Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Howa Mini rifle in .223 as a donor

Been researching the How mini rifle in .223. Street price is under $500. Am thinking it would make a good platform to rebarrel to 17 Remington.
Anyone have any experience with the Howa mini series?

They become an expensive rifle once you replace the cheap, flimsy plastic bottom "metal", put a decent stock on it, replace the barrel, CeraKote the new stainless barrel, add gunsmith chambering and re-barreling costs, add Talleys and a good scope. In the end, its value is nowhere near what you've spent when you sell it.

I have two of them...

I haven't replaced all the stuff mentioned by Riflehunter above.

I know if I ordered a barrel in another caliber, that would cost more than I paid for the rifle.

One more thing, if in .17 Rem, you'd probably want a 24" barrel (at least I would). A 24" barrel with a very small hole in it will result in a very front heavy rifle with such a light action. To compensate, you'd need a reasonably heavy stock. Otherwise, if it's a walkaround varmint rifle, it's going to feel really cumbersome.

How many have you owned and how did they shoot ?

How is the accuracy, feeding, and ejecting?

One. It shot okay.

I have two, a DIY upgraded 6.5 Grendel, and a Carbon Stalker .223 that I replaced the magazine unit with one that takes CZ 527 magazines. Final cost was about the same for both. Riflehunter is correct in that you might not get your money back if you sell one that’s been customized, but I put them together to suit my taste and have zero regrets, and no plans to sell them, as my descendants are waiting for them when I go under….

Forged steel actions, one-piece bolts with tool-less takedown, good two-stage triggers. Accurate and reliable. Both come in at about 6.5 pounds with middle-weight scopes.

Brownells sells the barreled actions. If you keep an eye out, you may get one at a considerable discount. Oregunsmithingllc sells very nice LW stocks, or you can buy-a carbon blem from Stocky’s. Both mine now have bottom metal from Jefferson Outdoor; one hinged FP and the CZ mag unit. Both work flawlessly, and your choice may depend on how much room the .17 needs, or the maybe the availability of the CZ mags.

Thanks for your comments. I been kicking around the idea to build a 17 Remington and since the Mini is available in .223 I thought it would be an easy barrel swap as the 17 Rem and .223 use the same size bolt face and the 17 has a slightly shorter COL. Resale value at this point of my life is mute.

My 2 are consecutive serial numbers.

they see service in shooting small ground squirrels in large numbers at times. Both are certainly minute of sage rat at 200 yds... If you don't know what a ground squirrel in, they are smaller than a grown regular squirrel, but run very fast, stop on a dime and dive down holes.. Think of prairie dog like, vs tree squirrel in behavior, but much faster and smaller.

Even tho I have a 10 round mag, from the factory on each one.. they get fed one shot at a time, so there is never a failure to eject. I also don't shoot real hot loads. For high volume shooting and to keep the barrels from getting hot, I pretty much load reduced loads with shotgun and pistol powders.

it makes the barrels last MUCH longer also, an added bonus. Surprisingly, shot gun powders and pistol powders, can be a lot less finicky for accuracy and consistency. The reduced recoil also helps that, as its much easier to not jerk the trigger..
It also less expensive each shot. That is important, on a day, you put 500 plus rounds down range in an afternoon.

Seafire,
What chambering are your Howa's?

I’m not saying you’re wrong about the added cost to the mini. I just fixed up a 6ARC and know all about it. That said what is available for the OP to use for his 17rem project that doesn’t require those things? Almost all factory rifles in that price range get some upgrades especially from the fellas that post here. Stocks triggers bottom metal and barrels get swapped out pretty regularly on other rifles too.

Edit to say cerakote will cost the same if you need that on other guns and not sure why you mentioned Talley’s and a good scope?….lol. Do you just use iron sights on all other makes and models?

I have one in 6.5G, 20"HB. I tried an after market stock Boyds thumbhole and went back to the factory stock hogged out so it wouldn't touch the barrel. I did put DIP bottom metal on it. The two stage trigger is nice and warm haven't done anything with it. I've killed a number of coyotes with it, and have taken it Javelina hunting. It is a handy little rifle. I keep looking at one in 223 and wouldn't turn down a 6mmARC.

223,both

I ordered one (mini 223). At some point later this year I'll send it off for a new barrel in 17 Remington. This will be the first right hand bolt action rifle I bought in many years. Since this rifle will be used on the back porch a right bolt and right ejection might be easier off the small bench I use. The 10 round mag is a nice plus.
Seems to be a good bargain in todays world at just under $500 shipped.

Anybody rebarrel one to 6.5TCU for centerfire silhouette? I'm told that with heavy bullets it has enough moxie to knock over rams at 500M. The small action, minus bottom metal for single shot use and a lightweight composite stock will allow for a stiff heavier barrel good for offhand shooting while meeting weight requirements.

Rings and scope were included because they usually form part of the additional cost for a new rifle. Unless, you have them lying around as spare.

My recent rebarrel to a 6 x 45 on a Savage single shot action, with 100 grain Hornady SP/BT, I've been able to easily hit steel the size of a cast iron frying pan at 400 yds. The hanging type.

I've got a Ruger Predator in 6.5 Grendel for that kind of work... hit them with 123 FMJ bullets from Hornady, bulk purchase.
Load was 29 grains of W 748. Hornady 4 x 16 Convenant 4 Scope on top.

I have two of them, a 223 and a 6.5 Grendel. The Grendel was part of a package deal where I bought a few rifles and sold all but the Grendel, basically clearing enough on the deal that the Grendel was a freebie. I put a Stockys seconds carbon fiber stock that cost $300 on it, and the OG bottom metal which was another $160. So, my total on that Howa isn't too bad.

On the other hand, I paid $450 for the Mini 223, and have left it as is, because I'm using it as a truck gun. If I'd fixed it up like I did the Grendel, I'd have over $900 in it, and that's not including a scope and the mounts. The Howa Minis are certainly nice little rifles, and both of mine shoot very good, but IMO I wouldn't want to have anymore money tied up in mine than what I have.

When the pig is pretty enough to suit you, you’ve applied enough lipstick. If I wanted a truck gun, I’d likely only swap out the guard for an aluminum one that takes the factory mags. After I found the CZ mag unit was reliable, I bought three more mags while the gettin’ was good. Sooner or later, they’ll dry up. The three-shot fits flush and is the one that stays in the rifle.