First Howa

[turbobrick]

I finally, after many years in the gun hobby, jumped into the Howa end of the pool. A couple years ago, I built a 6 ARC 12” SBR upper for an AR, and really liked the potential in the cartridge. The velocity even with that short of a barrel really impressed me, so I wanted to see about a bolt gun. As far as I can tell, Howa is the only company making guns in ARC on properly sized receivers.

My local shop was able to order a Howa Mini for me straight from Legacy (they are nearby in Reno) for an excellent price. I was planning on sticking with the really heavy factory stock, but @p_ham mentioned Stocky’s sale and I ended up with one of their extremely light carbon stocks that I painted, poorly.

I drove the gun out to Country Customs Metalsmithing, Mr @p_ham himself, and he cut and threaded the gun to 16” and 5/8-24 with 25* taper. I found a used Rifle Basix trigger for 1/2 price, Jefferson bottom metal to convert the gun to CZ mags, and added a Salmon River ARCA plate. Rings are Tally medium front offset, and can is a Griffin placeholder for the Q I have in jail currently. The scope is a VX Freedom 4-12 side focus, my first trip back to Leupold, giving them another try after being disappointed in the past, mainly in the customer service dept.



It’s 7 pounds 7 ounces ready to go, the new can and muzzle device will cut 5 ounces from that, I hope to maybe put a carbon fiber barrel on someday and also have the bolt threaded for a knob rather than the clamp on that is on there now.

So far, the gun is boringly sub-MOA, and a pleasure to shoot, 2470 with the factory Hornady 108 ELDM and 2498 with factory 105 BTHP (about 200fps over the 12” AR), with extremely close POI between them. I will be trying the 87gn Absolute Hammer in this after a little more factory ammo.

I like to support companies that support people I believe in, to make tangible my appreciation for what they do. @Big Fin has been a massive influence on me pursuing hunting and having a greater understanding of conservation, and obviously Howa and Leupold are both big parts of that. After the really positive experience I had with my Bowtech, I’m glad to have another big success.

 

[p_ham]

You killed it with that paint job! Glad it shoots well! The bore and throat looked great when I scoped it. I've been eying the mini actions for a while, I may have to pick one up now (after I set up an account with Legacy).

 

[EastTNHunter]

Love my Howa mini 6.5G. Yours looks even “more better,” and I’m sure that you’ll like the 6arc

 

[turbobrick]

You killed it with that paint job! Glad it shoots well! The bore and throat looked great when I scoped it. I've been eying the mini actions for a while, I may have to pick one up now (after I set up an account with Legacy).

Let me know, I have an unused 6arc mag if you could use it. MDT just released their bottom metal and mags for the Mini, right after I ordered the Jefferson. It looks like a great option too. Howa needs to license the Jefferson design, the factory system is sub-par IMHO.

 

[millerkiller77]

View attachment 276146

I finally, after many years in the gun hobby, I jumped into the Howa end of the pool. A couple years ago, I built a 6 ARC 12” SBR upper for an AR, and really liked the potential in the cartridge. The velocity even with that short of a barrel really impressed me, so I wanted to see about a bolt gun. As far as I can tell, Howa is the only company making guns in ARC on properly sized receivers.

My local shop was able to order a Howa Mini for me straight from Legacy (they are nearby in Reno) for an excellent price. I was planning on sticking with the really heavy factory stock, but @p_ham mentioned Stocky’s sale and I ended up with one of their extremely light carbon stocks that I painted, poorly.

I drove the gun out to Country Customs Metalsmithing, Mr @p_ham himself, and he cut and threaded the gun to 16” and 5/8-24 with 25* taper. I found a used Rifle Basix trigger for 1/2 price, Jefferson bottom metal to convert the gun to CZ mags, and added a Salmon River ARCA plate. Rings are Tally medium front offset, and can is a Griffin placeholder for the Q I have in jail currently. The scope is a VX Freedom 4-12 side focus, my first trip back to Leupold, giving them another try after being disappointed in the past, mainly in the customer service dept.

View attachment 276149

It’s 7 pounds 7 ounces ready to go, the new can and muzzle device will cut 5 ounces from that, I hope to maybe put a carbon fiber barrel on someday and also have the bolt threaded for a knob rather than the clamp on that is on there now.

So far, the gun is boringly sub-MOA, and a pleasure to shoot, 2470 with the factory Hornady 108 ELDM and 2498 with factory 105 BTHP (about 200fps over the 12” AR), with extremely close POI between them. I will be trying the 87gn Absolute Hammer in this after a little more factory ammo.

I like to support companies that support people I believe in, to make tangible my appreciation for what they do. @Big Fin has been a massive influence on me pursuing hunting and having a greater understanding of conservation, and obviously Howa and Leupold are both big parts of that. After the really positive experience I had with my Bowtech, I’m glad to have another big success.

That paint job is absolutely PERFECT!

 

[turbobrick]

That paint job is absolutely PERFECT!

Shamelessly copied almost exactly from my Manners EH8+, I just went with a textured black base, a more sage green to the Manners olive, and a lighter tan. My dad is a old school house painter and I grew up as child labor in that field, so my expectations finish wise are artificially high, so this job was just ok.

 

[brockel]

I’ve got one of their howa mini 6mm arc in their chassis. It makes a pretty nice thermal rig. I’m shootings 55grain ballistic tips at 3550fps. Likes 103 eldx as well at just shy of 2700fps

 

[turbobrick]

I’ve got one of their howa mini 6mm arc in their chassis. It makes a pretty nice thermal rig. I’m shootings 55grain ballistic tips at 3550fps. Likes 103 eldx as well at just shy of 2700fps
View attachment 276182

That thing is sweet, nice setup. Do you like the chassis? Those 55s are blazing, I'm hoping to get the 87s as close to 3k as possible.

 

[brockel]

That thing is sweet, nice setup. Do you like the chassis? Those 55s are blazing, I'm hoping to get the 87s as close to 3k as possible.

If I wasn’t running the thermal I’d put it in a traditional stock. I originally bought it for the daughter to use thinking the LOP would go short enough with the adjustable stock. But the short end of it is still 13” and long end is like 15” LOP. She shoots a tikka compact now.

 

[turbobrick]

Little clip from Instagram, this little rifle at 300, 10 rounds on an 8" plate. Super pleased so far, ready to start working up a load with the 87AH. I liked the scope so much I picked up another one for the hunting rifle I built for my nieces and nephews, I almost got another 6arc for them, but I decided to stick with the little extra headroom that a 123AH at 2900 out of a 260rem provides, for now.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CtCS...eb_button_share_sheet&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

 

[huntnfisher]

I bought this Weatherby Laserguard (Howa) new about 10 years ago. It is chambered in .257 Wby. mag and shoots amazing! Love this rifle, and the 2 stage trigger doesn't bother me at all.

 

[turbobrick]

I’ve wanted to shape a bolt handle down to the right size and run a die over it for an extended bolt knob myself for a long time. So even with @p_ham about an hour away, I let the encouraging voices in my head take over, and went blazing on with my trusty angle grinder. It tapped really well.

I also ‘milled’ out a bunch of the superfluous metal in the Jefferson bottom metal, was able to shave about an ounce for free, still hoping to ultimately be under 7lbs.









In related news, I decided 16” was too short for my ballistic goals, and Carbonsix was having a big sale, so now I have a 19” 1:7 Sendero carbon barrel on order. They offer a very inexpensive barrel install service so it’s headed their way soon.

 

[p_ham]

I’ve wanted to shape a bolt handle down to the right size and run a die over it for an extended bolt knob myself for a long time. So even with @p_ham about an hour away, I let the encouraging voices in my head take over, and went blazing on with my trusty angle grinder. It tapped really well.

I also ‘milled’ out a bunch of the superfluous metal in the Jefferson bottom metal, was able to shave about an ounce for free, still hoping to ultimately be under 7lbs.

View attachment 281854

View attachment 281855

View attachment 281858

View attachment 281857

In related news, I decided 16” was too short for my ballistic goals, and Carbonsix was having a big sale, so now I have a 19” 1:7 Sendero carbon barrel on order. They offer a very inexpensive barrel install service so it’s headed their way soon.

You'll probably only gain 60-75fps with that longer barrel.

 

[turbobrick]

You'll probably only gain 60-75fps with that longer barrel.

Yeah, I know the difference won’t be earth shattering, but I think it will be a little more than that from my research.

 

[turbobrick]

If I wasn’t running the thermal I’d put it in a traditional stock. I originally bought it for the daughter to use thinking the LOP would go short enough with the adjustable stock. But the short end of it is still 13” and long end is like 15” LOP. She shoots a tikka compact now.

I decided to pick up one of the chassis guns so I could keep working on loads while the original is off at Carbon6. Did yours come with the folding stock adapter? The LOP problem gets even worse once you screw the folder on, by my measurements 14-17.5”. The Hogue grip really exasperates the problem with it’s swept back angle, so I trimmed up a Magpul K2 XL to fit, the flat angle helps with the long LOP I think.

Despite the improvement, I really wanted the folder, and since I’m the gunsmith now, out came the angle grinder.



I cut the metal insert in the chassis flush with the plastic, it was only 1/8” but every little bit adds up, and it makes the folder mounting area flat. Then, I trimmed the threaded portion of a LWRC shorty receiver extension and threaded it into the folding adapter. Just took a little trimming on an AB Arms stock for it to slide all the way onto the receiver extension. The receiver extension just comes to the end of the stock, allowing full collapsed position. Now the LOP 13.5-14.875, perfect for my nieces and nephews to use as well as the adults.

The next problem was that the stock would hit my Badger Ordnance bolt knob when folded, so I cut a wedge in the stem, bent it over, and welded it back up. Then my buddy Cerakoted the bolt and the chassis (it was originally American flag motif, but looked weird with the new stock). Shooting off the bench with chassis rifles can be a pain, I’ve become a fan of bag riders. And in a stroke of luck, a RPR bag rider fits perfect.




Still continued reloading, and pushed the 80gn TTSX to 2970, the 80gn CX to 2950, and the 87gn Absolute Hammer to 2940, I think there is some speed to be found yet. The plan is to have my dad use this rifle on his longer than ears pronghorn hunt in a couple weeks.

 

[brockel]

I decided to pick up one of the chassis guns so I could keep working on loads while the original is off at Carbon6. Did yours come with the folding stock adapter? The LOP problem gets even worse once you screw the folder on, by my measurements 14-17.5”. The Hogue grip really exasperates the problem with it’s swept back angle, so I trimmed up a Magpul K2 XL to fit, the flat angle helps with the long LOP I think.

Despite the improvement, I really wanted the folder, and since I’m the gunsmith now, out came the angle grinder.

View attachment 286535

I cut the metal insert in the chassis flush with the plastic, it was only 1/8” but every little bit adds up, and it makes the folder mounting area flat. Then, I trimmed the threaded portion of a LWRC shorty receiver extension and threaded it into the folding adapter. Just took a little trimming on an AB Arms stock for it to slide all the way onto the receiver extension. The receiver extension just comes to the end of the stock, allowing full collapsed position. Now the LOP 13.5-14.875, perfect for my nieces and nephews to use as well as the adults.

The next problem was that the stock would hit my Badger Ordnance bolt knob when folded, so I cut a wedge in the stem, bent it over, and welded it back up. Then my buddy Cerakoted the bolt and the chassis (it was originally American flag motif, but looked weird with the new stock). Shooting off the bench with chassis rifles can be a pain, I’ve become a fan of bag riders. And in a stroke of luck, a RPR bag rider fits perfect.

View attachment 286538
View attachment 286537

Still continued reloading, and pushed the 80gn TTSX to 2970, the 80gn CX to 2950, and the 87gn Absolute Hammer to 2940, I think there is some speed to be found yet. The plan is to have my dad use this rifle on his longer than ears pronghorn hunt in a couple weeks.

Yep mine came with the folder adapter. IMO howa needs to make some changes to this setup

 

[Mallardsx2]

View attachment 276146

^^^These are the groups I experienced with a Howa as well. lol

 

[turbobrick]

^^^These are the groups I experienced with a Howa as well. lol

Sorry to hear that, my two have been way under MOA with everything I've put through them.

 

[millerkiller77]

Sorry to hear that, my two have been way under MOA with everything I've put through them.

Same here, off the shelf .308,.270,& 6.5 ammo all shoot under 1" out of completely stock rifles.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Shot my 6.5G Howa mini yesterday. Tried a 12 shot load work up with 125 NPTs and H4895. Gun was sighted in for 123 SSTs. Three shot group at 100yd, 1.25” right of zero, 2400fps MV, all touching. The centered shot was a 123 SST load fired to verify zero

Shot a group with the 123 SST H4895 load next for funsies. Not bad for a factory rifle that is easy to carry