Howa 20" Lightweight - Weight Reduction

[klr]

I wanted to see how light I could make this rifle without spending any money. So I cut down the stock, replaced the recoil pad with Kydex, and cut down the mag.

For a finish I just sanded the stock where I removed material and then ran a heat gun over the surface to remelt the plastic. The material gets porous when you cut deep, so the finish is a little rough. It still seems strong and it's held up for the past year or so since I did the same thing to my .223 Mini.

After extensive fiddling and modifying of the parts, I managed to get the mag to hold four rounds. I haven't shot it yet, but I did fill the mag and feed rounds through the rifle and it worked perfectly. I did this about a dozen times.

Results - 5.253 lbs and it feels great with that flush mag. With lightweight 4x scope I'll be able to barely squeak under the 6 lb mark ready to hunt. A sling will likely put me over though.

A big thanks to smcdurmon for the mag chop tutorial.

[jason miller]

You could probably get a couple more ounces off that stock with an orbital sander and a 1"+ dowel rod. I took 8 ounces off of one of my stocks and 6 off the other without cutting the fore end like that and without replacing the recoil pad. And that's after paint/clearcoat. PM me your email address if you want pics for reference.

[klr]

You could probably get a couple more ounces off that stock with an orbital sander and a 1"+ dowel rod. I took 8 ounces off of one of my stocks and 6 off the other without cutting the fore end like that and without replacing the recoil pad. And that's after paint/clearcoat. PM me your email address if you want pics for reference.

PM sent. Thanks.

Right now I'm slightly under 26 oz for the stock.

[jason miller]

I think that's the lightest I got one from just slimming and cutting flutes in the comb. I don't have the need or ambition to cut the fore end off so short or mess with the recoil pad. I bet you could get under 24 ounces if you're already that light.

Feel free to post the pics I sent you, if you'd like and if anyone else is interested. I would have made a thread and posted them myself long ago, but I cannot figure out how to post pics from my phone and don't have a photobucket account.

[klr]

Here you go, Jason.

[klr]

[klr]

[klr]

Final one:

[flatland1]

I've been looking for a light, yet strong stock for a 223 Mini of mine. I sold one of my early 6.5 Grendel bbl'd actions to Tom Manners about a year ago so he could model the inlet, and he was supposed to have an EH-2 stock done by SHOT 2018. It never happened, I guess mostly because the demand for his stocks from Mini owners dropped off after Boyds started making stocks for them. I had to send a 222 bbl'd action to McMillan to get them to model the inlet, but in that case, I at least got a couple of stocks from them - one on the Sako Varmint pattern, and another in their Game Scout pattern. But it took quite some time (over a year) to get the Game Scout, along with several calls to see where it was. These both had fairly large bbl channels, as I've used Bartlein light Palma contour bbls to replace the 6.5 Grendel bbls with 6mm bbl's in 6 RAT.

What I'd like to have is a Manners Elite Hunter EH-2, which should weigh in at 24-26oz. Would then put DIP DBM in it, along with a Krieger #3 sporter w/1.090" dia shank, cut to 22" & chambered with my 223 Match reamer. A Warne or EGW 20 MOA scope rail and a set of Weaver Quad rings to hold a fine old K6 Weaver scope, and I'd have a great walk about varmint rifle.

[jason miller]

If you get your rifle under 5 lbs, I'd like to see pics.

[klr]

If you get your rifle under 5 lbs, I'd like to see pics.

I'd need to remove 4 ounces. I don't think I can get there from here.

[jason miller]

I'd still be interested to see the results of any more efforts. Unless you're calling it good to go. What's the tip of the fore end look like under the barrel? And how'd you deal with those little plastic tabs and the mounting of a different recoil pad?

[klr]

I'd still be interested to see the results of any more efforts. Unless you're calling it good to go. What's the tip of the fore end look like under the barrel? And how'd you deal with those little plastic tabs and the mounting of a different recoil pad?

I'm calling it good. I looked at it and decided that any more gains would be minimal, and it's light, strong, and doesn't look too bad as is.

The tip of the fore end is just an open channel. Those who put appearance high on the priority list would call it ugly. Lol. The little plastic nubs I cut off flush with the end of the stock. The kydex recoil plate is held on with countersunk screws the same size as what held the recoil pad in place. It doesn't move.

[Stinky Coyote]

if anyone curious, my machinest/smith just slabbed an action for me and fluted the bolt, 3 oz removed and didn't hollow out the bolt handle, must have forgot, i'll get that done.

Also note if anyone curious, he got the mdt lss chassis down from naked 1 lb 13 oz to 1 lb 6 oz.

I like that stock work! I'd be all over this if they had regular bottom metal to start, the only way i can stand the magazine hanging down is in the chassis, in that case i like it.

[klr]

if anyone curious, my machinest/smith just slabbed an action for me and fluted the bolt, 3 oz removed

I'd really like to see some pics of that work. And the chassis. What scope and rings are you using?