10-10-2018, 04:42 AM
I've been working/playing with Howa Mini actions; have re-barreled one 6.5 G for the 6RAT (original version, not the FATRAT) with a Bartlein 5R light palma finished at 24", pillar bedded into a McM Game Scout stock w/DIP DBM, EGW 20 MOA rail, HACT trigger with the spring cut mod, topped by an Athlon Ares 4.5-27x50 mil scope in TPS TSR rings, with the bbl'd action CeraKoted in Magpul FDE. Followed that by re-barreling a 222 Rem bbl'd action with another Bartlein - this one a 20 cal 1-9tw #2 sporter at 24", chambered in 20 Tactical. This one went into a Boyds ProVarmint, also with DIP DBM, EGW 20 MOA rail, spring cut trigger mod, and an old Nikon 30mm 4-16x50 sfp tactical in TSR rings. Both these rifles shoot very well, and since I left the stock pillars a little long with the extra length protruding out the bottom of the DBM inlet, was able to tune the exact length needed to get smooth & reliable feeding. I like them both very much; only wish I had more time to devote to shooting them.
Have two more Mini bbl'd actions - both with 6.5 G boltface, and considered doing one in 20 Grendel, mostly because I have another 20 cal Bartlein 1-9tw blank in #3 sporter contour. But because I'm very pleased with the 20 Tactical Mini, I've lost interest in the 20 Grendel, and have been thinking about having a reamer ground for a 22 RAT instead. Because I've gotten some gratifying accuracy results with Berger 55 LRHPs out of the 20 Tac & Berger 90 BTHPs out of the 6RAT at 600yds, i'm a believer in the accuracy potential of these little actions, and therefore leaned towards using a 1-7tw bbl to allow the use of 88 & 90gr bullets out of a 22RAT. Contrary to what I'd always believed while shooting JLK 90VLDs out of AR15 service rifles at 600-1000yds, a 1-7tw bbl does a very credible job of stabilizing the 90s - myself & a couple of friends who were shooting the 90s back in 1999-2004 had always used 1-6.5tw bbls. But honestly, even out here in western Kansas where we have a lot of wide open spaces for shooting at distance, I've got plenty of rifles better suited to that purpose, chambered for good LR cartridges from 6 Dasher to 284 Win & 280AI. So, I probably ought not use anything faster than a 1-8tw bbl, so I can load lighter varmint weight bullets when appropriate, yet still be able to handle the occasional 80gr bullet when wanting to shoot 600+yds. So, I'm very interested in reading more about the 22 Grendel....
Have two more Mini bbl'd actions - both with 6.5 G boltface, and considered doing one in 20 Grendel, mostly because I have another 20 cal Bartlein 1-9tw blank in #3 sporter contour. But because I'm very pleased with the 20 Tactical Mini, I've lost interest in the 20 Grendel, and have been thinking about having a reamer ground for a 22 RAT instead. Because I've gotten some gratifying accuracy results with Berger 55 LRHPs out of the 20 Tac & Berger 90 BTHPs out of the 6RAT at 600yds, i'm a believer in the accuracy potential of these little actions, and therefore leaned towards using a 1-7tw bbl to allow the use of 88 & 90gr bullets out of a 22RAT. Contrary to what I'd always believed while shooting JLK 90VLDs out of AR15 service rifles at 600-1000yds, a 1-7tw bbl does a very credible job of stabilizing the 90s - myself & a couple of friends who were shooting the 90s back in 1999-2004 had always used 1-6.5tw bbls. But honestly, even out here in western Kansas where we have a lot of wide open spaces for shooting at distance, I've got plenty of rifles better suited to that purpose, chambered for good LR cartridges from 6 Dasher to 284 Win & 280AI. So, I probably ought not use anything faster than a 1-8tw bbl, so I can load lighter varmint weight bullets when appropriate, yet still be able to handle the occasional 80gr bullet when wanting to shoot 600+yds. So, I'm very interested in reading more about the 22 Grendel....