Ruger American vs Howa barreled action

[Northern-Nomad]

TLDR: Ruger American ranch vs Howa 1500 mini barreled action in either 6 ARC or 6.5 Grendel?

I’ve been kicking around the idea of a relatively cheap, lightweight, and compact beater rifle for shooting mainly deer and coyotes around the farm but also stretching out to distance on occasion for fun. Specifically I want a 16-18” threaded barrel to suppress and a folding chassis to keep it easy to throw in a pack or the pickup. The two options that have jumped out at me is either a Ruger American gen 2 ranch or a Howa 1500 mini barreled action from brownells. Either one would get dropped in a different chassis. I haven’t had any hands on experience with either of these options though so I would like to get y’all’s opinions on the two. From reading other posts on here it seems that the Ruger is more consistently solid but with perhaps a lower ceiling whereas the howa has a higher ceiling but also a higher chance of having issues. That said I haven’t found a post directly comparing the two options.

The second half of my question is in relation to the cartridge for said rifle. I’m on the fence between the 6 ARC and the 6.5 Grendel. I like the better frontal area and weight of the Grendel, plus my dad already has one so it would simplify ammo logistics. However the Arc seems to be better suited to the case size and certainly a better long range round if I want to play in that world. Additionally I’m not sure the market space exists for both rounds and the better long range performance as well as the marketing power of Hornady seems to indicate that if one of these rounds dies out it will be the Grendel. Lastly, before the .223 fanatics and aficionados jump in, I understand a .223 would probably work but I prefer the arc or the Grendel for killing stuff bigger than coyotes.

 

[MuleyFever]

The 6 ARC is superior to the Grendel. If you are going to restock the Ruger then you may as well get the Howa. I don't think you can make a consistent argument that the Ruger or Howa is actually better.

 

[Northern-Nomad]

The more I’ve looked at it the more the 6 ARC has won me over, so I’m definitely leaning more that way. That said, I’ve had good success with my dad’s Grendel and have really come to like it.

 

[MT_Fin]

The 6 ARC is superior to the Grendel. If you are going to restock the Ruger then you may as well get the Howa. I don't think you can make a consistent argument that the Ruger or Howa is actually better.

I saw in a previous thread you planned to get a Ruger in 6arc. Did you end up doing that, and if so which one and how do you like it? I’m in the fence like the OP in trying to figure out Howa mini or the Ruger for my daughter to shoot.

 

[MuleyFever]

I saw in a previous thread you planned to get a Ruger in 6arc. Did you end up doing that, and if so which one and how do you like it? I’m in the fence like the OP in trying to figure out Howa mini or the Ruger for my daughter to shoot.

I have not. I plan to get one for my wife but she only had a muzzleloader tag this year so no reason to pick one up just yet. I am actually debating now if I should get her the 22CM though as it will be mainly a deer rifle and she wont shoot very far.

 

[eric1115]

6 ARC Howa, for sure. 108 ELDM is a killer, zero worries about its terminal performance vs a 6.5 Grendel.

Howa mini takes minor work to get it to work, in my experience, but once it's set up it's a better functioning rifle than the RA. Probably no consistent winner in the accuracy department between the two, but the howa certainly seems better made to me.

 

[Ferrulewax]

As a 6.5 Grindel owner, I would get a 6arc. You really can’t squeeze much more bullet weight into a 6.5 grendel than the 6 and you loose the BC.

 

[waspocrew]

I was debating between the two and ended up going with the Howa mini in 6 ARC. I’m waiting for my stock to arrive, so haven’t had the chance to shoot yet, but there are several reports on RS about the Howa mini and good accuracy.

The Howa seems ok so far. Trigger is heavy even at its lowest setting, but I’ll either try to trim the spring or swap out a timney or jard.

 

[Adbarnes01]

I have the ruger american and howa in 6 arc. I hate the ar mags in the ruger and the action is clunky. The howa has a stockys carbon fiber stock and a jefferson bottom metal. Both shoot quite well although I am limited on seating depth with AR mags in the ruger.

 

[ORJoe]

I got the Howa in Grendel, and accuracy wise it was a lemon. Nothing would consistently shoot better then 2 moa and usually more like 4.
Bought the Ruger and it was outstanding, 1-1.5 moa.
The Ruger bolt is clunkier than the Howa. Trigger is good enough on both.
On the Howa the magazine will easily fall out if you bump the release, and I don't think replacements exist on Earth at any price.
Ruger, the magazine does not fall out and they are AR Grendel mags so they are everywhere.
I rebarreled the Howa to 6arc and turned it into a project rifle that is now my main hunting rifle. Got one of the blind mag kits and hid the original mag under the gun safe.
If I was doing it all again today, now that the 6arcs exist I would definitely get one of those instead of a Grendel, and probably the Ruger over the Howa.

 

[NevadaMike]

For what it is worth I think the Ruger is a bargain. That being said, I sent my 6ARC back because the chamber measured short. I think. If I load to the book max of 2.2 I am jammed. Ruger was awesome to deal with but when they called I was told they shot 20 rounds of Match and it did fine and there were no signs of imprinting on the projectile if they chambered it and removed it. When I asked if they measured it I could not get a confirmation only that its cut to SAAMI. It just came back and I need to measure it again to see if they may have done something and just not told me about it. Before I sent it in I was getting just over a 1 inch 20 round group while load developing with both 108 ELD-M and 105 VLD-H.

 

[Kyguy]

After having both rifles in 7.62x39, the Ruger was accurate but damn that's a ratchety ass feeling action/system with the mini-30 mag. I think the Howa is a much better feeling rifle (a whole lot better looking). I had absolutely no issues with the original factory plastic bottom unit and magazine, but I did end up putting a JO blind floor plate in it. The Ruger was more consistently accurate with a broad range of factory ammo, the Howa was pickier, but it shot very well with it's preferred loads. Neither the Ruger nor the Howa would shoot any cheap steel cased ammo worth a hoot, it was all 2-4 MOA, so it made the cheap ammo situation pointless.

I've got a Howa 20" Grendel barreled action on the way from Brownell as we speak. I choose it over the ARC due to more variety of factory ammo. If the ARC had more stuff available, I'd probably have gone with it (I think). I sold the 7.62x39 because now quality ammo for it isn't any cheaper (usually more expensive) than quality ammo for the Grendel, but the Grendel leaves it in the dust past 200 yards, in all ways. I'd probably hunt deer with it out to 300 (targets a whole lot further), but for anything else the .308 will get the call.

 

[Te Hopo]

I'm a confirmed Howa Mini fan, it's been a great project rifle with so many aftermarket options that are nice to have, but none of them were must haves.
I used it bone stock for the first two years and it was great apart from the flexy stock.

The latest versions have a flush mag release so if buying new, the 'accidentally dropped mag' issue is no more relevant than most other detachable mag rifles.

 

[jamesmc8]

I'd lean Howa but don't expect Tikka type accuracy. They make an excellent 0-400yard lightweight rifle. Drop it in a Stocky's VG Carbon Stock and buy the lighter trigger spring off Ebay and you will have a very functional lightweight set-up. Epoxy on an aluminum rail and add your favorite optic and you will be solid. As others have said I would go 6 ARC for ballistics. 95-105 grain bullets in the 2650-2700 range.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I wouldnt buy another American.

 

[Natebonebusta]

I fell into the Grendel on a whim of a great deal on a howa mini action. Being a reloader, that also aided my decision. The fact I could use 223 powders I already had made sense. Factory loads are much more plentiful for the Grendel, but as the 6 ARC continues to gain momentum I see it putting the Grendel to bed except for the reloading crowd.

Timing was the main factor for me, so if I was in the market now, I’d go 6 ARC. That being said 3 whitetails have been turfed with the 123 sst from distances of 40-80y. It makes an excellent eastern woodlands rifle, and suppresses wonderfully. Good luck with your decision.

 

[hereinaz]

Love the Howa mini for the small calibers. Trim the trigger spring and lightly sand the bolt body.

I got the DIP bottom metal and rounded the mag release and shrunk it so it isn’t a problem for me and my hunting.

I like the Stocky VG, but the Hunter version is nice too.