed brass so I can get to range again to see what kind of velocity I'll see from the extra capacity.

Pretty happy for a 250.00 barrel to shoot this way.

Lake City Brass is what I use in my 223AI, some of my brass is over 10 stout firings now and the brass is holding up fine.

 

[KyleR1985]

Lake City Brass is what I use in my 223AI, some of my brass is over 10 stout firings now and the brass is holding up fine.

Yup, I got a good deal on once fired lapua.

I’ll probably send the balance down the road. I can’t see it being worth the money in this application.

 

[hereinaz]

Whats the consensus for factory barrel accuracy? Picked up a used 6 arc in a vg stockys. I got 2.5 moa factory eldx, bedded lug/tang got that down to about 2 moa tried a handload with good components and got it down to about 1.75 moa just curious if I'm chasing my tail to try different reloading components

Sent from my SM-S936U using Tapatalk

Sometimes it is solved by bedding and torquing action screws and having aluminum bottom metal.

I have talked about it before. The front screw goes into the recoil lug so can tip it forward, lifting the tang up. Then tightening the tang bends it.

Unlike every other rifle, you have to carefully tighten front and right to torque slowly to avoid it.

I have taken 2 moa Howa to sub moa Howa with just that right at the bench.

But, there are lemon barrels that just never shoot. Those can go back to legacy if you want to spend time and effort on that.

 

[nortac]

Question for you Howa Mini guys with the Stocky's Carbon stock. I just got one in for my 22ARC and it isn't free floated for the barrel. Is this by design or does the stock come needing to remove material to free float the barrel?
Just the tip of this one is making contact with the barrel

 

[tall]

Question for you Howa Mini guys with the Stocky's Carbon stock. I just got one in for my 22ARC and it isn't free floated for the barrel. Is this by design or does the stock come needing to remove material to free float the barrel?
Just the tip of this one is making contact with the barrel

It should be free floated. I’ve had to do sandpaper work on both of my stocky’s stocks.

 

[Stocky]

Spacer installed to bring LOP to something reasonable for an adult. 6.5 pounds scoped and suppressed. Brother will be very happy with it.

 

[KyleR1985]

View attachment 996226
Spacer installed to bring LOP to something reasonable for an adult. 6.5 pounds scoped and suppressed. Brother will be very happy with it.

Buy it or make it?

 

[nortac]

It should be free floated. I’ve had to do sandpaper work on both of my stocky’s stocks.

10-4. Working on that now. Are you bedding the action to the stock or letting in ride in the Accublock nekid?

 

[BigWoods]

Question for you Howa Mini guys with the Stocky's Carbon stock. I just got one in for my 22ARC and it isn't free floated for the barrel. Is this by design or does the stock come needing to remove material to free float the barrel?
Just the tip of this one is making contact with the barrel

Bedding mine fixed the lack of free-floating. Something about torquing down the action that pulls the barrel into the stock. See if yours free floats when you just set the barreled action into the stock.

I had sanded out my wife's Superlite, but now after getting and bedding the Mini, Im wishing I had just bedded hers first.

 

[leroy5150me]

I've been tossing around the idea of building an UL mini action in 6 ARC or Grendel for a little more frontal diameter and weight. The further you go down that UL line, those $ start adding up quick though.

 

[Stocky]

Buy it or make it?

3d printed it.