Howa Mini Rifles, Builds, and Upgrades

[KyleR1985]

All of my stockys blems have been shootable. I’ve bedded two.

One for a superlite the rear action screw area of bottom metal inlet was too shallow. I asked for the dimension to mill it to, and they just sent me a new stock that fit fine.

My assessment of the stockys seconds is that they’ll require the same work and skills as their firsts.

These are all howa minis and a superlite, no experience otherwise.

 

[KyleR1985]

Is the Superlite action really lighter than a Mini!?
I don’t have both for a comparison. I also thought AICS mags already worked with it…? JTAC makes a chassis for the Superlite that takes AICS mags…

Elf Owl Chassis Superlite - JTAC Industries

The Elf Owl Chassis, is a compact, affordable and modular Howa Mini Action chassis. Perfect for bolt action pistol and compact bolt action rifle builds.

jtacindustries.com

Superlite action, bolt, mag, action screws, rail that came with it, and DIP aluminum bottom metal = 28 ounces

 

[Pilsner]

Those of you with these Stocky stocks, how much finish work do they need to be useable? Do you bed them? Minor fitment work? Direct drop in and good to go?

I was planning to get the B&C M40 stock sooner or later, but for $100… kind of hard not to give this a shot.

I have had a couple of their blem stocks over the years. One was a cosmetic blem and was an easy drop-in install. One required some barrel channel hogging out for the CF barrel I was using and that one got bedded.
For a hundred bucks I would not hesitate to pick one up - I want to snag one but the list of projects to finish up before I get around to doing a Howa Mini build needs addressed first, sadly.

 

[Te Hopo]

Where did you find the stainless minis?

Sent from my SM-S942U using Tapatalk

I would like to know this, as well!

Coincidentally, I emailed LSI earlier today to ask when/if stainless Mini actions or complete rifles would be available.

Here in New Zealand, I reckon its more common to find the stainless minis.

Its always blown my mind that of all markets, its hard for you guys to get the stainless ones and yet down here in the small markets of NZ and Australia we're flooded with them.

Both my Stockys stocks looked like the should have been blems, both needed the barrel channel sanded out, reinforced the rear sling studs with JB Weld and bedded the actions

 

[Bratch]

Guys I’m about at my wits end with my Mini and am not sure where to go next.

I’ve always just shot 3 shot groups figuring if it can’t shoot a good 3 shot group it can’t shoot a good 5/10/20 shot group. I’ve shot some sub moa groups but a lot of them have been 2 together and a “flyer”.

Here is an example from a couple trips ago.


I decided to move up to 9 shot groups (3x3) today to try and better understand what is going on.

Rifle is in a Stockys that I bedded. It was my first bedding job but went well and rifle seems to fit great. Recoil lug is torqued at 55# and tang at 45#.

Scope is currently an old Bausch and Lomb Elite in the combo factory one piece rings. I’ve had an Athlon 2-12 on it before but swapped it out for the B&L to make sure the scope wasn’t the problem. 20# torque on the rings.

This was ELDM. I’m actually pretty happy with this and may just call it a day if I can repeat it again. I was getting 2680 FPS out of the 22”.



This was ELDX. I was only getting 2625 fps out of it. I quit after 6 to save time after seeing how wide it was.


This was the Barnes 100gr Tipped Game Kings. I was getting 2690 FPS with these.


I’m currently not reloading so stuck with factory options. I’m going to order the Federal 108 Bergers and Barnes 105 Match Burners to try.

Anything else I should be looking at or did I just picky barrel?

 

[wilkup]

Guys I’m about at my wits end with my Mini and am not sure where to go next.

I’ve always just shot 3 shot groups figuring if it can’t shoot a good 3 shot group it can’t shoot a good 5/10/20 shot group. I’ve shot some sub moa groups but a lot of them have been 2 together and a “flyer”.

Here is an example from a couple trips ago.
View attachment 1091221

I decided to move up to 9 shot groups (3x3) today to try and better understand what is going on.

Rifle is in a Stockys that I bedded. It was my first bedding job but went well and rifle seems to fit great. Recoil lug is torqued at 55# and tang at 45#.

Scope is currently an old Bausch and Lomb Elite in the combo factory one piece rings. I’ve had an Athlon 2-12 on it before but swapped it out for the B&L to make sure the scope wasn’t the problem. 20# torque on the rings.

This was ELDM. I’m actually pretty happy with this and may just call it a day if I can repeat it again. I was getting 2680 FPS out of the 22”.

View attachment 1091222

This was ELDX. I was only getting 2625 fps out of it. I quit after 6 to save time after seeing how wide it was.
View attachment 1091223

This was the Barnes 100gr Tipped Game Kings. I was getting 2690 FPS with these.
View attachment 1091224

I’m currently not reloading so stuck with factory options. I’m going to order the Federal 108 Bergers and Barnes 105 Match Burners to try.

Anything else I should be looking at or did I just picky barrel?

If it makes you feel any better, my 6 ARC wouldn’t shoot the factory stuff well either. 5 rounds of factory Hornady108 ELD-M into 4” at 100 yards.
But would make one hole with 90gr Hammer HHT reloads.

 

[wilkup]

Does anybody else get bothered by the Howa shroud lumps not lining up perfectly with the bolt?
It has bothered me for years!
So while we are hogging out my loading port and stretching the ejection port, I asked for the shroud lumps to be shaved off.
Once we saw how it looked I decided it’d be even better trimmed down NULA-esque and couldn’t be happier with how it’s turned out!
My action finally comes this week and I can’t wait!