Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Howa Mini vs Ruger American in 223

Seems like the Howa is more refined, but maybe there's more than meets the eye with the Ruger? The Ruger 223's take AR mags vs the proprietary mags on the Howa. Seems like a Ruger advantage but I'm not sure. I'd be shooting factory ammo in either so I'm not super worried about cartridge length restrictions. How do the triggers compare? Thanks in advance.

Douglas Fir,

I 'had' a Ruger American Ranch (16" barrel), a Howa Mini and a Remington/AAC Model 7 all in 300 Blackout. Shot them side X side for around a year or thereabouts.

Howa Mini;
Unlike the Ruger American, the action is sized for the cartridge, making for a trim handy little rifle.

The stock is the worst version of a modern plastic stock there is (IMO). It's also chunky and poorly designed.

Mag release sucks==>release is right where your hand is when carrying the rifle and the mag dropping out is an issue in the field (some people just trim the plastic release tab which helps but doesn't eliminate the issue). There are aftermarket stocks and bottom metal available from Oregunsmithing and bottom metal from Jefferson Arms (I think is their name). Also, there is a metal (vs. the factory plastic bottom 'metal') for the factory magazines available elsewhere(?).

Proprietary magazines.

I've read complaints about the factory carbon fiber stocked model (vs the much cheaper plastic stock version). I would buy the barreled action (or the plastic stocked rifle) and buy either the Oregunsmithing or the Stocky's carbon fiber stock.


Ruger American Ranch;

Though the action is NOT sized to the cartridge, the American, in the "Ranch" model is still a handy little rifle.

I really like the tang safety.

I'll mention the issues at the time, just in case you or someone else is tempted to buy a used one.

The one I had, had the first iteration of the factory stock, which had a lot of flex in the forend, they later stiffened the forend up, a little.

Mine also had the original proprietary Ruger rotary plastic magazines, some of which had feeding issues... a call to Ruger would get you a free replacement. Now that they use AR15 magazines hopefully the feeding issue is a thing of the past.

I see the use of AR15 magazines as a big plus over anybody's proprietary magazines... who doesn't have a pile of AR15 magazines? If you don't they're cheap.

The Ruger American GEN 2;
If buying today I would definitely get the "Gen 2", which I saw for the first time yesterday. Don't recall the price, but it is much less than Ruger's MSRP! Stock is higher quality and much stiffer, also the pad can be easily replaced for a shorter length of pull which is a plus for kids, wives or anyone with shorter arms. Has a replaceable, large(r) bolt knob (which I like). Also has a spiral fluted barrel if that kind of thing does something for you. And it still uses AR magazines.

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At the time I was consumed with Blackout fever and had four different Blackout rifles, so I eventually sold all but the Remington Model 7. It was a tough choice of which to keep.

The Ruger American just seemed kind of cheesy & cheap (the stock, the magazines), but I feel that is a thing of the past with it using AR magazines and the new Gen2.

Now I kind of wish that I had also kept the Howa Mini, I just really like actions sized to the cartridge (like the Sako Vixen's - the rifles not the Swedish girls). But for me (YMMV) that would have required an investment in a new stock & bottom metal.

Accuracy wise they all shot quite well, the Remington/AAC Model 7 barely, barely edged the others out, but a change in my load would have remedied that. It was more of a which gun feels (and looks) best to me.

Oh yeah, you asked about the triggers... both can be adjusted/modified and I didn't feel that either was a handicap. The Ruger of course has the blade in the trigger... which gives some guys the vapors, doesn't really bother me.


If I was looking to buy one today...

I would buy the Howa Mini and buy a Stocky's carbon fiber stock and replacement bottom metal.

OR

If I didn't want to spend any additional money on the rifle, I would just buy the Ruger American GEN2, after I confirmed from owners that the AR magazine versions feed without issue.

Jerry

for me the biggest turn offs of the mini are the extremely small bolt handle and the proprietary high price magazines. have they ever fixed the problem with the mag release being bumped too easily and losing the magazine on the mini?
not real crazy about the stock on the mini either the other plenty of aftermarket replacements nowadays I reckon Ruger American stocks not a lot better than New Gen 2 are a good change

Nope...

Count me in as one of the clueless to their business model, who joined the multitudes who bothered to call them up (when they first came out) and give feedback about the issue.


Jerry

I have the Ruger American in 223 that used to take the AR mags...........
couldn't order the Ruger AI magwell fast enough. feeds much better and you can load OAL where it needs to be without AR mag restrictions.
Stock trigger is junk, oh sure you can modify it so it's less junky but spend a few bucks and get a Timney......transforms the rifle into a keeper !!!
Accuracy has been very good, great rifle for the money

Did you get the parts from Ruger to do the switch to AI mags? Was it a simple switch?

Makes sense on converting to AI style mags.

The Howa is great when you put enough money into it that you coulda just bought a Tikka

At least with the prices up here.

tikka makes a mini?......

Someone say they did?

Um, link?

I have 2 Howa Minis in 223, which I like. Bought them when they were on Sale for like $300, from a members shop in Owensborough KY, Short Action Smoker.

I like the Howas I have, but have to admit, I prefer the Ruger American Predator that I have a couple of, that I use aftermarket AR polymer mags on..

Uh, the Stocky’s Carbon Fiber stock IS the Howa Carbon Fiber stock. They make them, which is why they sometimes have blems to sell.

Everything you read about the factory magazine release was true on the early ones. My .223 is more recent, and the one on that seemed shorter than I remember the other two I had, and stiffer. Regardless, I replaced the whole shebang with a JO CZ 527 magazine unit. Those magazines cost $40, and someday soon will likely be gone except on ebay, but they’re nicely made blued steel and scaled to the size of the round, not a big honkin’ chunk of plastic. The 3-rounder fits flush. They do limit COAL to the standard 2.26 or so, but that’s not an issue for me. JO has other options as well. The hinged floorplate is excellent, and all the options are well made and look good.

I have two Minis, with a SS barreled action arriving soon. Have a grand or so in each, but they’re the only game in town for an action scaled to AR-sized rounds, aside from Sakos ($$$$), that I’m aware of anyway. Actions and bolts are forged steel. Bolt is one-piece and comes apart with only your hands. Two-stage trigger is good. I would prefer better-looking safety and bolt-release tabs, but that’s nitpickery.

Once you apply the lipstick, the Minis look like quality bolt-actions, just scaled down. RARs are said to be generally very accurate, but no amount of lipstick will ever make them look good to me.

lipstick sure helps, tho.......

It surely do. Very nice, like all your stuff.

Yes I got the new magwell and AI mags from Ruger, easy swap just the 2 action bolts and the mag latch

Personal choice of course, or dictated by the planned use, but I prefer flush-fit mags in general, and both my Minis offer that now.

I saw, but didn’t handle a Gen2 RAR the other day. From a distance it looked pretty good, if kinda trendy. I’ll go back next week and maybe coon-finger it a bit while I’m there.

done the same the only downside is you have to remove the magazine release lever in order to get to that back bolt take the gun out of the stock.

I've had pretty good luck with the mini I've shot. It shoots really well. I just sold a couple that I'd never fired. One had a limited camo pattern and the heavier 20" barrel. My kids didn't want it because they liked the lighter barrel one. I also had an early 7.62x39 action that had the 20" lightweight barrel.

I sold it to get one with a threaded barrel because my kids didn't even want to try it without a muzzle brake. They're little and think muzzle brakes are magic. I personally hate brakes but I bought them a newer threaded one but it's 22". I should have just had the other threaded and used it. But I think 18" threaded 7.62x39 would be about right so I may still cut down the new one.

The early 300 bo minis are hard to find and bringing good money. I just got a new 6.5g and 7.62x39 with threaded and then saw the stainless grendel barreled actions. Now I want the stainless so I should probably sell my new one before I even mess with it. I'd a like stainless grendel, a stainless 6 arc and a stainless 22 arc. I'd also like to try a 16" 350 legend for shooting my cast bullets.

Does anyone have a mini in a 350 legend? How does it feed and function?

Bb