Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Howa Mini Stainless

I did the same thing. Around $325 shipped.

I prefer Wayne’s. Probably prefer it more after my carbon has seen some use in the field.

I sighted in but didn't carry the stainless 6.5 G Fri/Sat. The Stocky's VG was contacting on the left side of the barrel and the horizontal stringing showed it when sighting it. Rushed so I didn't have time to sand for clearance, just decided to go with what I know is good. Will play with it a bit and see how it does. It is a nice setup, though I'd preferred the 22" barrel for balance. Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.

I have mine sitting in a chair in the tv room and pick it up now and then. Very pleased with the new configuration, much lighter and balances right at the floorplate hinge. Range tomorrow.

Just ordered a stainless 6.5 barreled action. I just bought 2 new mini howas about a month ago in blue not realizing stainless barreled actions are available.

Now I need to sell the new 22" threaded shorter barreled 6.5 and 7.62x39 rifles I just bought. They're still in the box and came with ring base combos that look like Talley lightweights. I'm in them about $480 with shipping, tax, and gb and other fees and would sell them for $400 each so I can go stainless.

Bb

Took mine out this afternoon. Dialed it in with some loads in 3x Hornady brass, then fired five for the record with a book max 31.4gr of PP 2000-MR in new Starline brass. A little disappointed in the speed, over 200fps less than the Speer data at less than 2400fps, but such is life. Speer GD 120s.



Too bad about that high one…..

Are you saying that your handloads were 200 fps slower that factory loads?

Were those shots exhibiting any sort of pressure signs?

Nope, sorry. The Speer data from their website.

No.

Thanks for all the updates Pappy348. Good shooting and good pics.

I imagine you could squeeze more velocity out of that load then, if the numbers are disappointing. The accuracy sure isn't!

Perhaps. Not a big deal as shots here are generally close. Another option is to go lighter with a 100gr TTSX since I’m trending towards lead-free. Most 120gr data tops out at around 2400, so that Speer combo is kind of an outlier.

Need to shoot some more groups to see if that one is typical. Might be a while since I’m trying to get some needful things done before knee surgery.

What scope mount/rings fit the best on the Mini action?

Both of the Howa Mini's that I bought came with what looks to be a Talley type of mount. I know that DNZ makes a similar kind, so it might be that. Anyway, it works very well. These rifles aren't chambered in heavy recoiling calibers, so I didn't feel the need to go with anything else.

I bought the stainless barreled action and want scope mounts that will not hang over the ejection port.

The ones on mine do not.

My grendel mini liked 8208xbr for a powder. I took 129 ablrs up to 2470 or so but my 10 year old at the time was recoil shy so I reduced it down until I hit a good node at about 100 fps less. It's a pretty mild load at 2370 fps or so but it shot several 1/2 moa groups with those 129s. We haven't put one in a deer yet but they worked on rabbits and a coyote at about 290.

I used 26.7g 8208xbr with a 450 and starline brass for that lighter 129 load. I took it up above 27.5 and then started getting pressure signs. I think my old load that shot incredibly well in my 18" ar bhw 3 groove was 123 amax over 28g of 8208xbr and those clocked 2500 fps from that 18" ar.

I've recently started working on some 100g ttsx and 108g scenar loads for my grendels and 8208xbr is showing good things there too. My stainless mini grendel is at the ffl now. When my new sig cross gets there in a few days I'll go pick them both up and get some new loads worked up.

I hope this stainless one shoots because I feel like I'm finally getting the exact one I want. Stainless, threaded, and with a 20" lighter weight barrel. Now if they'll bring in some stainless ARCs and a stainless 223 I'll get those too.

I hear the bdl mag boxes being made for them give the 223s some room to seat bullets out and they come 8 twist so they should do well with the stack of 80g eldms I need to burn up. My kids would love burning them up from a 223 too. Those of you running a 223 with the bdl mag box how are they working for you?

Bb

We took my brother's new stainless out Saturday afternoon. Swapped it into his Pendelton stock/BM that his 22" blued was in. The dang thing felt so good that it has me seriously considering letting my Montana go and getting a couple of em. Shot about 50 rounds of 108 Scenars over Lever that he had been shooting in the blued on, and they were basically doing one hole at 100, after the first 4 shots. Bolt was super gritty at first, but was smoothing up nicely by the end.

I noticed the bolt on mine being a touch gritty, and also that it seemed to smooth up with the little time I've spent with it. It's leading me to think the action/bolt may be coated rather than stainless. I can't confirm that, just a feeling. I'd prefer the action be stainless but I care less about it than I do the barrel. Howa can be clear as mud on details regarding their specs/materials.

I'm catching up on farm chores that were put off during hunting season so I still haven't spent time much time with it but I'm anxious to. The Stocky's I put it in was touching the left side of the barrel pretty hard and it showed when sighting in with horizontal stringing. I'm very curious to see what it does when cleared.