SBR Howa mini vs ULUL- 7.62/6.5/300blk

[Touchdown88]

I'd go with a 338 ARC build on a Howa mini. It fits all your requirements.

 

[North River]

I am currently thinking about making a change to my howa mini for mountain hunting, shots within a 100-150 yard max range, with most around 20-75 yards. Rifle is currently 5.5lbs scoped and supressed.

Build is:
6.5 Howa mini, 16.25” barrel
Stocky CF sporter Stock
Talley LW mounts
Leupold FX2.5
Blind floorplate
Raptor 8

View attachment 800149

Option 1:
Leave well enough alone, quit thinking about it, and go hunting. And/or wait and hope a lightweight reflex style suppressor comes to market soon, like what is available overseas.

Option 2:
I love my rifle in it’s current configuration, but I find myself wishing it was even shorter once the supressor is on. Easy thing to do would be to tax stamp and cut it down further, or just “man up”and hunt unsuppressed (not really an option)

Option 3:
I would like the option to shoot suppressed subs, although I will typically shoot supersonic frangible bullets. The 7.62 factory barrel howa mini with hornady SubX seems like a good option for this use case. I hope to be able to pick up a cheap 7.62x39 barrel someone took off or just purchase another barreled action.

7.62 should also cut a slight amount of weight down due to the larger bore than the 6.5 in what I would assume to be the same howa barrel blank. I’m an absolute weight nerd. According to some quick math with chat GPT even in a 13" barrel, the 7.62 barrel would be a little over an ounce lighter than the 6,5 of the same length.

However, I don’t know how well the terminal ballistics of the 7.62 match style supersonic projectiles stack up in comparison to the 6.5gren/6 arc. Anyone have a suggestion for a frangible bullet for the 7.62x39/.310? Is the 123sst .310 up to par? I know form suggests the 123sst 6.5 bullet for the grendel, but I assume the .310 is a much shorter fatter projectile and may not fragment and still retain weight well.

Option 4:
Third option is the ULUL build in 300blk for the same reasons as the 7.62x39, but with more projectile options. If I build it as a pistol there is no tax stamp and it should be the lightest option- I just honestly like a slightly more traditional bolt action with a CF stock. The mini is a joy to carry in hand largely because of its rounded stock and balance point.

Can anyone talk some sense into me?

Nice rig. What are you mountain hunting under 150yds? Not judging, I’m not a long range hunter either. The best sheep hunter I know uses a long bow. He’d be a game hog with a 150yd range.

I’ve used the 7.62x39, 6.5G, 6Arc, 223, 22 Hornet, and recently 300blk looking for the perfect rambling rifle. At this time I’m still stuck on the Grendel, not in the least because I’m heavily invested in ammo for it….. Regardless, it does hit a nice sweet spot in the middle, not unlike the 308 in the next action size up. It’s not the cheapest ammo like the bulk 556 but better than most. Decent Hornady Black is nearly the same cost for 233 and Grendel. The 7.62x39 has a nice low report and kills well out to 150, but so does the Grendel. Once the cheap Russian ammo dried up the x39 lost most of its appeal. The 223 is probably easier to handload low power loads for light game but Lapua sells a delightful 100gr RNFMJ for the 6.5 that shoots well at subsonic velocities or driven up to 2500fps. The 6 Arc may be the best of the lot but it’s not worth upgrading to me at this point, the difference is rather academic if one isn’t shooting past 500 yards. I’ve found the 6.5 to kill well up to 250 yards and is fun to plink with at twice that range. The splash on steel or soil is noticeably more pronounced past 300 yards than the 223 which helps spotting your own shots.

It’s always easy to solve the troubles of others but if I was in your shoes I would invest in a really good lightweight suppressor like the tbac ultra 5. That would shorten your gun and more importantly lose weight off the end. Then a set of cheap Lee dies and some Unique and load up your own subs, there’s no shortage of good 6.5 projectiles. Shoot factory 123 ELDMs for anything large.

That said, @Thegman ‘s ULUL thread inspired me to try a Solo 300 straight-pull AR. It’s sure short and handy and the ability to buy OTC subs and supers at reasonable price is fantastic. However, I do prefer a more traditional, lightweight and round-bottomed rifle to carry in hand for most uses. Also, the straight pull is neat but lacks camming power and is louder to cycle than a traditional bolt. The jury is still out….

 

[Ferrulewax]

Nice rig. What are you mountain hunting under 150yds? Not judging, I’m not a long range hunter either. The best sheep hunter I know uses a long bow. He’d be a game hog with a 150yd range.

I’ve used the 7.62x39, 6.5G, 6Arc, 223, 22 Hornet, and recently 300blk looking for the perfect rambling rifle. At this time I’m still stuck on the Grendel, not in the least because I’m heavily invested in ammo for it….. Regardless, it does hit a nice sweet spot in the middle, not unlike the 308 in the next action size up. It’s not the cheapest ammo like the bulk 556 but better than most. Decent Hornady Black is nearly the same cost for 233 and Grendel. The 7.62x39 has a nice low report and kills well out to 150, but so does the Grendel. Once the cheap Russian ammo dried up the x39 lost most of its appeal. The 223 is probably easier to handload low power loads for light game but Lapua sells a delightful 100gr RNFMJ for the 6.5 that shoots well at subsonic velocities or driven up to 2500fps. The 6 Arc may be the best of the lot but it’s not worth upgrading to me at this point, the difference is rather academic if one isn’t shooting past 500 yards. I’ve found the 6.5 to kill well up to 250 yards and is fun to plink with at twice that range. The splash on steel or soil is noticeably more pronounced past 300 yards than the 223 which helps spotting your own shots.

It’s always easy to solve the troubles of others but if I was in your shoes I would invest in a really good lightweight suppressor like the tbac ultra 5. That would shorten your gun and more importantly lose weight off the end. Then a set of cheap Lee dies and some Unique and load up your own subs, there’s no shortage of good 6.5 projectiles. Shoot factory 123 ELDMs for anything large.

That said, @Thegman ‘s ULUL thread inspired me to try a Solo 300 straight-pull AR. It’s sure short and handy and the ability to buy OTC subs and supers at reasonable price is fantastic. However, I do prefer a more traditional, lightweight and round-bottomed rifle to carry in hand for most uses. Also, the straight pull is neat but lacks camming power and is louder to cycle than a traditional bolt. The jury is still out….View attachment 800543View attachment 800544View attachment 800545

This rifle is for southern Appalachian bear and whitetail. If I can see 100 yards it’s a miracle.

I thought about the lighter supressor, but the TB 5 would only cut off one inch and 2 ounces- same with the scythe, and would run me $1000+. An SBR stamp is 200$ and saves me 6 ounces and 5.5”. I am sure down the road at some point I’ll do both.

At this point I am thinking I will jump on the stainless howa mini action in 6.5gren or 6ARC once brownells restocks and then SBR it and cut it down. May have some aggressive machining done to the action to lighten it up as well. Would love to be under 5lbs scoped and suppressed and I think that will get me close.

 

[Ferrulewax]

I'd go with a 338 ARC build on a Howa mini. It fits all your requirements.

If I was going to SBR a Howa Mini and hunt with subs it would 100% be a 338arc, in subs weight and expansion are king. I had a SBR 6arc, and it was great, but the ballistics aren't that great. I have a 8.6blk and love it for subs, hope to be able to harvest something with it soon.

If Howa came out with a stainless 338Arc tomorrow this is likely the direction I would go but I don’t want to have to dump money into rebarreling and getting a larger bore suppressor. Main function wouldn’t be subs but having that option would be nice.

 

[North River]

This rifle is for southern Appalachian bear and whitetail. If I can see 100 yards it’s a miracle.

I thought about the lighter supressor, but the TB 5 would only cut off one inch and 2 ounces- same with the scythe, and would run me $1000+. An SBR stamp is 200$ and saves me 6 ounces and 5.5”. I am sure down the road at some point I’ll do both.

At this point I am thinking I will jump on the stainless howa mini action in 6.5gren or 6ARC once brownells restocks and then SBR it and cut it down. May have some aggressive machining done to the action to lighten it up as well. Would love to be under 5lbs scoped and suppressed and I think that will get me close.

Yeah, that makes sense. I've never wanted to go the SBR route because of the interstate notification requirement, but if you are staying in state then no problem. I agree that a 16" bolt gun is just barely short enough for some applications, once a suppressor is added it takes it past that point. I get around it by only adding the suppressor once I'm done climbing through the alders and start hunting, but that is a unique situation. I thought the AR platform was the answer because it can be made so much shorter but have had operational issues and it doesn't carry as well in hand. A bolt SBR will be a neat option.

 

[_S_R_]

As option single shot rifle any preferred caliber with 16” barrel. OAL be around 30” only 2-3” longer that 11.5” sbr ar.

 

[KyleR1985]

If it’s truly inside 100yd work, a lever action SBR seems like the answer. Reflex site with as small of a reticle dot as possible with as low as possible brightness settings as possible.

Man that sounds fun

 

[North River]

As option single shot rifle any preferred caliber with 16” barrel. OAL be around 30” only 2-3” longer that 11.5” sbr ar.

A break action 300 blackout is on my list. Extractor only so you can silently change subs for supers…. Only problem is no one makes one currently that I’ve seen.

 

[KyleR1985]

A break action 300 blackout is on my list. Extractor only so you can silently change subs for supers…. Only problem is no one makes one currently that I’ve seen.

My guess is the blackout is no different.

A .223 handi barre can be had for 75-200. The whole rifle is 2-300

 

[z987k]

A break action 300 blackout is on my list. Extractor only so you can silently change subs for supers…. Only problem is no one makes one currently that I’ve seen.

SSK frame, MGM barrel, put a folding stock on it at 16" or a brace for pistol.

 

[_S_R_]

A break action 300 blackout is on my list. Extractor only so you can silently change subs for supers…. Only problem is no one makes one currently that I’ve seen.

CVA and traditional have 300 blk

I think 308 single shot be a better choice for big game and 308 subs available too.

 

[_S_R_]

CVA have pistols too 14” barrel if I remember right. Sharp bros makes adapters for brace.

 

[coyotekilla]

Took a deer this year with a 300 blk shooting 190 subs this year, very well pleased with results. I took a ruger g1 ranch, suppressed it, and scoped it with a burris eliminator giving me 160 yards of corrected range. The 190 subx hammered the deer.

 

[North River]

CVA have pistols too 14” barrel if I remember right. Sharp bros makes adapters for brace.

That’s the one I’d like. It just always seems to be out of stock

 

[SC HUNTER]

A break action 300 blackout is on my list. Extractor only so you can silently change subs for supers…. Only problem is no one makes one currently that I’ve seen.

We have a CVA scout in 300 blackout with a little leupold 2.5-10 on it. The kids have killed 3 deer with it and I've killed 1 with it this season so far. It has an omega 300 on it right now and I love it. It would be a perfect little back pack way back into the mountains type rifle. I've only killed with 150 grain fusions and it just hammers them.

 

[KyleR1985]

View attachment 800488
Texas predator hunting has a plethora of arc info and is constantly pushing the arc to its potential

Rainier has a 25% deal, and I snagged their 12" 6ARC AR barrel for under 200.

Saw a video from one of the AR makers getting 2300 with factory 108's from an 11.5" barrel.

I bet I can get 24-2500 with the 95 TMK and lever easily.

Found a couple of reviews of the Rainier barrel and seemed to provide pretty good accuracy.



I'll toss this one in the closet and go ahead and get an SBR tax stamp rolling. ULUL is fun, but LWC (light weight/compact) is even more fun for sitting in a blind or tree for close quarters deer work.