looking for a 6.5gr bolt gun

[FrozenMinnesotan]

im looking for a 6.5grendel bolt gun and im torn between the ruger with either mags (plan on oryx), cz 527 varmint ( dont like lack of stocks) or howa (again).
i had the howa in a b&c but wouldn't feed. how does it feed with the oryx or mdt chassis?

hows accuracy between the 3? under an inch and id be happy, i reload too.
mostly looking for a coyote/deer gun for my 9yr old son and a range toy.

im also thinking of swapping to 6arc if a manufacturer doesn't offer it.

im shooting a bighorn action in 6.5cm but plan on swapping barrels for a 223ai or 6arc/6.5gr too so im just looking for something that will feed, shoot decent and have some aftermarket support.

[riuma]

I have the Ruger and two CZs: One Varmint and one standard American. The CZ's are a pair of my most accurate rifles. Of course, if you need a chassis get a lesser rifle.~Riuma

[A5BLASTER]

My CZ 527 varmint grendel is the most accurate out of the box rifle I have ever owned. Have it in a bell and carlson stock. Feeds fine and a straight dream of a rifle to shoot with its adjustable set trigger.

[FrozenMinnesotan]

which stock? im interested in the varmint style.

[tdbru]

FM,
i prefer the howa barreled action best. but the factory stock and the bottom "metal" are poorly done in my opinion. i put my howa in a B&C sporter. i also added Jefferson Outdoors hinged bottom metal. feeds great. no magazine hanging out the bottom in front of the trigger guard anymore. light and trim. not the cheapest solution. had i known now what i didn't know then i would have just ordered a barreled action from Brownells, then the B&C stock, then the JO bottom metal rather than buying the whole rifle + magazine only to not use the factory stock, bottom "metal" or detachable magazines. but that's why it's called "live and learn"...
-tdbru

[Oso Polaris]

Howa Mini and CZ 527 both have same stock options. B&C and Boyd offer a several stocks for both rifle, MDT offer chassis that fit both, etc.

Issue with feeding from magazine with Howa Mini is the factory magazines, and not the aftermarket stocks. The chassis will be plagued with same potential feed issue... its the factory magazine, and there are no aftermarket upgrades/replacement magazines. There are two new aftermarket models of internal box magazines/hinged floor metal that resolves the crappy factory mag/feed issue for the Howa when fitted in traditional stock. See the other threads below related to bottom metal. No feeding issues with CZ's magazines.

In my opinion it is a coin toss on aftermarket support between Ruger, CZ, and Howa....

[A5BLASTER]

I did forget one item of note for the CZ grendel. There is a option to have the metal mags cut down to flush fit. Reduces mag capacity a few rounds. But would be fine for hunting needs and the action can still use the longer 5 round factory mags for bench work.

I haven't sent my bottom metal and mags off yet to be reworked, probably wait till after this deer season to do that.

[riuma]

I have hunted with the Grendel CZ for three seasons now. I never has an issue with the mag getting in the way. I have a lot of CZ's though, and use them quite a bit. I agree about the varmint model: right out of the box it was shooting so well that I was placing groups on the little tags of paper left on the target backers when people tore down their targets. Mesmerizing accuracy -and threaded for a suppressor.~Riuma

[Stinky Coyote]

[A5BLASTER]

Agreed. If I could take the barrel, trigger and mags from my CZ and install them on a howa action it would be perfect.

[wannabustbunnies]

I have two mini actions. The 6.5 Grendel is in a chassis and the 204 is in a B&C M40 varmint stock with DIP Inc bottom metal. I haven't had any feeding issues with either rifle (2x Grendel mags 1x 204)

[Stinky Coyote]

[Oso Polaris]

I wanted a light field rifle in 6.5 Grendel, and I was interested in trying out the Howa Mini so I bought barreled action from Brownells. I was unaware of the Howa Mini's issues when I made the purchase. I prefer a removable magazine and for that matter a chassis. In my opinion the magazine is a critical failure that makes the Howa Mini unreliable for field usage... I have certain expectations of my firearms. Putting the Howa Mini into a chassis ($500-$800) doesn't resolve the issue of magazine not properly feeding or the terrible location of mag release lever. As others have mentioned, these issues have kept me on the fence for past 3 years while my Howa Mini action sat in its box in my closet. Honestly, I had all but decided that best course of action was to just build a custom Grendel upper for an AR15.

The final straw that pushed me into moving forward with the Howa Mini rifle build was my niece who needed a deer rifle for the upcoming hunting season. In late Spring 2019, B&C solved one my issue with a new composite stock. I have the same Kevlar stock on a couple of CZ527's. Then DPI designed a replacement bottom metal that is actually metal. However, the magazine remains an issue whether using a traditional stock or chassis. Close but not quite a complete solution. Finally this Spring 2020, the scale was tipped in favor of a traditional style stock when replacement bottom metal with blind box magazine was introduced by Oregunsmithing and Jefferson Outdoors. This eliminated the remaining failure points for the Howa Mini.... magazine feeding reliability and accidental magazine drops from poorly designed/positioned mag release lever at front of bottom metal.

If I hadn't already owned the Howa Mini Action then I would have either purchased a CZ527 for bolt rifle or just gone straight to AR15. What a hassle... a lot of people working hard to find solutions for a product that the manufacturer can't be bothered to fix. This will be my only Howa until something changes.

[Bottomdweller]

I wanted a light field rifle in 6.5 Grendel, and I was interested in trying out the Howa Mini so I bought barreled action from Brownells. I was unaware of the Howa Mini's issues when I made the purchase. I prefer a removable magazine and for that matter a chassis. In my opinion the magazine is a critical failure that makes the Howa Mini unreliable for field usage... I have certain expectations of my firearms. Putting the Howa Mini into a chassis ($500-$800) doesn't resolve the issue of magazine not properly feeding or the terrible location of mag release lever. As others have mentioned, these issues have kept me on the fence for past 3 years while my Howa Mini action sat in its box in my closet. Honestly, I had all but decided that best course of action was to just build a custom Grendel upper for an AR15.

The final straw that pushed me into moving forward with the Howa Mini rifle build was my niece who needed a deer rifle for the upcoming hunting season. In late Spring 2019, B&C solved one my issue with a new composite stock. I have the same Kevlar stock on a couple of CZ527's. Then DPI designed a replacement bottom metal that is actually metal. However, the magazine remains an issue whether using a traditional stock or chassis. Close but not quite a complete solution. Finally this Spring 2020, the scale was tipped in favor of a traditional style stock when replacement bottom metal with blind box magazine was introduced by Oregunsmithing and Jefferson Outdoors. This eliminated the remaining failure points for the Howa Mini.... magazine feeding reliability and accidental magazine drops from poorly designed/positioned mag release lever at front of bottom metal.

If I hadn't already owned the Howa Mini Action then I would have either purchased a CZ527 for bolt rifle or just gone straight to AR15. What a hassle... a lot of people working hard to find solutions for a product that the manufacturer can't be bothered to fix. This will be my only Howa until something changes.

Amen Brutha!

[FrozenMinnesotan]

I'm now looking into the tikka t3x in 223. If anything he can use the 223 to get comfortable shooting and for coyote and I can get a 6arc or grendel barrel for my 6.5cm. I hope tikka, ruger or howa make a 6arc bolt.