Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Howa Mini Action

So, I started a thread awhile ago which helped me decided to snatch up either a Montana or a Fieldcraft instead of some of the lower end stuff. I’ve been watching all of the ads and used market, but while I wait I kinda have a perfect excuse to buy a “stop gap” hunting rig that can become my new loaner rifle when I upgrade. Hunting season starts soon, and I want a new rifle for this year also and the new fancy stick is gonna probably take a while to find.

I like the idea of a Grendel Bolt gun, and these little Howas seem to offer a lot of bang for the buck. Other than the mag issues, do these represent a better value than, say, a Savage Lightweight Hunter or any other interesting rifles in the ~$500 range? Goals are just a <7# scoped rifle in a cartridge that is useable for Whitetails, Black Bears, and other critters around that size. Not a hard roll to fill, and I guess I should just buy a T/C Compass or an Axis, but something a little nicer is appealing.

Mike.

Told this before, but I bought a Mini Youth model 7.62x39 for my grandson to use while he's growing. Lots of plastic, but it's silky-smooth and has a good trigger. Even with the short stock, Pappy and Dad (who's 6'5") can use it just fine. I'd have gotten a Grendel, but Darrik was out. One is still on my maybe list, even though the Fieldcraft is just as handy.

For about $100, that plastic bottom "metal" can be replaced with alloy. The Mini action is forged just like the big ones, and has the same trigger. Hopefully by the time I decide to get another, the SS ones will appear here. They already have them in Oz.

If they would run a better mag, or blind, or hinged I'd buy one in a heartbeat!

I like the Howa, I would dearly like to graft a Jewell to the action and have the mag catch changed.

That would be a rifle to interest me.

Mags work perfectly, but are oogly and hang down. I'm hoping for a blind or hinged version along with the SS. The aluminum FP from DPI supposedly helps with the unplanned mag releases.

I have 2 of the Howa mini; 223 and 6.5 Grendel - both are lightweight barrel models. HACT triggers are excellent, very crisp and break like glass. Actions are smooth. Both shoot MOA. Bolt lift\firing pin reset is a little stiffer than most rifles I have used but are getting better the more rounds I put through them. I did the following to "fix" some of the issues most people have with the magazine and bottom metal.

Buy the DIP alloy bottom metal for around $120 (was around $90 with group buy) . It will stiffen up the stock a considerable amount, it also changes the angle of the mag release spring which puts more tension on the lever. No more accidental drops.
http://www.diproductsinc.com/Howa_it-1371404.aspx?CAT=12462

Buy an extra mag and do the flush mag modification to it. You may loose a round in the mag but gain that almost flush bottom you are after.
Instructions are here:
http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?15155-Modified-4-round-flush-mag
http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?14214-Howa-Mini-Magazine-Modification

After hunting season, I plan on reshaping the stocks to shave some weight and make then feel a bit nicer in hand. I also might get the bolt fluted purely for aesthetics.

I have 2 of them, one in 7.62x39 and another 6.5 grendel. They are fine little rifles.
The biggest flaw is the cheap bottom "metal" they come with.

The first thing I did though was remove the plastic magwell and trigger guard and make new ones out of billet aluminum.

Now I am very pleased with the rifle...

Though the plastic does not please me it has been very functional on my Mini in 6.5 Grendel, good shooter too.