Bedding a howa mini

[yorke-1]

Looks good!

A few years ago I had a CZ 527 rebarreled to 6.5 Grendel because I thought it would be the perfect little rifle for my kids. After buying a donor rifle in 7.62x39, the barrel and smith work I was into it about $1000. Of course, 9 months later Howa announced their mini action, CZ announced a factory 527 for the Grendel, and then Ruger came out with their little American chambered for the 6.5 Grendel. I love that little CZ 527, but I would have been all over one of these Howas if they'd been out at the time!

 

[snox801]

So far it seems like a great little rifle.

 

[smcdurmon]

Yeah, I bet it would be a little sparkly for hunting. I'm sure your Mini feels like a Toy at 5.3lbs. I know mine at a smidge over 6.5lbs Scoped does.

I've killed a few Whitetails with a Mini 6.5 Grendel. They are Fun little rifles to shoot and hunt with.

 

[snox801]

Good to know my brother has taken lots of pigs a mouflon, and red sheep with his. So I figured it would work for deer.
It is very light. It's fun cause my full carbon and ti creed weighes just over a pound more scoped but feels lighter in hand. It's the mind trick it looks like it should be heavy but it's not. This one will be perfect for long walks in 3' of snow in Michigan.
What Bullet are you using? I just got some factory Berger 130's last night to try before finishing up the loads for hammers.

 

[smcdurmon]

Yeah, it should make for a nice light carrying rifle.

I've killed 2 with 90gr TNT, 2 with 123gr A-max and 2 with 123gr ELD Match. All worked well and all but 1 dropped on the spot, but he didn't make it more than 30yds. Longest shot so far was 232yds and most were around the 100yd range.

I've heard mixed results with the 130gr Bergers at Grendel speeds. I was going to try them, but decided not to after reading how some didn't expand at lower velocity. I'm leaning towards the 129gr Accubond LR since they are said to expand at below 1,400fps.

There is another company (Maker Bullets) that make bullets similar to Hammers here in Georgia. I've seen a couple of test with them and they look like a viable choice also. I thought about getting some Tipped 85gr or 95gr to try. They also expand reliably at lower Grendel velocities.
https://makerbullets.com/products.php?cat=3&scri=133

 

[ntsqd]

Snox801,
by usual description your under chamber bedding may be a bit short. Then again I would guess that this sort of thing is scaleable and given the tiny size of these actions it may be OK. From all that I've read on the topic normal is to bed the barrel for the length of the chamber or up to where the taper starts.

My LW in 7.62x39 is at 6.2 lbs scoped (2-7 LW in Talley mnts.) in a hollowed-out Boyd's laminate, no sling or swivels, and given the cost of getting down lighter I think that's about where it's going to stay. ~$800 for a ~10 oz. stock just isn't in the budget.
Pillar bedding is the next stock action. I do have a Woodruff key slot cutter coming, so I may be able to take more out of the forearm with undercuts, but the most I could hope for would be to get it to 6.0 lbs even. Intended use is in CA's A Zone aka "the hiking steep hills with a rifle" zone.

 

[snox801]

Yes usually it should go farther but it was late at night and I only had one pack of jb. So I wanted to be safe and make sure I got it.
It's very windy here today and it shot very well at 300 yards for the wind we have.

 

[snox801]

Yeah, it should make for a nice light carrying rifle.

I've killed 2 with 90gr TNT, 2 with 123gr A-max and 2 with 123gr ELD Match. All worked well and all but 1 dropped on the spot, but he didn't make it more than 30yds. Longest shot so far was 232yds and most were around the 100yd range.

I've heard mixed results with the 130gr Bergers at Grendel speeds. I was going to try them, but decided not to after reading how some didn't expand at lower velocity. I'm leaning towards the 129gr Accubond LR since they are said to expand at below 1,400fps.

There is another company (Maker Bullets) that make bullets similar to Hammers here in Georgia. I've seen a couple of test with them and they look like a viable choice also. I thought about getting some Tipped 85gr or 95gr to try. They also expand reliably at lower Grendel velocities.
https://makerbullets.com/products.php?cat=3&scri=133

I do not plan on hunting with Berger based on things I've heard and seen. I bought them just to bang steel for the weekend.
I will be shooting the hammer 99 after this as I think that's the best weight for this round. Plus hammers open up at pretty low speeds so it should be a great gun and maybe even stretch it out a bit more if it's a good shooter.
To windy to make sure today. I was getting lots of drift and it's gusty so getting a realistic group was not gonna happen.

 

[ntsqd]

Ha!! I get that, realizing not having enough material after the projects started with no option (for whatever reason{s}) to get more. Never, EVER happens to me, nut-uh! LOL

I'm guessing about 4" CtC between the two furthest apart, so roughly 1.3 MOA? I'd be pretty happy with that! Need to get mine bedded so I can see what it will do.

 

[snox801]

I should measure it. I was very happy and sure it will do well under moa if it wasn't so windy and I did my part.
Being such a thin barrel the heat may have also been a factor. I will definitely get a set of cold bore shots off next week some time.

 

[smcdurmon]

snox
I got ya on the Bergers. Yeah, those Hammer Bullets should do well on game.

Nice 300yd group in the wind with the Grendel. Looks like it would have been a Dead Deer to me.

 

[NO1080]

 

[NO1080]

Bedding came out ok,
The stock came in at 23 ounces

 

[snox801]

That looks very nice.