Looking for a bolt action 6.5 Grendel

[grendelnubi]

I have looked at a lot of post here on this forum regarding the 6.5 Grendel bolt action rifles. I really do not know exactly what I should get as there seems to be a lot of pros and cons but based on what is available today it really is coming down to two possible choices, the Howa Mini or the Ruger American (Predator). The CZ 527 would be an option but there is simply none available.

The rifle will be used for hunting and target shooting, mostly hunting. My budget is less than $700 since my plans circle around the sales of my Faxon barrel 12.7" AR to offset the cost. I'm looking for the most return on dollar investment for this purchase. I don't want to just buy something to buy it, it needs to work.

I would like to entertain the idea of a wood stock or a chassis and have looked at the Howa Excl Lite chassis and found one within my budget but I don't know sure if it is the best option for the cost. I have looked at the Boyds options but have heard of the challenges associated with it.

If you were to be in my position what would you do? I'm extremely open at this point. The only thing locked down is I have settled on getting a Grendel bolt gun. Your comments or suggestions to help lead me in the right direction will be greatly appreciated!

[Old Bob]

Brownells has these Mini Howa barreled actions...

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/re...13624.aspx

& this chassis stock...

https://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/st...29350.aspx

For traditional type stocks, this one should be a good one.

https://www.bellandcarlson.com/index.cfm...ry_ID=1139

There are others but their costs are higher.

[grayfox]

I would definitely go for the howa mini, add the B&C stock that oldbob points out.
Then you need scope and rings but for your budget the action and B&C comes closest.
20" barrel is pretty convenient for hunting.
The ruger does have a 22" barrel and is a pretty good one too but it uses AR mags and there are some problems getting it to feed properly anything besides the 123 class. I could get the 123's to feed but had to work a lot to do so and the last one almost always failed to feed, its tip would nose dive.
The newer howa bottom plastics work better than the old ones did, especially in a good stock like the B&C.
I put a DIP metal bottom in mine but I already had one.
The mag release on the newer howas is also improved, doubt if the old problem of inadvertently dropping a mag will bother you.
Just being honest, neither one is totally problem free or tweak-free, but I like the howa I have and it's pretty much my go to grendel now. I have an mdt chassis on mine.

[grayfox]

One more thing... if you're just looking for a plastic stock then Brownells has an after-mkt stock, ATI maybe? - for $50, that will get you out into the field...

[JCart]

I went with the Ruger American Ranch in 16.1” barrel (for use as a UTV/truck gun) with Tupperware stock, was looking for something that I don’t have to worry about banging and scratching up. Had it for a year now, the action was pretty crude when new and the magazine feeding was poor. I removed a few coils of the Mag spring and voila feeds awesome. The action I smoothed with abrasive paste on the bolt and cycled the action a few hundred time (while watching tv) hahahaa very smooth now. Also removed 3/4 -1 coil on the trigger spring. It’s an excellent little rifle and would do it again in a heartbeat. I put a nice scope Vortex Razor HD LRT 3-15x44 (was more than the gun in Canada) it’s an awesome little rig. I hand load for it and it’s a shooter. Originally (factory loads) Hornady Black 123 grains it liked the best and was 1.5” 5 shot @ 100 metres. Now with hand loads, I load Hornady 100 grain ELD-M and Nosler partitions in 100 grain too. Powder is IMR8208HBR or Reloader 10x or CFE223. These combos typically shoot 1/2-3/4” 5 shot groups at 100 metres. Amazing for an inexpensive entry level 16” barrel! Last time to the range was consistently dinging steel at 700 metres.
Good luck with purchase and have fun
j

[grendelnubi]

Thanks for all of the feedback!

I have reached a major milestone in financing my new purchase so I will be making a decision within the next week or so. Will shop around to find the best deal possible once the decision is made.

The only thing I have settled on is the Howa Mini. I have not made any other decisions at this point but I have started online shopping and found some interesting deals I would like to run past you for additional feedback.

Howa HMXL65GUSA Mini EXCL Lite 6.5 Grendel 20" Barrel, 5+1 Round, American Flag Cerakote Black Folding HTI Excl Lit Chassis - $956 (LGS). Does come with a Nikko Stirling GamePro 3.5-10x44mm scope. Online price about $800. Any feedback on the HTI Excl chassis would be appreciated.

Howa HOWA ORYX CHASSIS 6.5GRN 20" - 682146394542 $850 - $1k. The brownell's deal is looking very promising but the chassis in not in stock.... about $925 for both the action and chassis. Can order the chassis Down side it is a little heavy for hunting and a little outside my budget but the Oryx chassis is in the consideration lead.

Also now looking at other options now.
Stay with the plastic stock Howa 6.5 grendel (can find for around $500) and add a Oryx chassis ($429) to one of my other bolt guns, 6.5 creedmore or 308. This would allow me to get my Grendel bolt gun and upgrade one of my other bolt guns with the Oryx chassis and spend a little more but get more as well. Decisions, decisions.

Sorry, hate to bring everyone down this indecisive path with me but I need to maximize my options for the dollars spent.

[Old Bob]

Here's some mini Howas from Grab-A-Gun...

https://grabagun.com/firearms/rifles/bol...ounds.html

https://grabagun.com/firearms/rifles/bol...ounds.html

https://grabagun.com/howa-m1500-mini-apc...-8x24.html

My choice if I were to buy another mini...

https://grabagun.com/firearms/rifles/bol...ounds.html

[Kawie]

If you go to the howa firearms page they list the mini actions in a walnut stock now.

[Kawie]

You could also get the howa barreled action then go to stockys and buy the factory secounds carbon stock for $299 .

[grendelnubi]

Thanks for posting the additional feedback.

The Howa Mini EXCL Lite is one I have been considering from the get go since it fits nicely within my budget. Not too bad of a deal.

I have never seen or heard of Stocky's. This is truly an option to consider.

Thanks again.

[cceckhoff58]

I bought this little beauty about six months ago for a reasonable price:

https://www.gunsinternational.com/guns-f...=101713053

I reload for it. One inch groups at 100 yds is as good as it gets. Fine for hunting, disappointing for a target shooter considering the cartridge is very similar to the 6 PPC. The sporter barrel is consumer grade. A bore scope inspection shows lots of rough tooling marks. The chamber is SAAMI spec. And the specs are for a semi auto rifle, not a bolt action match rifle. To illustrate this: The loaded neck diameter is .291", and fireformed neck is .300".

I am planning to put some money into it. I have a 6.5 Grendel custom reamer order in at PTG. I will then get a 22" barrel with a super tight chamber. I will keep the sporter contour and the AT One stock. because I like the looks and I don't want to upset the balance of the rifle with a fat barrel.

[Stinky Coyote]

I went down cz american, howa lightweight and standard, and ruger american ranch route.

I kept the ruger, it took the least to get right, like nothing required, sold the rest, bought two more for the kids.

2nd place goes to the cz, pretty nice rifle takes a bit of effort and cost to get right, and the howa is the biggest money pit to get right as the only thing good is the barrelled action...the trigger downward has to go.

I was obsessed with this cartridge from shortly after it came around, I'm obsessive gear junky that will try it all. Hope that helps.

cz will want action polishing, the trigger can be set at 2 3/4-3lb almost creep free but dab a little loctite on the one screw so it can't back out and creep comes back, some models need to be pillar/glass bedded (my american did) and the scopes for these tend to be a bit fussier to get eye relief right, action so short on back end etc. that short eye relief scopes are your huckleberry.

howa you need new trigger, new stock and completely different bottom metal and magazine system, get the flush hinged floor plate kits or the cz mag conversion.

done right between cz/howa the cz is still a different level rifle imo, the howa can almost get to a decent rem 700 level but not really, no soul, no class...just a waste of money imo, the cz is a pretty awesome piece when done and lots of pride of ownership the howa could never offer

the ruger is the ultimate working mans rig that earned it's respect with me for needing nothing, no smithing, put it together on the kitchen table, shoots tight, and reliable for least amount of effort or money, max versatility with aftermarket(chassis/AR mags etc.), just set your goals and see which one hits all the boxes

[Kawie]

I have to disagree with stinky coyote on the ruger an the howa. The cz i don't own so I can't comment other than they are beautiful guns an over priced and no longer being made.the ruger I agree is a working man's gun. Built cheap feels cheap an the trigger is no better than the howa,they do tend to shoot good. They have cheap plastic bottom metal with the floppy fitting ar mags an no available bottom metal options that I'm aware of like the howa that has at least 4 options now. Neither have a great trigger but neither is horrible either. Both have aftermarket options.both are accurate. but one thing I can't get over is the rugers floppy ass bolt an zippy sound it makes when running the bolt.the ruger fit in with the other low end guns like the savage axis an such for a reason.id rate them as far as quality cz 1st howa 2nd an ruger bringing up the rear.i just don't think you could upgrade a ruger to feel an look quality like a cz but a howa I think can be.dont get me wrong I love my ruger but it's nowhere near the quality of the other two.just my opinion.

[Draftpick]

You could also get the howa barreled action then go to stockys and buy the factory secounds carbon stock for $299 .

Does stocky make a mini action the Howa grendel is not a full size action

[Stinky Coyote]

I have to disagree with stinky coyote on the ruger an the howa. The cz i don't own so I can't comment other than they are beautiful guns an over priced and no longer being made.the ruger I agree is a working man's gun. Built cheap feels cheap an the trigger is no better than the howa,they do tend to shoot good. They have cheap plastic bottom metal with the floppy fitting ar mags an no available bottom metal options that I'm aware of like the howa that has at least 4 options now. Neither have a great trigger but neither is horrible either. Both have aftermarket options.both are accurate. but one thing I can't get over is the rugers floppy ass bolt an zippy sound it makes when running the bolt.the ruger fit in with the other low end guns like the savage axis an such for a reason.id rate them as far as quality cz 1st howa 2nd an ruger bringing up the rear.i just don't think you could upgrade a ruger to feel an look quality like a cz but a howa I think can be.dont get me wrong I love my ruger but it's nowhere near the quality of the other two.just my opinion.

the two stage trigger of the howa sure it breaks clean but that awful 1st stage feels as cheap as a gas station cap gun and so does the over curved trigger blade too far set back...but that's just like the rest of the howa outside the action and barrel, cheap af, a single stage timney would be a must, the ruger trigger feels proper, mine broke at 3 lb out of the box I didn't even adjust it, shoot tight at 500 yards and good for hunting, yes you cannot take a ruger and go 'high end' it's just awesome for what it is, throw it in a chassis and kill stuff, mine don't rid in the factory stock but clearly remember the stainless steel 10 round AR mag (which is the same size as the 5 round Howa mag) as fitting every bit as good as the Chinese plastic howa magazine and gawdawful bottom plastic, the kids .22 hogue stock...

the only way to do a howa right I outlined it, timney single stage trigger, new stock, and aftermarket anything to get ride of the cheap plastic magazine system which is also as unreliable af, tipping rounds down after the shot...have zero confidence in that for hunting reliability, they are a money pit to fix...period, the ruger wins as they need not a single penny to work from day one and not make you cringe or wonder if a second shot will be available after the first lol

I put lots of time behind all three to get to this. It's funny how people get about something that shoots great but almost everything about it is garbage except the barrel and action...there's more to it than groups. Howa is a very distant 3rd place easy but I'm a hunter, anything can work on the range.

[mblackmon4]

Here’s the experience I’ve had with the Howa and the CZ

I loved the 20” HEavy barrel Howa I had, shot 120 and 100gr Barnes great, no feedingbussed and could get 1/2 moa. I put a B&c stock on it and everything went to Hell, Accuracy went terrible. I put the factory houge stock on and it tightened back up where it was previously so I sold the B&c stock

I sold the howa to get the 16” suppressor ready CZ
It’s not as overall accurate as the Howa was, CZ is a bit pickier on ammo but can shoot tighter groups than the howa. I prefer the Mauser action and like the set trigger. I ordered a factory wood stock from CZ the other day to try to make it nicer to look at.

[kmon]

Here’s the experience I’ve had with the Howa and the CZ

I loved the 20” HEavy barrel Howa I had, shot 120 and 100gr Barnes great, no feedingbussed and could get 1/2 moa. I put a B&c stock on it and everything went to Hell, Accuracy went terrible. I put the factory houge stock on and it tightened back up where it was previously so I sold the B&c stock

I sold the howa to get the 16” suppressor ready CZ
It’s not as overall accurate as the Howa was, CZ is a bit pickier on ammo but can shoot tighter groups than the howa. I prefer the Mauser action and like the set trigger. I ordered a factory wood stock from CZ the other day to try to make it nicer to look at.

Glass and pillar bed the CZ in the new stock and I think it will improve

[Sinclair]

Glass and pillar bed the CZ in the new stock and I think it will improve

Right on! On mine the groups shrunk by about 1/3 after the pillar, glass bedding was completed and do not forget to free float the Barrel. Still only have 160 or so rounds down the tube, so I am hopping that it will improve more as it wears in. Others have commented that the hammer forged barrels on the CZs need rounds down the tube. One poster called them "legacy rifles" meaning that the more you shoot them the better they shoot.

[grendelnubi]

I appreciate all of the feedback. I have spent a considerable amount of time reviewing comments, feedback, reviews, etc. I don't believe either choice, the Howa or Ruger American is a bad choice.

The Howa had a few things going for it like the out of box action but the RAP action can be improved upon for little or no cost, including the trigger.
Both platforms can be accessorized for about the same cost so it was draw here.
Based on reviews etc... both the Howa and RAP shoot very good out of the box.
I found a lot of positive feedback and negative feedback for both platforms.

The main consideration for me was cost. I did sale a few things to fund this project so it needed it to fit into my budget. It also had to work reasonably well out of the box with little or no additional cost involved.

I was looking all of the stock options suggested and really like the chassis setups. I really liked the Howa mini excl chassis systems and it fit into my budget but in the end I felt like I was compromising. If cost wasn't the main factor, I would have pulled the trigger on the Howa Carbon Fiber Stalker or used the suggested Stocky's factory second CF suggestion with the brownells Howa mini action. Really had me for a while..... but it would have ended up $800 plus range either way.

So with this, I placed an order today for the Ruger American Predator. The cost was $526 out the door. I like the fact that the RAP utilizes standard AR mags, even if it does have COAL limitations. The RAP does come with the scope rail and a 22" barrel. I am banking on the polymer stock of the RAP will have a slight edge over the Howa stock.

Thanks Again!

[kmon]

I think I am about to pull the trigger on a Grendel Ruger Ranch for the use of a suppressor or hunting in tight blinds or if the Wife is hunting with my CZ.

I have not shot a Ruger ranch rifle yet but some friends that have and it impressed them for accuracy and value.