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Initial field report on Howa mini 6.5 G with Boyd's stock; with some pics.
I got in on the latest Brownells mini-action-barrel (the HB) stock for the Howa mini. I ordered a Boyds pro varmint stock for it - I have a similar stock for my (Howa!) 6.5 Creedmoor and it works well, the cheek rise is just about right for me.
I'm only 35 rounds into my breakin series so the groupings (factory ammo) are ok but I'm not really counting them yet. The Federal 90 TNT's are about 1.5" and the 123sst's are about 1.25" at 100 yds, but this is still early. My other grendels can do 1" for the TNTs and <1" for the sst's so I think this mini will do the same after breakin.
1. I like the trigger, it is like the one on my Howa CM so I have some run-time with the setup and so far it works ok for my hunting purposes.
2. I like the short action. With the HB, scope, stock, MB and rings/bases it weighs in right at 9 lbs, again which is OK by me. It points well and the coyote coloring fits it well.
3. Shooting so far has been very good as far as the feel etc. I'm using my poor-man's bipod which I have on several of my rifles, very functional again for my shooting.
20170727_65Howamini-2.jpg
Now there is one small minor issue that cropped up right from the start, and one extra comment.
The "extra comment" - the mag and mag release work much too easily IMO, this means it could easily drop out in the field so I'll have to be careful with that.
The minor issue also involves the mag... it sits just a bit low in the mag well so that a round will not strip correctly with the bolt to go into the chamber. I have some pics.
I tried this with both hornady 123 sst and 123 eld-m match, and with the Federal 90 TNTs.
If you just work the bolt then the round may start into battery but then the bolt will over-ride it and the round doesn't flow into chamber.
On the other hand, if you hold the mag bottom up just a "tad" (I measured 0.020" in fact) so it is flush (no further upward movement) then the round strips great and flows into battery fine.
I didn't want to say anything until I had a 2d mag in hand but now I do and this happens for both of them. I think it is b/c the latch/mag combo lets the mag droop downward just enough off of flush, to cause this (again, 0.020" by my calipers). Or possibly if the mag-springs were a bit thicker/stronger maybe that would fix it... I don't know.
There is a work-around for now, which is just hold the mag-bottom while feeding the next round or single load, but I wonder if anyone else has seen this or is it something just on my rig.
Not enough to make me overall unhappy but if a different mag/bottom metal solution comes along I would be thinking seriously about trying that out.
Matt, thanks to LSI for getting this to market, it's a cost-effective little shooter and that hits my sweet spot really well.
Pics to follow. (All factory ammo so far)
Federals loaded into mag, then showing over-ride, then with the hand on bottom, feed fine.
20170729_Mag1.jpg. 20170729_Mag2.jpg. 20170729_Mag3.jpg 20170729_Mag4.jpg
Same basic results with the 123sst's
20170729_Mag5sst.jpg 20170729_Mag6sst.jpg 20170729_Mag7sst.jpg
I got in on the latest Brownells mini-action-barrel (the HB) stock for the Howa mini. I ordered a Boyds pro varmint stock for it - I have a similar stock for my (Howa!) 6.5 Creedmoor and it works well, the cheek rise is just about right for me.
I'm only 35 rounds into my breakin series so the groupings (factory ammo) are ok but I'm not really counting them yet. The Federal 90 TNT's are about 1.5" and the 123sst's are about 1.25" at 100 yds, but this is still early. My other grendels can do 1" for the TNTs and <1" for the sst's so I think this mini will do the same after breakin.
1. I like the trigger, it is like the one on my Howa CM so I have some run-time with the setup and so far it works ok for my hunting purposes.
2. I like the short action. With the HB, scope, stock, MB and rings/bases it weighs in right at 9 lbs, again which is OK by me. It points well and the coyote coloring fits it well.
3. Shooting so far has been very good as far as the feel etc. I'm using my poor-man's bipod which I have on several of my rifles, very functional again for my shooting.
20170727_65Howamini-2.jpg
Now there is one small minor issue that cropped up right from the start, and one extra comment.
The "extra comment" - the mag and mag release work much too easily IMO, this means it could easily drop out in the field so I'll have to be careful with that.
The minor issue also involves the mag... it sits just a bit low in the mag well so that a round will not strip correctly with the bolt to go into the chamber. I have some pics.
I tried this with both hornady 123 sst and 123 eld-m match, and with the Federal 90 TNTs.
If you just work the bolt then the round may start into battery but then the bolt will over-ride it and the round doesn't flow into chamber.
On the other hand, if you hold the mag bottom up just a "tad" (I measured 0.020" in fact) so it is flush (no further upward movement) then the round strips great and flows into battery fine.
I didn't want to say anything until I had a 2d mag in hand but now I do and this happens for both of them. I think it is b/c the latch/mag combo lets the mag droop downward just enough off of flush, to cause this (again, 0.020" by my calipers). Or possibly if the mag-springs were a bit thicker/stronger maybe that would fix it... I don't know.
There is a work-around for now, which is just hold the mag-bottom while feeding the next round or single load, but I wonder if anyone else has seen this or is it something just on my rig.
Not enough to make me overall unhappy but if a different mag/bottom metal solution comes along I would be thinking seriously about trying that out.
Matt, thanks to LSI for getting this to market, it's a cost-effective little shooter and that hits my sweet spot really well.
Pics to follow. (All factory ammo so far)
Federals loaded into mag, then showing over-ride, then with the hand on bottom, feed fine.
20170729_Mag1.jpg. 20170729_Mag2.jpg. 20170729_Mag3.jpg 20170729_Mag4.jpg
Same basic results with the 123sst's
20170729_Mag5sst.jpg 20170729_Mag6sst.jpg 20170729_Mag7sst.jpg
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