Howa Mini Action

TXCOONDOG

TXCOONDOG

Well-known member
Never owned a Howa and kicking around the idea of a mini action.

How many of ya'll run the mini action and how do you like it, etc?
 
We have 2, one 6.5 Grendle 20 Barrel, one 6.5 Grendle, and a 22" barrel.
Both with Hawa factory take off stocks one is a youth size.
They're very light and slick. the magazine sucks, not so much the box itself but the release.
Each rifle we have has a little different type both will let you down. The longer one when you hand carry the rifle you will hit the release and drop the mag. the shorter one you hit the release when you get your hand around the trigger guard. there like $50 peace so it sucks. We made a plastic cover to keep from dropping it.
 
I have a 20" HB 6.5G in a shortened factory stock, DIP bottom metal, bobbed mag release and mag. For a two stage trigger it is nice. I'm seriously looking at a 6mm ARC since I retired my 6mm-204, I have a lot of 6mm bullets.

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Various fazes of it.

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I ended up with it back in the bobbed factory stock
 
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Have a few and wish I had a couple more. 222 in a Boyd’s pro Varmint stock, 6.5G in a B&C stock with Jefferson out doors first run of bottom metal, 22Nosler in an Oryx chassis, 7.62x39 in factory wood stock.
I am happy with all of them for the most part, good replacement for CZ527 IMO.
 
Just based on my own experience, but I've had several CZ's and several Howa's and the Howa's seemed to shoot just as good as any CZ I ever had. This is my first Mini action and its shoots very good with two different bullets and loads. If there is/was a negative, it would be the Oryx stock and not the barreled action. The Oryx just doesn't fit me that well.
 
I've got 2. One of them the 20 inch barrel with the oryx chassis in 6.5 grendel. Then I have a sporter in 6.5 grendel that I shortened the stock for my gf. I'll post some photos and take some weight measurements in the morning.

Both shoot well with handloads. I really like the mini actions.
 
They fixed the magazine falling out issue by moving the button. I just wish they offered a flush magazine or at least a smaller one.

I have a 6mm ARC with the 20'' heavy barrel. I haven't tried a lot of loads out of it yet because it shoots the 75gr vmax's well and that's what I bought the rifle for (coyote hunting). IMO the factory stock is a LOT better than a factory Ruger or Savage stock. It's probably more ridged than my Tikka's factory stock. To me, the trigger isn't really a two stage. It's more of a one stage with a lot of "free take up", but it breaks well and without any adjustment isn't that heavy out of the box, I like it. Even though they label it as a "heavy barrel" it's not nearly as heavy as my Savage 6mm arc with a heavy barrel.

Over all I really like it. I thought about putting it in an oryx, but not sure yet. It's accurate and stupid quite with a suppressor.
 
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William Suter said:
Just based on my own experience, but I've had several CZ's and several Howa's and the Howa's seemed to shoot just as good as any CZ I ever had. This is my first Mini action and its shoots very good with two different bullets and loads. If there is/was a negative, it would be the Oryx stock and not the barreled action. The Oryx just doesn't fit me that well.
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I know some get frazzled when I say this, but the mini is a way slicker action than any of the half dozen 527’s I ever had. The 527 bolts cycled well if I used my thumb to push them closed. The 222 mini feeds so smooth from the magazine I find myself opening it back up to see if it picked up a loaded round or skipped it.

100% on the Oryx chassis, a disappointment for me. I try to like it and keep trying, afraid I am going to have to regroup. With some of the chamberings offered I have hope someone will step up the game. I would not complain if Bell and Carlson offered a different option.
Wish there were more options on triggers also.

If Howa offered a 17 and 22 Hornet I think they would be real surprised at the attention it would get. Who knows, I might get back on the 17HH wagon.
 
Here's my two both chambered in grendel. Both have the same rail and no scope. I did cut the stock on the sporter to fit my girlfriend and put on a limbsaver grind to fit pad.

Oryx with heavier barrel = 9.49lbs
Sporter with cut stock = 6.64lbs
 

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jshks said:
I know some get frazzled when I say this, but the mini is a way slicker action than any of the half dozen 527’s I ever had. The 527 bolts cycled well if I used my thumb to push them closed. The 222 mini feeds so smooth from the magazine I find myself opening it back up to see if it picked up a loaded round or skipped it.

100% on the Oryx chassis, a disappointment for me. I try to like it and keep trying, afraid I am going to have to regroup. With some of the chamberings offered I have hope someone will step up the game. I would not complain if Bell and Carlson offered a different option.
Wish there were more options on triggers also.

If Howa offered a 17 and 22 Hornet I think they would be real surprised at the attention it would get. Who knows, I might get back on the 17HH wagon.
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Yes I agree out of the box the mini is smoother and functions better. I have 2 527s. First one I had to stone and polish the action to get it so I could close the action with the bolt handle. Second one I had to relieve some wood under the bottom metal to get it to feed correctly. With a little work the 527s are sweet guns though
 
Not hijacking the post but a little on the Oryx stock. A big plus, its rock solid and so much better than the factory tupperware. The cons, in order for me to get a good cheek position I have to really lean over the stock. I have pretty tall rings on it now but they could be taller still. The Howa is super accurate, no cons there at all. But do wish I had shopped a little harder for a stock.
 
William Suter said:
Not hijacking the post but a little on the Oryx stock. A big plus, its rock solid and so much better than the factory tupperware. The cons, in order for me to get a good cheek position I have to really lean over the stock. I have pretty tall rings on it now but they could be taller still. The Howa is super accurate, no cons there at all. But do wish I had shopped a little harder for a stock.
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Did you check out their FIELD STOCK?
 


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