Howa Mini lightest stock

[65Jeffrey]

So the question is whats the lightest stock for a Howa Mini?
Heavy Barrel rifle WILL shoot one hole groups but i cannot abide the rubber eraser Hogue stock! Looking to make a backpack gun out of it......whats the lightest stock on the market currently?

[A5BLASTER]

Buying the lighter weight profile barreled action would have been your best bet to have a light weight howa grendel.

Probably lightest weight your going too find is 2.4 pounds.

[rabiddawg]

Leave it to a5b to point out the obvious

You buy a heavy profile barrel then want to make a “back pack “ gun out of it?

[A5BLASTER]

Leave it to a5b to point out the obvious

You buy a heavy profile barrel then want to make a “back pack “ gun out of it?

Hey bro. Hope all is well.

OP. Please don't think I was trying to be a smart A. It's just kind of how I talk, straight forward.

[flyrod]

So the question is whats the lightest stock for a Howa Mini?

One of the slim boyds is probably the lightest option made for the mini right now. Mcmillan is supposedly making a lightweight mini stock too. There are also plenty of light stocks made for other things that could be adapted. MPI for example. Kimber makes some slim/light stocks so you might be able to find one of those stocks used, that wouldn't be too oversize. I put a mini in a remington 700 stock--it has a gap around the receiver but it's quite functional and way better than the rubber stock it came with.

For me, the barrel is a good place to have weight because I like to shoot a lot. If you want to hike 20 miles and shoot once, then a pencil barrel should work fine.

For a light grendel, you might be better off starting with an already built lightweight rifle and rebarrel it. Barrett Fieldcraft, NULA, Kimber Montana, etc.

[Stinky Coyote]

So the question is whats the lightest stock for a Howa Mini?
Heavy Barrel rifle WILL shoot one hole groups but i cannot abide the rubber eraser Hogue stock! Looking to make a backpack gun out of it......whats the lightest stock on the market currently?

Mdt lss chassis bone stock is 1 lb 13 oz, my machinest took 7 oz of fat out of one of mine down to 1 lb 6 oz. add a smoke composites carbon butt stock at around 5 oz and that’s lighter than any option imo. Talley rings are about 2.5 oz. Leupold scopes for keeping theme light all the way through. Some pistol grips as light as 1.8 oz but typically 2.5-3.5 oz.

Should look for a 20” lightweight barrel though to keep the theme consistent. You could build a 6 1/4 to 6 1/2 lb all up on that barrel following the above theme.

[65Jeffrey]

Thanks Coyote thats costructive.
Yes I know lighter barrel will make lighter rifle....but staying with the heavy barrel that shoots so well im trying to assemble lightest rifle possible.

[Bearcat74]

Sand down the factory stock. That’s what I’m fixing to do, put it on the rasp and sandpaper diet.

[Stinky Coyote]

Thanks Coyote thats costructive.
Yes I know lighter barrel will make lighter rifle....but staying with the heavy barrel that shoots so well im trying to assemble lightest rifle possible.

You can get 3 oz out of action by having smith slab it, flute bolt, hollow bolt handle(1.5 oz from action and 1.5 from bolt). I’ve done this as well on one of my projects. Post when your done. I have Instagram with my Grendels at 6.5 Grendel_pew_pew if you want to see 3 of mine. I’ll build a mountain version off my 20” #1 contour just as I mentioned. I’ll skip the carbon butt stock and just have a custom aluminum one made by my smith with oversized knurled castle nut to take it on/off to stuff in the pack. 30” overall length and likely 6.25 lbs all up when done.

[daved20319]

Just how light do you want/need? I'm putting together a Mini action HB in 6.5 Grendel, barreled action was 4 lb. 3.5 oz. Added a Boyd's Classic stock in Pepper Laminate, it now weighs 6 lb. 12.5 oz. I'm sure the weight could be reduced even more by opening up the barrel channel more, and drilling out the butt under the pad. Haven't put a scope on it yet, but what I have in mind will still have it well under 8 lb. I'll admit, this is going to be primarily a target rifle, but compared to my .223 Savage 26" HB at 13+ lbs., this thing is svelte . Guess it depends on your perspective, my Mini 14 with scope and Choate folding stock comes in at 8 lb. 7 oz. Unless you're going to be packing it for miles, I've never understood the appeal of an ultralight rifle, even in a soft shooter like the .223. Move up to something with some serious recoil, and it makes even less sense to me. Later.

Dave

[Stinky Coyote]

Your mind will change ion lightweight rifle appeal if you ever get sheep fever.😉

[daved20319]

Your mind will change ion lightweight rifle appeal if you ever get sheep fever.��

Then I'm probably safe , I don't currently hunt at all, just the occasional varmint assassination, but if I ever do, it'll be for meat, not trophies, and I live in the mule deer capitol of the Western US, so guess what I'll be targeting? But I did also say "unless you're going to be packing it for miles"...

[65Jeffrey]

for big game hunting I have a Forbes 65Swede thats right at 7lbs scoped and loaded.
If money were no object the Grendels lack of recoil and ability to utilize short barrels if would be fun to try to build a sub-5 rifle. Anyone here remember the Kifaru rifles? ....

[Stinky Coyote]

for big game hunting I have a Forbes 65Swede thats right at 7lbs scoped and loaded.
If money were no object the Grendels lack of recoil and ability to utilize short barrels if would be fun to try to build a sub-5 rifle. Anyone here remember the Kifaru rifles? ....

Nice! Vague on the kifaru. A nula in Grendel would be just under 5 1/2 bare rifle. My main sheep rig is a blaser k95 in .270 win. Naked is 5 lb 7 oz with a 24” barrel and iron sights. Scope mounts are heavy and with a 11.5 oz vx3 2.5-8x36 all up is 6 lb 9 oz. takes down and stuffs in pack, tack driver too and somehow it manages recoil much better than weight would suggest. Imo there’s a point of diminishing returns if you go too light. My first sheep rigs were Tikka T3 lite in 270 with Talley’s and luepy 3-9x33 ultralight at 7 lbs even then built a sako a7 in 270 wsm in Talleys with a leupy mark4 4.5-14x40 that was just at 7 lbs all up too. Both were amazing tack drivers also. This blaser k95 is next level though.

A custom kimber should get a Grendel about as light as you could go? Wish they’d just chamber it and take a chance, but they’ll do the creedmoor long before, if ever, a Grende

I wish I could get some of these nicer rifles in Grendel from factory. The dream being a sako 85, they have the xs action to do it too. Fingers crossed. A finlight or carbon in Grendel would be dreamy...so would the stainless with wood stock. I will wait and hope...until then the blaser stays as my high high end lover. The 3 Grendels I have just mistresses. To blend a ballistic nerds favourite cartridge with favourite rifle is the challenge here. Sako could make me do away with most of my collection.

[jason miller]

I have two of the Howas- one standard 22” in .223, and a heavy 20” in Grendel. I agree that the factory stock leaves a lot to be desired. Decided to take an orbital sander to both stocks back when I first bought the rifles. I got a little more aggressive on the stock for the .223(can’t imagine removing much more), and it’s 6lbs 6ozs with a Leupy 2-7 in low Talleys. Makes me wish I had gotten a 22” standard barrel Grendel instead of the heavy 20”.(especially since it doesn’t shoot any better than my standard contour .223) The larger diameter bore cut through that barrel contour would drop a couple/few more ounces vs. the .223. Could be darn close to 6lbs even.

And if there were a lightweight aftermarket upgrade available(especially with a new mag box setup for either a standard floorplate or, even better, blind magazine) I could see being under 6lbs scoped. Like the Bansner/High-Tech stock that’s already been used on the standard short-action 1500 Alpine Hunter. I’ve been asking about that for years now...

[Stinky Coyote]

Could not agree more about a real stock and bottom metal like the alpine hunter for these Grendels. Such a great cartridge but because it’s small relegates to cheap stuff only...makes no sense to me at all. Boyd’s and MDT are making a killing on this miss from the manufacturer.

[Msalm]

I think you can make one out of walnut that would be as light as anything out there now...hope so anyway. Last weekend I cut out a blank from a lighter piece of black walnut and hopefully will have some time to inlet and shape it into a trim stock for my son's first deer hunt this fall.

[Stinky Coyote]

The stock that came on my cz American is exactly 2.0 lbs. I agree, a slim walnut stock is pretty lightweight.

Sad thing is no bottom metal. The abortion that comes factory with these only looks and feels right with a chassis. So until they come with proper rifle like the regular 1500 the only build to do is a chassis imo.

[Msalm]

The stock that came on my cz American is exactly 2.0 lbs. I agree, a slim walnut stock is pretty lightweight.

Sad thing is no bottom metal. The abortion that comes factory with these only looks and feels right with a chassis. So until they come with proper rifle like the regular 1500 the only build to do is a chassis imo.

Very true, I'm not too tore about on that plastic bottom metal...it works, and for what I paid for the rifles (or bbl'd actions) I think they were a great deal. James Anderson made a mini hinged floorplate unit from old stock he had from mini mauser bottom metal he had made years ago, but I would imagine his prices are higher than what most are willing to pay if he'd even make more. It is possible, but not available. I will just inlet the plastic for now, and if it turns out nice enough pick up the DIP bm. If I get a wild hair and think about machining a hinged floor plate, I'd probably go with aluminum for weight considerations.

[klr]

I'm not too tore about on that plastic bottom metal...it works,

I agree. For my lightweight wood stocked rifle I trimmed the mag to four rounds. It works and feels fine to carry. I used plywood for the stock and was able to get the bare rifle under 5 lbs.