01-02-2016, 01:41 AM
BluntForceTrauma Wrote:I hope that means you're planning to use the 6.5 Grendel SAAMI chamber. Other custom chambers might be tuned to this or that bullet for a specific performance node, but the 6.5 Grendel SAAMI chamber was designed to shoot well the very wide variety of 6.5mm bullets at moderate 6.5 Grendel velocities.The locking lugs of a Howa Mini are smaller than a standard Howa. Not only is the action less length, but thinner as well.
And, Drift, I'd guess that the Howa MA shares the same bolt lugs as its bigger brethren. Only the bolt body length is shortened. Thus, it should have at least the same strength as their short actions in the .308-case family. <WINK!> (Eh, Matt, you didn't see that. . . .)
P.S. The maximum average operating pressure for the 6.5 Grendel of about 50,000 psi was specifically set for conservative margins of safety for the bolt-life requirements of a fleet of rack-grade AR15s operating from the extremes of the Siberian arctic to the Middle East. If you have a stronger bolt, the cases can certainly handle more pressure.
As for pushing the Grendel case. I've been running the bolt action Grendel for some time now and my best loads do not exceed published load data for the AR15 based Grendel. I do seem to get more velocity, but I put that down in part to the 21in barrel and the complete absence of a gas system to feed.
If you are looking for 200fps more velocity for a 120gn bullet out of a Howa over your AR15 Grendel I strongly suggest you buy a 260 Remington/6.5x55 Swede. The Howa Mini chambered in Grendel isn't going to do it (and have the cases last more than 3x reloads).