Howa Scout Rifle

[Redbaron]

I wanted a bolt gun to go with my 6.5 AR, and I couldn't pass up the potential of a Howa barreled action. I've got a 308 set up as a scout and love it, and knew I wanted to do something similar with the Howa

[img width=200 height=94]https://i.ibb.co/ZM90NDv/20201206-125827.jpg[/img]

The stock is a Bell & Carson sporter. I replaced the polymer bottom "metal" with a DiP bottom and upgraded the magazi e release while I was at it.

[img width=200 height=94]https://i.ibb.co/VS6hZPC/20201206-125849.jpg[/img]

[img width=94 height=200]https://i.ibb.co/8XHHFnz/20201206-125837.jpg[/img]

[img width=200 height=94]https://i.ibb.co/dLCL9Vf/20201206-125856.jpg[/img]

You can just make out the front sight underneath the scope. The scope base is threaded for an ar15 sight post, and that's what that little nub is. I had to file it down quite a bit to get it to fit under the scope. Nice thing is, if it turns out I took too much off, replacements are cheap and easy to swap out.

[img width=94 height=200]https://i.ibb.co/tL91G3P/20201206-125904.jpg[/img]
Here's a little closer look

Overall it's a short, light and handy package and it's wonderfully accurate out to a pretty long distance. The micro action is short enough that I didn't feel like I needed to trim the 20in barrel down any to keep it handy. It's actually the same overall length as my other scout built on a surplus k98 action with a 17in barrel.

[biodsl]

Very nice. Given the dimensions outlined by Cooper, I've always thought it would be more easily achieved with a Grendel than a SA cartridge. Your experience verifies that; 3 extra inches of barrel and the same overall length. What's the weight between the two?

Tell us more about the scope base and installation.

[Redbaron]

Scope base is a custom piece made by Jerry Dove of Dove's Gunsmithing, who also did the installation. From what I understand he makes the whole thing from aluminum barstock. I had asked him for a way to attach a front sight to the rifle where it wasn't hanging out front where a sight could snag on things, and that's the solution he came up with.

I haven't had a chance to sight in the rifle, so I don't know how well the iron sights work. I am a little concerned that I won't be able to get the front sight high enough to be zeroed and still be short enough to fit under the scope, and I don't really want to go to higher rings because of how well the scope lines up with my eyes when I shoulder it. They're backups, tho, so I'm not overly worried.

Weight is 6.8lbs., so a little over ideal scout weight, but I think most of that is the stock. It's got some noticeable heft to it that some of my other synthetic stocks don't. Not that I'm complaining, I really like the feel and heft of the B&C stock.

I think the removable magazine is a better idea than the stripper clip guide that Cooper supported. You can still top it off from the top, and reloads would be even faster if you had a spare mag on hand. It's not as easy to grab around the natural balance point as an internal box magazine design would be, but that's really just a nitpick, and a stretch for one at that.

[Stinky Coyote]

very nice rig, if only we could get that australian company bottom metal for AR magazine conversion and then take the action in to machinest to open up to accept AR magazine size...that would perfect your rig, i'd re-invest in my howa's if i could do this, although i'd skip the scout and go talley's and a leupold vx3i 2.5-8x36 sent in for wide duplex and cds-zl turret, nice stock, nice work

[rcook10]

Hot rig! What does she weigh?

[Redbaron]

About 6.8 lbs.