Looking to purchase a Howa Mini in 223. Bud's listed them on their site but after running my CC emailed me saying they no longer had them in inventory. Took me 20 minutes on hold to learn that and until next week to get credit.

I know Whittakers is sold out. Any other leads?

Because of snafus like that, Bud's is one online seller my LGS won't accept shipments from.

Based on the prices Whittaker's offers, I'd wait on them. Others have been much higher.

Yep Bud's left a real sore taste in my mouth. The website still shows them as in stock. The customer service rep was all to willing to apply my $$ to a higher price rifle.

Feels kind of like bait and switch. I'd be happy to wait for Whittaker question would be will they get more.

They're not cheap but you can find them at Davidson's gallery o' guns.

Wow and I thought gunbroker was high.
Guess I don't want one bad enough to pay retail.

The worst thing I can say about Bud's is they take a long time to ship. I've never had any trouble with them.

PM Darrik at Whitakers... aka ShortActionSmoker..

he's always taken time to answer my questions, and even gave me his private number to call him if I had more than a couple of questions..

don't want to speak for him...

but he has been more than overly personally accommodating to my questions...

to the tune I could have bought an AR locally for what it cost to buy it thru him, plus I had to pay the local FFL fees on top of it...I still got it thru Whittakers, just because Darryl is good business, and as much as I like to support my local guys, I also like to support a fellow campfire members business... maybe even a little more motivated on how much a pleasure it was to do business with Darryl and his staff...

Hey Guys,

Don't get me wrong. I'm more than happy to go the extra mile or few extra $$ to help keep good places in business. Just looking at Davidson's Gallery and prices of $700+ which is at or above suggested retail is too rich for my blood.

After having a FFL for 30 years I got used to paying the "wholesale" prices posted on my "shotgun news" before the internet. Sure not a full wholesale but a far cry from suggested retail.

A guy has to stay in business but some of the posted prices for the Mini remind me of the days of the primer shortages.

WOW!!!

The story with Bud's getting even more unbelievable and confusing.

I ordered the Howa Mini on Thursday the 25th. Received an email to call them on the 26th. So I did. Spent 20 minutes on hold to find out they had an inventory mix-up and the Howa was no longer available.

Received and email today saying they were crediting my CC for the full amount due to the rifle no longer being in stock. I replied to them that if it was no longer available they should remove it from their website so others wouldn't order it.

This was the reply I just received.
"""A customer support staff member has replied to your support request, #527*** with the following response:

Good morning,

Currently, we do have another small shipment of this rifle available.

Best Regards,
Buds"""

Go figure???????

Hi Ramrod,

I ordered one on the 25th also and have been in the "processing" status ever since. I wonder how many of us will actually get one?

bhh,
I wish you the best. This was my first and last time dealing with them. Don't need these headaches.

We still have a few in stock, but not at the $329.99 deal. That was a special buy and I've not had any luck getting them to commit to another buy down like that since! I ordered 25 and we blew through those. Should have ordered 100....

we sold around 800 or so to Cabelas, that is who took the last of our remaining inventory.
thanks,

Matt @ LSI

Mine was finally delivered today. Buds took 11 days to ship.

But it looks to be worth the wait. Rifle looks good and the action feels smooth. Stock can stand to lose a bunch of material, though.

Ya made a fine choice bhh, Ive had Howa Mini 223 for 6mths and it shoots 0.5moa 3 shoot groups with rough hand loads a mate did

Stock trigger is consistent too. Feeds and functions flawlessly

Great to hear. Did you follow Howa's break-in procedure? I'd love to have mine shoot that well.

Actually bbh i wasnt aware they had a break in procedure, my buddy actually gave it its first range session and he generally is a clean and shoot kind of guy.

Either way its the sweetest 223 Ive owned and Im itchin to get hold of 1 of these in a 6.5 Grendel when theyre released later this year.

Good to know. I've never followed a strict break-in procedure either.