Howa Mini Pencil Accuracy

[Lavender Energetic Whale]

Hello,

I bought a Howa Mini 6mm Arc barreled action with the 22" Pencil Barrel as lightweight backup rifle for small game. The stock for it i made my own of top walnut wood. Aluminium Pillars and epoxy Bedding...there is absolutely no play and no barrel contact. Allready made 110 shots from 66gr Barts with N133 up to 90gr Eldx (29.4 gr N540 @ 2950 fps no overpressure signs) but the best i can do is 2 Moa. 3 shot strings and also cooled down after every shot. Glued Talley Rings- 2 different scopes.

Did i got a melon? I was looking forward to chop down the barrel to 20" and M14 thread for my suppressor.

 

[jbuck88]

How did it shoot in the factory stock? Seems like the stock could be the wildcard. Have you tried bedding the action? Or I've heard some pencil barrels like slight upward pressure from the tip of the fore end to get them to group. Ive never seen one first had that made a difference though.

Also how much load development have you done? I don't have a tonnof experience with the mini and only in Grendal. My 10yo at the time did 100% of the load development and shooting with me over his shoulder. He has no problem holding 1moa or less.

 

[hewlett260]

Having had several Howa rifles, I have to ask, how committed are you to the factory barrel? My experience with Howa factory barrels haven't been great. A 308 that would shoot great at 100 yards but went to shit for grouping at anything past that, and a 6.5 Grendel that barely held 1 MOA with anything.

On that 308 I sent several thousand rounds downrange and it only got worse over time.

I would try some different powders, specifically Varget and BLC-2. If either of those don't tighten things up, I would pull that barrel and put a Bartlien Brux or Krieger on.

 

[bohem]

Having had several Howa rifles, I have to ask, how committed are you to the factory barrel? My experience with Howa factory barrels haven't been great. A 308 that would shoot great at 100 yards but went to shit for grouping at anything past that, and a 6.5 Grendel that barely held 1 MOA with anything.

On that 308 I sent several thousand rounds downrange and it only got worse over time.

I would try some different powders, specifically Varget and BLC-2. If either of those don't tighten things up, I would pull that barrel and put a Bartlien Brux or Krieger on.

We just rebarreled a mini for a guy after he spent a lot of dollars in ammo trying to get better than fist sized groups. Now it's shooting dimes.

 

[hewlett260]

We just rebarreled a mini for a guy after he spent a lot of dollars in ammo trying to get better than fist sized groups. Now it's shooting dimes.

Both of mine were rebarreled and both are constantly sub 1/2" rifles. The Howa action is great and the price on them is right for building on a budget.

 

[Wannashootit]

How did it shoot in the factory stock? Seems like the stock could be the wildcard.

Agree, I'd check accuracy in the factory stock. No clue if you're an expert or novice at pillar bedding- any errors there and it'll stress the action and affect accuracy. Based on the other comments, if that ain't the problem seems likely it's the tube.

 

[stello1001]

We just rebarreled a mini for a guy after he spent a lot of dollars in ammo trying to get better than fist sized groups. Now it's shooting dimes.

What's a rebarrel on one of these running more less?

 

[Lavender Energetic Whale]

Since it was a barreled action i have no original Stock, but the one i made is flawless.
My first rifle was a howa hb in 308 and it was a tack driver.
Yesterday i tried again 3 shots but let it realy cool down for several minutes under the blower, now it shoots sub moa.
Didnt believe that altough it was "cool" it was not cool enough. These pencil barrels are really finnicky
Since i am from Austria where everything is as expensive as fuck a rebarreling is not economic. As next main hunting rifle i am already building a .338 Federal with bergara carbon stock, zermatt origin, atzl barrel and flavio fare trigger...this will get around 3k here...

 

[Lavender Energetic Whale]

 

[bohem]

What's a rebarrel on one of these running more less?

With pulling the barrel, muzzle threads, the blank and the gunsmithing as well as fluting and cerakote he was in about $1100. However if you didn't paint it and skipping the fluting it would have been more like $800 with shipping.