Howa Mini

[johno1]

Sort of Peter Paul & Mary, you can be Mary being ex navy
Johno

[trevort]

Camel I would like to visit you again but can you get this repressed navy crap out of your system first please

[GregT]

I went to the LGS this morning to cash in a credit I had and ended up with one of these in 222. To be honest I didn't even know they made them in 222 but it was all he had there and I really only wanted it for the action. I might give it a shoot though before it comes apart.

[Tony Z]

Camel early on in this thread you can see my post of the groups shot from my mini stainless sporter in 223. It will shoot just under the inch at 200 yards and 2 inches at 300 yards using the 50 BTs and 2206H. Factory Sako 55 grainers hold under 2 inches at 200 yards which i shot for the first time yesterday after purchasing the ammo simply because the UP Sako cases were dearer to buy.
The rifle still wears the 2x7 Leup making the whole package less than 7 lbs. I have no idea why one would wish to increase that weight unless you look to have a purpose built varmint rifle.

The trigger is ordinary from the box but can be made into something quite useful. The stock is actually very good as is. The only issue i have is that the action loading is so quiet and flawless i am constantly checking to see if a cartridge has actually chambered.

I have just ordered the HB 204 stainless that i will convert to 20/222 simply because i hate short necked cases and have thousands of 222 cases laying about.

[Camel]

Might look good on the range, but of very little practical use.

How practical it is is determined by what you want to use it for, and that's where everyone is different. If you want a spot to bolt night vision, torches, etc and don't want to have to stuff around with stock flex or bedding then it is practical. If you want it just to look different then it isnt practical, its a form of customization.

Yeah, you are right Scott, I guess it depends on what the owner wants to achieve.

I went to the LGS this morning to cash in a credit I had and ended up with one of these in 222. To be honest I didn't even know they made them in 222 but it was all he had there and I really only wanted it for the action. I might give it a shoot though before it comes apart.

Greg, is there some trade secret on how to get a credit at a LGS ? Every time I go to one, I end up coming out the door with a Debit against my name, you must have some pretty good self control.

What are you planning on making on the action ?

Camel early on in this thread you can see my post of the groups shot from my mini stainless sporter in 223. It will shoot just under the inch at 200 yards and 2 inches at 300 yards using the 50 BTs and 2206H. Factory Sako 55 grainers hold under 2 inches at 200 yards which i shot for the first time yesterday after purchasing the ammo simply because the UP Sako cases were dearer to buy.
The rifle still wears the 2x7 Leup making the whole package less than 7 lbs. I have no idea why one would wish to increase that weight unless you look to have a purpose built varmint rifle.

The trigger is ordinary from the box but can be made into something quite useful. The stock is actually very good as is. The only issue i have is that the action loading is so quiet and flawless i am constantly checking to see if a cartridge has actually chambered.

I have just ordered the HB 204 stainless that i will convert to 20/222 simply because i hate short necked cases and have thousands of 222 cases laying about.

Yeah Tony, I read that and was quite impressed, I guess with a bit more scope, you may have had better results.

Factory triggers are pretty ordinary on just about every factory rifle these days, lawyers seem to cause more problems that they solve sometimes.

I still cant get passed the plastic magazine housing and magazine though, even though as you say they feed nicely.

You are going to use the factory 204 barrel in your conversion ?

My 20/222 is still my favourite rifle for night shooting. It got another run last night actually. I cant remember how may shots down the tube now, but going by the empty projectile boxes, its getting on towards 2000, its still good enough to drop a projectile between the eyes of a fox or cat at 200 plus metres. I am still using the same seating depth as when I cooked up the first batch of ammo, although I have upped the powder charge and am now using 22gn 2207 behind the 32 gn bullets.

[Tony Z]

Camel Jack S told me you had a 20/222. I have the 17/222, 222 and soon will have the 20/222 on the original factory barrel. Later this year i will do the 30/222 on a mini as well.
The Howa mini changed my view on these types of magazines. They need to be tried to be appreciated. On bigger cases than say 7.62x39 i think they could be problematic and metal is probably required. Having said that my T3s are flawless so i guess it depends on who or how it's made.
I know this may ruffle a few feathers but i sold my Sako 75 223 in preference to the mini. The 75 was stainless varmint in MacMillan carbon wrap stock etc. But it fed like crap and if you had large dials or a low mounted scope the cases did not eject reliably. Actually my view on Sakos per se is rather poor. From a machinists viewpoint it is way over priced for a two dollar invesment cast action over a billet machined T3. The action itself is over engineered with the 85 version even worse. The actual contact area of the locking lugs is tiny for what it is or could have been. The costing of Sakos and T3s should be reversed. Luckily it isn't.

[GregT]

Camel, I do some machining and cerakoting for the LGS so it came off the bill. He only had a couple of 222's there and I had some PTA's in the car so it just worked out.

I actually wouldn't mind doing a 6 x 45 or maybe a 6PPC on it. I might just use it for a bit, it's a real toy to hang on to with the sporter barrel and I've never had a 222 before so I might give it a go.

[Camel]

Tony, looks like its going to get crowded in the 20/222 stakes around here, I have another 20 cal barrel on the way that I was going to get chambered and put away for a rainy day, when and if mine gave up the ghost, dunno what Ill do now, 20/222 AI Just to be different.

I also sold a Sako 75 thought mine was a S/S laminated sporter, I liked it, it shot well, and I didn't have any problems with ejection, but I had only put about 50 shots through it when I flogged it off, I too couldn't see the value in it, a 2000 dollar rifle and the shooting I was doing at the time, didn't justify the cost and chance of damage to it. Big come down some might say, but I sold it and got a 200 dollar second hand Zastava Mini Mauser and that's what I made my 20/222 out of, I don't cry when it gets bumped around in the ute now.

Any way, if or when Howa offer them with a floor plate and metal trigger guard assembly I may just get one and put my new barrel on, but I flatly refuse, and this may seem narrow minded to some, to have plastic and detachable magazines on my rifles, have said before I would love to have a flush fitting internal magazine on my 22 CZs, but that wont happen.

I have a 17/222 as well on a Zastava action and one in 22PPC as well, a fourth may just be on the cards down the track, am thinking 25 Myra shooting 70 and 75gn projectiles. Love the little 222 case and I think I still have three hundred new Lapua brass for forming, so the temptation is definitely there. A 25 cal bush in the neck die, and away I would go.

[Camel]

Camel, I do some machining and cerakoting for the LGS so it came off the bill. He only had a couple of 222's there and I had some PTA's in the car so it just worked out.

I actually wouldn't mind doing a 6 x 45 or maybe a 6PPC on it. I might just use it for a bit, it's a real toy to hang on to with the sporter barrel and I've never had a 222 before so I might give it a go.

Greg, I like that kind of barter system, sounds good way to do things. Great little cartridge the 222, I cant understand my reasoning when I didn't get one and went with a 22PPC, just a bit more different I spose. 6x45s are pretty common mate, go for a 25 Myra.

[Stevil]

Tony Z ya might want to follow up on the availabilty of a SS Howa Mini. I was made aware over a month ago that Stainless were on the back burner at this stage.

[GregT]

Steve I think you're right. It sounds like there will be blued/phosphated or stainless coloured cerakote, apparently no stainless any more.

[Tony Z]

Thanks guys. There is a SS 204 mini HB on the way for me now. Some are still available from what i was told. I know Halls still has some SS 223s so i may grab one for the 30/222 now i know they are going to be scarce.

[Tony Z]

Mates young bloke, my godson, shot the mini 223 over Easter after i put the Burris 2x7 with ballistic plex on it.
318 yards on Peppa to get an idea of drift with five shots. He was holding around five inches right of the dot so ended up getting nearly ten inches drift in the gusts. Then one shot only on Charlie. 50 BTs @3300 fps 27 grains 2206H in Norma cases. 318 yards on life size crow using 7 power and 9yo shooting. Pictures say it all. After this the young bloke blew away water filled milk bottles ranging from 168 to 294 yards. Missed one at 230 but got it next shot. Over a dozen bottles with one miss. Says a lot about the mini and tyb. His dad shot the mini at 310 yards the previous day for a 1.5" group with a primer change to BR4s i tested the week before.

[B4408]

Tony Z, thats impressive in lots of ways.

Bruce

[johno1]

Well done young fella, yep as Tony said.

Will be keen to see the 7.62x39 with a 20" or 22" barrel. Ive got a CZ and love it, great fun and its killed 3 sambar stone dead with one shot. The little x39 is a bit addictive as can be seen by the long running threads on AHN

Johno