howage mini nut questions

[GrumpyGoblin]

Thinking of building one of my howa grendels into a PRS rig for the secondary shooter.

I would like to use a barrel nut system to put a slightly heavier contour barrel on the rifle, but I haven't the clue on the process. I've researched it for the remmys, and you can snag barrel, nut, and wrench all from the same shops. However, tromix sells the howage mini nut, but since they don't sell barrels with it, I'm not sure what I am looking for in the barrel.

I am looking for a standard savage long shank barrel? Is the standard breech diameter of a full size action the same as the howa mini or do they use a slimmer breech diameter and other measurements?

[HokeyPokeyKid]

Here is a site that has everything you need https://preferredbarrelblanks.com/produc...der-m22x1/

[GrumpyGoblin]

Amazing, thank you very much!

[Happy2Shoot]

Can you buy just the Howa mini action is there a beefed up action for accuracy, then buy a Savage type barrel nut, and buy any Savage type barrel in 6.5 Grendel and put it on yourself? How do you "head space" the chamber? What kind of stocks or chassis are there? This seems like a dangerous new hobby waiting to happen...

Just noticed on Brownells, "Bolt face depth .120" Nominal." Is that accurate information?

[Dinny]

You could also talk about it with Larry Racine. He's known for his switch barrels. https://www.lprgunsmith.com/switch-barrel-system/

Thanks, Dinny

[grayfox]

I have not seen any howa mini actions on sale by themselves.
Also the howa has metric thread pitches so "Savage" barrels/nuts per se won't work in them.
Bolt face depth for the AR is supposed to be 0.136 ("type 2") there are some at 0.125 (the old 7.62x39-style bolts). I guess for a bolt action it is not as critical as long as head-spaced correctly for that action; but don't remember the face depth of my howa (since been sold).
Head spacing the chamber involves using go and no-go gauges with the action and bolt, and adjusting the barrel in/out until correct depth, then tighten down the remage nut to ft-lbs specified. Always double and triple check that head space at all stages, and at the end after torqueing down the nut.

[Laman]

There are several good videos on youtube on installing pre-fit barrels. Preferred barrels does the Howa pre-fit with nut and also has a video on their installation.

[ramslamer]

I ordered a pre fit for a howa mini on 4-29-2020. Then I called them two weeks ago to see what up. Guy went in back and checked, it will be two weeks. I emailed last night, they say Another two weeks ! Do they know what a calendar looks like. I ordered it for a hi-power silhouette build, guess Im lucky nationals were canceled.

[thewilbur]

Last year, I bought a Howa mini-action rifle, with the 20" heavy barrel, in 6.5 Grendel. I have noticed a few things about it. First: I needed almost a hundred rounds, cleaning frequently, to break in the hammer-forged rifling. Second: my factory rounds are running slower than the published velocity. Hornady 123 grain Black is advertised with a muzzle velocity of 2,580 fps. My chronograph showed: 2,455 average, SD: 17. Hornady 123 grain SST is also advertised with a muzzle velocity of 2,588. But I get 2,479 fps average, SD:9.5. The accuracy was poor when I shot these because I used them for break-in. They ran 2 MOA. After shooting about 80 cheap handloads, the rifle shot much better. So far, these are the four most successful handloads, each delivering 0.5 to 0.6 MOA at 100 yards: 123 grain Lapua Scenar and 27.1 grains of Hodgdon Benchmark for 2,470 fps mv. 123 Lapua Scenar (and Hornady ELD) with 29.0 grains of Power Pro Varmint for 2,490 fps (varies with temperature, slower when cold). 123 grain Lapua Scenar and Hornady ELD with 28.2 grains of compressed Hodgdon Varget for 2,420 fps, and 130 grain Nosler Accubond with 29.0 grains of Power Pro Varmint for an unconfirmed 2,420 fps. I will continue testing once I receive my new chronograph (last one fell over in the wind and broke).