Mini Howa Build: open bolt face for 6 BRA

[hereinaz]

This is for @Jbuck but figured I'd start a thread on it. Richard Luna of Bring the Edge, a small shop in NM did the work. He has done lots of barrels for me and they all shoot.

I wanted a little backpack rifle in a small caliber, but with some ooomph. I have a bunch of 6mm bullets and 6 BRA brass, powder, reloading, etc. So, I went with the 6BRA. I started the build before the 6 ARC was released, so that might have changed my mind, but I am happy with the little extra of the BRA and not having to get another set of dies, brass, etc.

Unless a shooter has a reason to go with a bigger cartridge, I think it makes sense to stick with the 6 ARC. Or, build a 22 Grendel or the rumored 22 ARC would be pretty awesome. That is if the .223 wasn't enough.

The details of the Mini Howa:

• The COAL of the 6 bra with 95 grain VLD fits in the Howa mags without modification. I haven't run bigger bullets yet or tried to fit them. I'll update when I get around to it if someone wants to know.
• Smith opened bolt face for 6BRA from 6 Grendel.
• Had to send the bolt to have the pin diameter reduced and bushed because I started punching primers on small rifle primers on first reloading after mild fireforming loads.
• 22" Proof carbon fiber barrel chambered in 6 BRA, I don't have data handy for velocity. I will update.
• Stocky's carbon fiber stock.
• Trigger spring shortened to reduce trigger pull weight.
• DIP bottom metal with the release lever rounded and shortened.
• Howa 6.5 Grendel mags, with feed lips opened up to present cartridge rim to the bolt, and lips shortened to allow for the fatter cartridge to tip up for presentation.
• Mags run flawlessly and holds 4 rounds if I recall correctly.

Negatives of the platform:

• The stupid way that the magazine release is on the muzzle side of the magazine. I just ground it shorter and rounded the edges, so it doesn't bother me other than being in a weird place.
• The bolt on mine wasn't smooth, so I am just going to polish it up a little bit.
• The action is smaller diameter and barrel tenon smaller than full size Howa, so I wouldn't run anything bigger than I am.

Positives of the platform:

• Its just fun to run a little gun that pews. I know it is blasphemy, but I would buy a Howa mini in .223 instead of a Tikka for kids and smaller people to run the TMK.
• You can buy prefits from Preferred Barrels for the Howa Mini.
• It has a short bolt run for little people.
• The Howa two stage trigger is really very good for a factory trigger.
• The important trigger and stock aftermarket upgrades are available for the Howa.

I will post up pictures of the build and data when I get them. It has been a slow project, but I am ready to rock and roll now.

 

[wind gypsy]

What is magazine COAL limit?

 

[Big_wals]

Sounds like a sweet setup. A mini in 6 arc has been tempting me for a while now.

 

[Jbuck]

Sounds about what I was hoping for. Other then the pierced primers. I was talking to LRI about it, but they said they couldn't tell me if they could open the bolt face enough without looking at it.

I'm guessing the proof is 1.2" cylinder?

I picked up a howa mini in grendel for my two younger boys to hunt with and my older one tagged his first deer with it this year, but I have a whole bunch of lapua 6br brass and not much grendel brass. Figure the recoil is going to be pretty much identical between the two. The 6arc would be the easy button, but for the cost of good dies and a bunch of brass I think I'd be close to even, but with a better barrel.

My plan is to order a stockysstocks carbon vertical grip stock and barrel on black Friday. I've ordered a sps adjustable buttpad so that I can shoot it too.

 

[hereinaz]

I will get you pictures and measurements of the bolt face if that helps, but I didn’t have any problem with the bolt face, and it seems to me about the same as a magnum on the regular bold face.

 

[ElPollo]

This is for @Jbuck but figured I'd start a thread on it. Richard Luna of Bring the Edge, a small shop in NM did the work. He has done lots of barrels for me and they all shoot.

I wanted a little backpack rifle in a small caliber, but with some ooomph. I have a bunch of 6mm bullets and 6 BRA brass, powder, reloading, etc. So, I went with the 6BRA. I started the build before the 6 ARC was released, so that might have changed my mind, but I am happy with the little extra of the BRA and not having to get another set of dies, brass, etc.

Unless a shooter has a reason to go with a bigger cartridge, I think it makes sense to stick with the 6 ARC. Or, build a 22 Grendel or the rumored 22 ARC would be pretty awesome. That is if the .223 wasn't enough.

The details of the Mini Howa:

• The COAL of the 6 bra with 95 grain VLD fits in the Howa mags without modification. I haven't run bigger bullets yet or tried to fit them. I'll update when I get around to it if someone wants to know.
• Smith opened bolt face for 6BRA from 6 Grendel.
• Had to send the bolt to have the pin diameter reduced and bushed because I started punching primers on small rifle primers on first reloading after mild fireforming loads.
• 22" Proof carbon fiber barrel chambered in 6 BRA, I don't have data handy for velocity. I will update.
• Stocky's carbon fiber stock.
• Trigger spring shortened to reduce trigger pull weight.
• DIP bottom metal with the release lever rounded and shortened.
• Howa 6.5 Grendel mags, with feed lips opened up to present cartridge rim to the bolt, and lips shortened to allow for the fatter cartridge to tip up for presentation.
• Mags run flawlessly and holds 4 rounds if I recall correctly.

Negatives of the platform:

• The stupid way that the magazine release is on the muzzle side of the magazine. I just ground it shorter and rounded the edges, so it doesn't bother me other than being in a weird place.
• The bolt on mine wasn't smooth, so I am just going to polish it up a little bit.
• The action is smaller diameter and barrel tenon smaller than full size Howa, so I wouldn't run anything bigger than I am.

Positives of the platform:

• Its just fun to run a little gun that pews. I know it is blasphemy, but I would buy a Howa mini in .223 instead of a Tikka for kids and smaller people to run the TMK.
• You can buy prefits from Preferred Barrels for the Howa Mini.
• It has a short bolt run for little people.
• The Howa two stage trigger is really very good for a factory trigger.
• The important trigger and stock aftermarket upgrades are available for the Howa.

I will post up pictures of the build and data when I get them. It has been a slow project, but I am ready to rock and roll now.

I want to like the mini Howas, but it would take a lot of time and money to make them like-able for me. The negatives you list in terms of the roughness of the action and the magazine release are things I agree with. I would also add that the magazines themselves leave a lot to be desired and the Howa actions have a lot of opening to allow debris and water inside where they can affect the function of the gun.

 

[hereinaz]

I want to like the mini Howas, but it would take a lot of time and money to make them like-able for me. The negatives you list in terms of the roughness of the action and the magazine release are things I agree with. I would also add that the magazines themselves leave a lot to be desired and the Howa actions have a lot of opening to allow debris and water inside where they can affect the function of the gun.

They aren’t custom for sure, but they check the right boxes for my project. I wanted to make sure people know the warts too. They turn lots off.

The opening haven’t really bothered me since I created snd started running my scoped action armor on my rifles to solve the problem of me getting crap in there and losing scope covers and caps.

 

[ElPollo]

Did not mean to be critical of what you are doing. The Howa mini is a cool platform for a svelte lightweight if you can resolve some of its issues. I still go back and forth on giving that a shot. Would love to hear more about what you are doing to smooth the action. I’d also love to see pictures of the project as you progress and when it’s finished.

 

[hereinaz]

Did not mean to be critical of what you are doing. The Howa mini is a cool platform for a svelte lightweight if you can resolve some of its issues. I still go back and forth on giving that a shot. Would love to hear more about what you are doing to smooth the action. I’d also love to see pictures of the project as you progress and when it’s finished.

Hey, you were right to point out what you did. Pros and cons. Nothing is perfect. I like a good thread with honest information.

 

[hereinaz]

7 SS 180 VLD, 25 SST 133 Hunter, 6.5 cm 140 bthp, 6 xc 105 hybrid, 6 BRA 95 VLD

 

[hereinaz]

Can’t get pics to finish loading tonight, will post up tomorrow.

 

[The Guide]

I have 2 Mini Actions in 6.5 Grendel and one in 223. They aren't Tikka smooth but I've had no issue getting them to run. The 5 round Grendel mags run just fine and the 10 round 223 mag hasn't given me any issues yet (only 30 rounds down the tube since I bought it used on gunbroker but it has taken 1 antelope and 1 mule deer and killed rocks to 515 yards with the 77tmk). If you run the bolt hard I really don't notice that the action is rough. Only if you run it slow or try to slowly feed a cartridge from the magazine.

The 2 Grendels are my kid's first rifles that they killed their first deer with. The 223 is mine that I got 2 weeks ago. I'm thinking about getting a 6mm ARC mini for me and ordering a 22 ARC barrel from Preferred Barrel Blanks and a stock from Stockys for a lightweight carry rifle.

Jay

 

[hereinaz]

 

[hereinaz]

 

[hereinaz]

I have 2 Mini Actions in 6.5 Grendel and one in 223. They aren't Tikka smooth but I've had no issue getting them to run. The 5 round Grendel mags run just fine and the 10 round 223 mag hasn't given me any issues yet (only 30 rounds down the tube since I bought it used on gunbroker but it has taken 1 antelope and 1 mule deer and killed rocks to 515 yards with the 77tmk). If you run the bolt hard I really don't notice that the action is rough. Only if you run it slow or try to slowly feed a cartridge from the magazine.

The 2 Grendels are my kid's first rifles that they killed their first deer with. The 223 is mine that I got 2 weeks ago. I'm thinking about getting a 6mm ARC mini for me and ordering a 22 ARC barrel from Preferred Barrel Blanks and a stock from Stockys for a lightweight carry rifle.

Jay

Right on!

 

[hereinaz]

Got my scope on and shot one group today testing a new powder. Bore sighted it so the group needs to be zeroed. 3/4 dot.

 

[hereinaz]

The bolt is rough, runs like a zipper.

 

[hereinaz]

A little fine grit sand paper smoothed it up and runs much smoother now.

 

[peaches]

Most actions will smooth up. Wipe bolt/action dry then sit in front of your TV and work it for a while. Clean and lube after, and they usually will break in.

 

[The Guide]

The bolt is rough, runs like a zipper.
View attachment 619671View attachment 619672

I always thought a nice coat of Cerakote would cover those tooling marks and make it slide like glass but I've never been that motivated to improve it as it works ok as is and I have no desire to breakdown the rifles.

Jay