Pondering a Howa Mini. Specifically the 20” 6 ARC version. It would have a suppressor hanging off of it quite a bit if the time. Read through a bunch of the threads on here and had questions.
J.O. bottom metal would be a given.
Wondering if the factory Hogue stock is serviceable? Comfortable? Reasonably stiff? Limp noodle? Or just get a barreled action and a Boyd’s or B&C?
Not really wanting to go carbon as I fear it’d be pretty front heavy. ‘Stick was of the opinion the 22” version was bow heavy, so I’d suspect hanging a 12 oz. can off the end would make it more so.
I've got the 20" heavy barrel 6 arc and it handles well. The stock isn't hogue on these as its just hard plastic but it's very stiff. I won't reload for this one until I get a pile of brass ordered in. It shot factory 103gr eldx in 3" groups at 100 yds. But the hsm 95 gr sst are very accurate.
I got the sporter barrel version and had it chopped and threaded at 17”( nomad ti). Ordered the v2 or whatever the vertical grip stocky stock is. JO bottom metal timney trigger Burris bases and tps rings holding a 3-9 swfa. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I have no experience w the plastic Howa stocks or the 20" barrel. Would not mind trying one though. The Howa I put together is Mini 6mm ARC that started off as a 22" barreled action. I went with a Stocky's VG stock. Have not used a suppressor either. so I can't speak to that either from experience.
Seems adding counter weight to the butt end in the hollow butt may be a consideration with balance in mind when utilizing the suppressor.
Personally I did not care to sacrifice any more velocity than necessary with a shorter barrel. Incidentaly factory 103's did not shoot well for me either. As for reloading, No joy was found with LVR & the 103's. Although I did find good accuracy with reloading the 103's over CFE 223 & or Power pro 2000 in my 22" barrels.
So i have the 22" howa & a 22" CZ527 & while the Howa is nice, The CZ527 is my favorite. My preferred bullets in the 6mm ARC have ranged from the Berger 108 gr Elite hunter @ 2780 FPS muzzle velocity, 87 Gr absolute Hammer @ 3000FPS muzzle velocity & 90 gr CX with talored loads @ 2900 FPS muzzle velocity. your milage may vary
The several Howa Minis I have are all in 223, and just like they come out of the box... have done nothing to them. very serviceable rifles.
I shoot the 6.5 Grendel, so not the 6mm ARC yet., but I don't see why any plain old 100 grain SP, used in 243s for decades. won't work just as well in the ARC...why do folks feel the need to reinvent the wheel all the time?
only reasons I am not shooting the ARC, is brass availability.... but I solved that itch, by building a 6 x 45. finding 223 brass laying on the ground over at the local range constantly, I'll never have to buy a piece of brass for the 6 x 45.
But I'm a tinkerer...so I'll end up putting a 6 ARC barrel on an action. Probably on a Ruger Predator, as I can use factory polymer 223 mags on them. Only thing I don't like about my Howa Minis, is having to use that factory metal mag I don't think too much of.
For $40 you can get a Savage style nut to put on the Ruger Americans, from over here in White City from Dave Kiff. So just might do that and get another barrel in 6 ARC out of Douglas Barrels, back home in West Va. too late for this season....
but already have the die sets for the 6 ARC, and have accumulated a bunch of Grendel brass over the last few years... and I'm getting REAL GOOD life out of the Hornady Grendel brass. get several batches of 10 rounds that I've gotten over 30 reloads out of and they are still going strong. So I'm not too concerned about brass being a problem.
I'd have a 6 ARC already if Ruger made them in their Ruger American line.
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I have a factory carbon and one of Wayne York’s. Prefer Wayne’s, but that probably is largely about the texture, easy to fix. Price all up is close to a draw, though you might save a few bucks by using a Stocky’s blem carbon, when available. I’m not fussy about stock shape, having had way too many rifles over the millennia I’ve managed to adapt to. Balance is affected by the choice of optics and mounts, and since shooting offhand happens pretty often around here, a little weight up front can be a good thing, and a buggy whip a definite disadvantage.
If you can catch MtnBoomer is a tinkering mood, he does a fine job of making those oogly factory stocks pretty and lighter.
Bullet-wise, while conceptually I liked the 103, the 100 grain Hornadys would do the job where I’m at.
The Barnes 95 LRX is intriguing. Main thing is, it needs to bust shoulders (possibly close up) and not blow up because a lot of the ground I’m hunting is either impossibly thick or the ridge runs off the end of the world. I’d prefer either a straight down or a very short death run with whatever bullet.
I’d try 75 and 87 V-Maxes for yotes/pigs right off because I love the 53’s out of my .223 AR.
I’d need something with 108’s or 105 Berger, just because I’m gonna have to shoot at least one steel match with it for giggles.
Should’ve stated initially, I’ve plenty of deer rifles, but I wanted one I could run my suppressor on, run an FFP scope on, and beat up and not feel bad about it. I didn’t want to change any of my existing rifles and tend to baby a couple of them. The Mini Arc fascinated me, so here I am.
Bullet-wise, while conceptually I liked the 103, the 100 grain Hornadys would do the job where I’m at.
The Barnes 95 LRX is intriguing. Main thing is, it needs to bust shoulders (possibly close up) and not blow up because a lot of the ground I’m hunting is either impossibly thick or the ridge runs off the end of the world. I’d prefer either a straight down or a very short death run with whatever bullet.
I’d try 75 and 87 V-Maxes for yotes/pigs right off because I love the 53’s out of my .223 AR.
I’d need something with 108’s or 105 Berger, just because I’m gonna have to shoot at least one steel match with it for giggles.
Should’ve stated initially, I’ve plenty of deer rifles, but I wanted one I could run my suppressor on, run an FFP scope on, and beat up and not feel bad about it. I didn’t want to change any of my existing rifles and tend to baby a couple of them. The Mini Arc fascinated me, so here I am.
I do t think you’ll go wrong with a Mini 6 ARC. I got a Mini 6.5 Grendel for my birthday last year and really like it. I’m probably going to change out stocks in the near future though. I finally got a good grouping load for it using LVR and 123 gr. ELD-M’s.
