My daughter's Howa mini

[rookie7]

Good morning,

We are ready for whitetails.

I had to mod this stock for it to fit her. It's a finished LOP of 12.5".

Filled buttstock with JB weld 2 part clear epoxy along with fiberglass cloth. Pachmayr recoil pad I had laying around was added. Used JB weld and lead at the end of the buttstock for a mounting surface. After it all dried I cut about an 1/8" off to give a flat mounting surface for the recoil pad.

Balance point for the rifle is now at the front action screw.

Did the paint with extra I had laying around in the barn. Applied a brown base coat, and the rest with an old toothbrush (didn't have a sponge handy).

Would rather have had black as the base, but didn't have enough of it.

The only thing left to do is to send off the bolt to be threaded for a larger bolt knob - after season. I wish there was someway of modifying the safety lever/button - it is VERY hard for her to manipulate, and for a child's thumb it is uncomfortable.

Shooting 120 grain Sierra Pro-hunters over H4895 and fed 205 primers.

Time to kill something!

howamini2.jpg

[A5BLASTER]

The will probably smooth out after some useage. Mine did, mine is nice and smooth now.

[Bearcat74]

The will probably smooth out after some useage. Mine did, mine is nice and smooth now.

Mine was also rough but smoothed out with use.

[rookie7]

Thanks for the input. I would like to find a way to make the lever bigger or into something like a round button.

Also, the plastic used to make these HTI stocks is very soft. When I first got it I thought it was better than a Ruger factory plastic stock because the sidewalks are thicker on the HTI.
However, I was wrong.

I have modified a Ruger American Ranch rifle factory plastic stock before and that plastic was much stiffer and harder.

[Frontier Gear]

Nice mods and good luck hunting. I gave up on my factory stock and went with a laminated Boyd’s At-One. I agree with you about the safety. It could easily be improved.

[Stevil]

Looks greats rookie7, Howa and Tikka do a pretty good rubber knob for the bolt and I now run them on both of my Grendels, quick to grip and less leverage also to lift the bolt.

[rookie7]

Thanks for all the comments. We took it hunting this past weekend - saw 4 - 2 bucks and 2 does.

I had to impress upon her restraint. She wanted to shoot one of the small bucks, and I am trying to teach her patience.

I'll upload another pic of the rifle in it's native environment.

[rabiddawg]

Let the child shoot!

[rookie7]

Let the child shoot!

I hear ya! and I don't disagree at all, but it was our first time out. She has been hunting since 9, and each year she has killed a buck. Last year she killed a very nice 9 point buck where we sat this past Sunday morning.

We are fortunate to hunt the farm where I grew up, so we have time.

[A5BLASTER]

Let the child shoot!

Agreed. Let the yougins kill the meat animals. Daddy can be the horn hunter.

[rabiddawg]

I hear ya! and I don't disagree at all, but it was our first time out. She has been hunting since 9, and each year she has killed a buck. Last year she killed a very nice 9 point buck where we sat this past Sunday morning.

We are fortunate to hunt the farm where I grew up, so we have time.

Ok, I assumed it was her first outing.

In this case you were right to hold up a bit.