Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 6.5 Grendel Mini Howa

Recently picked up a Howa Mini Rifle in 6.5 Grendel. It seems very handy, and thought I might try shooting a deer with it this year if I can locate some brass.

you need brass Jason?

I have a lead on some

My daughter killed her first 2 deer with one. I loaded 100 grain partitions at a moderate pace to keep recoil down and in all honesty was rather impressed with the results. The doe dropped at the shot while the buck ran maybe 60 yards and died. Obviously no blood trail on the doe but there was a really good one on the buck.

Go shoot that baby and report back. Cool gun for sure.

I bet it’s a shooter. I have the exact same one. It will be my daughter’s next step in hunting rifles since her 223 is the identical configuration.

Lapua brass in 6.5 Grendel is hitting the shelves. I just got a "back in stock" email from both Midway and Midsouth. I bought from Midsouth.

I had one with a 22" barrel for a short while a few years ago. It was very accurate with H335 under both the 90gr TNT and 100gr TTSX. The ergonomics of the rifle just didn't work for me at all, so I traded it off.

6.5G is a fantastic little cartridge, though... hits pretty hard with minimal recoil.

Do what I did.............buy some Hornady ammo, shoot it up, them you have brass.

Dandy little rifles. I invested in an aluminum hinged flooplate and lightweight stock, both by Oregunsmithing, so have a grand in it, just about the same as you’ll pay for one of the new carbon-stocked ones. With an 18oz scope in QRW rings, it’s 6.5 pounds IIRC.

My go-to load is 120gr Gold Dots over Power Pro 2000-MR, right off the Speer site. Have some other bullets to try, but this one seems good for now.

Nothing dead yet, but can’t imagine anything in WV or VA (unless I draw a VA elk tag🤞🏻) that it won’t handle.

You’re gonna love it.

Just got a free shipping email from Midway today - that might apply to the brass

Interesting. I've never seen one. Hint.............

90gr TnT's work great, 100gr Custom Comps are accurate and will set it up for bigger game with 100gr NPT's when I can find some.

Just had an opportunity to pick up another 22" sporter as a back-up to this one I used last deer season (stock & bottom metal from OG):


Excellent shooters and make for a handy little ultra-light walk-about rifle.

Congrat's on your new Grendel Launching System.

I'm waiting on my stock and bottom metal from OG. I got the light barrel and it shoots great with CFE223 and 120 ELDM's.

I just a got a carbon 6.5. It's light and handy, though it would be better with 2 or 3 inches chopped off the barrel.

It's shooting really well with factory ammo and the only thing I've done to it so far is clip the trigger spring.

Waiting on OG bottom metal

I clipped the trigger spring on my mini Grendel, and it really helped the trigger pull. Also put the OG bottom metal on. The bottom metal does make the rifle look better, but it is a pretty pricey addition, and mine was not a 100% perfect fit like I expected for the price. However, anything is better than that awful plastic magazine and triggerguard assembly from the factory.

I have the 22” sporter in the factory stock. I’m trying to decide between the OG stock and the B&C stock. Supposedly the OG stock is lighter, but its quite a bit more expensive. I just know I’m getting one of them before deer season this year.

Stump Buster and others - does the OG bottom metal set up feed well?

For Zero -100 yds.
Bering SuperHogster Thermal Optic

ya!

GWB

My OG bottom metal was a bit of a challenge at first. I had to do some inletting on my stock to get to fit, and it did not feed as well as I'd hoped. I kept fooling with it, and finally got it to work as it's supposed to. Personally, I believe it's a pricey fix for what is not really that big of a problem, as the Howa Mini detachable magazine works and feeds good. I cut mine down to where it was almost flush, but it then became a three round magazine. It boils down to what a person likes and wants to do with their rifle.