first shooting of my new 22 inch barreled Howa Mini

[rickt300]

It came today and I wasn't expecting it til Thursday, background check passed me in 5 minutes. I ran a patch wet with solvent thru the barrel then dried it with a dry patch, put bases on it and a Redfield Revenge 3x9 power scope in Weaver rings. I then bore sighted it, got on my 50 yard bench and used Wolf Steel to get it centered. 7 shots. Moved back to 100 yards and fired three shots with Hornady Black and got a big 3 inch triangle. So then I started working with my load using Wolf steel cases, AR Comp and the 129 gr. Hornady spire point. 5 shots later I was making a ragged hole an inch to the right of dead center. I burned a few more and changed targets. I went back to Hornady Black and with 2 clicks had it hitting dead center and the next 3 were touching then two more with just a sliver of white between them and the other three. I have had three of these rifles, 2 6.5's and one in 223, this one has the best out of the box trigger of the three. It also started shooting well in fewer shots. The stock isn't touching the barrel but it is close on the left side so I will open it up a bit sooner or later. A better than MOA rifle right out of the box!

[grayfox]

Nice going!
by the way... any pictures??

[rickt300]

May take some when I get some reloads ready and after I cut the mag release back, already dropped the mag once! I may order a Boyds Classic for this rifle if it doesn't weigh a lot more than the semi soft plastic one that comes with the rifle. A couple of things about the Wolf ammo, with it as it came from the factory or how I loaded the cases bolt lift was a bit heavy. This rifle closes on Hornady Black factory ammo sort of "snugly" so I take it that it has tight headspace. I fired a shot a minute and the barrel never got past warm. Recoil is a bit more noticable than my Howa HB I traded off but nothing to snivel about just sayin.

[grayfox]

I put mine in a pro-varmint Boyds... had to get my GS to do a little inletting so the mags would seat properly, and it is a bit heavier but I like it.

[rickt300]

I built a Savage switch barrel rifle and used a Boyds Pro Varmint stock. Easy to shoot off the bench and offhand. One barrel is a 7MM RM so it's not too heavy for that, the other being a 243 which is usually what is installed and it really shoots tight groups.

[bj139]

May take some when I get some reloads ready and after I cut the mag release back, already dropped the mag once! I may order a Boyds Classic for this rifle if it doesn't weigh a lot more than the semi soft plastic one that comes with the rifle. A couple of things about the Wolf ammo, with it as it came from the factory or how I loaded the cases bolt lift was a bit heavy. This rifle closes on Hornady Black factory ammo sort of "snugly" so I take it that it has tight headspace. I fired a shot a minute and the barrel never got past warm. Recoil is a bit more noticable than my Howa HB I traded off but nothing to snivel about just sayin.

I was shooting my Howa Grendel last week and noticed the bolt handle lift was heavy with Wolf, less so with Black.
I hadn't noticed that last fall. Maybe there was a full moon.

Stick a small piece of duct tape (1"x1/2") on the side of the mag extending to the top taper and it won't drop out.

[rickt300]

Went crappie fishing today, caught em in 18 inches of water, spawn is on! Good idea about the tape and I will get around to shortening the mag release soon. Plus the Trash truck put my dumpster in front of my target/backstop! Are people really that stupid?

[grayfox]

They gotta be Libs...!!!

[bj139]

I cut off my mag release as well but it was not enough.
The tape works since I don't need the mag to drop free, only be there when I need it.

I have to go buy a fishing license. Are you in Texas? It is mid 30F and mid 30MPH winds here. Noreasters keep coming through.

[rickt300]

Yep Texas.ind has been pretty strong here too. We are getting a break as it is warming up nicely.

[rickt300]

Worked up to 32.0 grains of LVR under the 123 gr. AMAX, not shooting groups just shooting three of each and looking for visual pressure signs. Looking at LRRPF52's data I figured I was close enough to max. I loaded up 20 rounds and am waiting for a less windy day to test them. I am going to use up some AA2520 I have next round of testing.

[rickt300]

Shot the last ten of the Hornady Black left in the box I started on into two 5 shot groups right at an inch. Shot 20 with the 32.0 grains of LVR under the 123 AMAX's popped with CCI 450 primers. These shot really well giving me several 3 shot groups of around 3/4 of an inch. The wind was howling again and I had several flyers. I also took the bipod off and shot a few 3 shotters. POI was unchanged but the wind was enough that it was moving me around and groups moved out to 1 1/4 inches. I really need some good bench bags, rolled up blue jeans are only good when the wind is light or non existent. The LVR load hit an inch higher than the Hornady Black. So now I have 40 pieces of empty brass all fireformed to my chamber. My next project is going to be working up a good load with the 129 grain Hornady spire point. I like LVR but I have just about burned it up and I have plenty of AA2520 to try.

[bj139]

Bullets.com has 8lbs of LVR for $114. I am waiting for my jug to get here.

[cwlongshot]

Good read Rick!

I don't understand the use of Steel cases. I understand that they are cheap...but all things are relative. Personally I don't use them. You don't seem to have any concerns using them.

Nice to see others using AR-COMP, I have a number of #'s and like it as a plinking load in the 5.56 and was hoping to get a load for it in the G.

I have had a 6.5 for more than 20 years, but they are a Swede and a custom 6.5/06 so heavier than regular G bullets. 140, 142 & 160's. The 6.5/06 did shoot 120g NBT's into tiny groups so I have a couple boxes of those still too. I'm hoping I can find some 140g bullets for trigger time as I doubt I will shoot them otherwise.

My own Howa is still in route here. But parts have been arriving awaiting it. Mine will wear a Leupold VX II 2x7x32 Matt finish in Leupold PRW rings and a Steel Burris base. I really like 2x7 scopes for use here in New England. Its usually more power then needed, but astatically perfect to my eye.

Have you found a source for magazines other then Brownells? I have one extra now and that's probably enough, but I generally like to have 5/6 magazines per rifle. So I'll be searching for more little at a time.

Is yours a hunting outfit or just range? Primarily for me, everything has to start out as a hunting outfit. This Howa will be a whitetail gun and occasional Coyote rifle when the yardages get long. Mine is a 22" std gun in Green. I have high expectations reading all these positive reviews. I was a lil concerned reading KLR's post...

http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showthread.php?16465-Howa-Mini-First-Shot-22-quot-Ltwt-Barrel&p=187747#post187747

CW

[rickt300]

I usually only run the steel case in my AR's but I wanted to use some for break in and getting on paper. I am also going to put a 2x7 VXII on this rifle soon. It will be mostly a hunting rifle but I will fool with it enough on the range to find out what it shoots best. In a bolt gun I run brass as I can open the bolt and have it fall in my hand, the AR's not so much. This rifle will be a night time hog rifle mostly with whatever else needs shooting.