Bolt face change?

[Pickle Rick]

I have a Howa in 308 that needs to be rebarreled. I want to go with 22 arc or 6 arc. How difficult is it to change the bolt face? I know I could go with the 22 or 6 creed, but I already have 3 creedmoors and looking for something with less powder charge for plinking.

 

[Pickle Rick]

NVM this looks like a PITA

 

[LRRPF52]

Howa makes Mini Action with the Grendel bolt already. If you keep it Grendel, you can spit a 100-110gr faster than a 6mm and match the ballistics downrange anyway. Also gives you 124 factory loaded ammunition options out there.

The Howa Minis are almost like a rimfire in size/weight, very fun and easy to carry around.

 

[LRRPF52]

 

[sroc112]

How are the heavy howa barreled actions from Brownells? Been looking at one in 308 with a bell & calson stock.

 

[stello1001]

I'm not sure it's doable. At least not in a fashion that makes sense. Anything is doable if you throw loads of money at it.

The best option would probably be to buy a mini action and put whatever barrel you want on it.

 

[Modoc]

I’d leave your current 1500 action as a 308 based cartridge and get a Mini in either ARC or Grendel and put it in the Stock/Chassis of choice.

I have two Mini’s and a 22-250 Short Action, and seem to grab the Mini for knockabout and plinking over the SA. All three are very accurate for a less expensive rifle.

All three have sporter barrels, not heavy barrels.

 

[stello1001]

I’d leave your current 1500 action as a 308 based cartridge and get a Mini in either ARC or Grendel and put it in the Stock/Chassis of choice.

I have two Mini’s and a 22-250 Short Action, and seem to grab the Mini for knockabout and plinking over the SA. All three are very accurate for a less expensive rifle.

All three have sporter barrels, not heavy barrels.

I have minis in the heavy barrel configuration and they are not heavy at all. Unless you're going for a max lightness build, I'd opt for the heavy barrel.

 

[Pickle Rick]

Howa makes Mini Action with the Grendel bolt already. If you keep it Grendel, you can spit a 100-110gr faster than a 6mm and match the ballistics downrange anyway. Also gives you 124 factory loaded ammunition options out there.

The Howa Minis are almost like a rimfire in size/weight, very fun and easy to carry around.

My Howa is in 308.

 

[Modoc]

I have minis in the heavy barrel configuration and they are not heavy at all. Unless you're going for a max lightness build, I'd opt for the heavy barrel.

That was the goal for both rifles. With CF stocks, they just bump 6lbs.

 

[Pickle Rick]

How are the heavy howa barreled actions from Brownells? Been looking at one in 308 with a bell & calson stock.

I have a 20” 308 in a varminter 308. It’s my least accurate “match” gun. It’s been 1MOA at best BUT I believe I got a lemon

 

[Pickle Rick]

How are the heavy howa barreled actions from Brownells? Been looking at one in 308 with a bell & calson stock.

I eventually put a chassis on mine, so I have a B&C laying around I wouldn’t mind selling. It is bedded though.

 

[Slides]

It's not the end of the world to have a bolt face bushed if you want to keep your action, note if going to small primers with a howa you probably want the boltface laser welded, redrilled and firing pin ground anyway for reliability in avoiding blanked primers. Have a look at T-Bone Shipwrighting on Facebook if you have it or his website. He puts up a lot of detailed posts on modifying bolts, actions, barrels/stocks and can cut Lothar Walter barrels to match standards unlike many "gunsmiths". You should be able to find someone near you who does similar.

Edit: I had my bolt face/firing pin modified to run 6BR. Probably a lot more brass options in BR based cartridges.

T-bone Shipwrighting – Specialising in Firearm Services and Importation

https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063717966416&__n=K

 

[Yondering]

IMO, you're better off sticking with the .473" bolt face in a bolt action, and can still accomplish what you want. 6 BR, 6 Dasher, even 6 GT are all much smaller than the Creed (or 22 versions of each), and only just slightly bigger than the PPC/ARC/Grendel cases.

A big advantage though is the .473" case head brass is all a LOT stronger than PPC/ARC/Grendel brass, and you can easily load to similar speeds with similar powder charges without pushing the pressure as much (particularly in the smaller cases like 6 BR, etc, lots to choose from here) and brass life will be a lot longer.

The ARC and Grendel make a lot of sense in an AR, where a .473" bolt face is a limitation (at least without reducing pressures a LOT), but don't have as much of an advantage in a bolt action. Unless you're already starting with a mini action, switching to one of these chamberings is a lot of work just to spend more on brass for lower performance and shorter case life. I do shoot both 6mm and 6.5mm flavorings of the Grendel/ARC cases in my ARs, so this isn't one of those "you should make the same choice I did" kind of recommendation; they're good rounds, but have a niche where they make the most sense and that's not in a standard short action bolt gun.