Howa Mini Build

[ColtSAA.45]

So I’ve gotten my heart set on building up a Howa mini. I’m pretty set on building it up with the following setup:

-Howa mini 20” barrel in 223 or 6mm arc
-JTAC industries elf owl chassis
-arca mlok bottom rail
-LPVO scope (like 1-6 or 1-8) in qd mount
-thermal atn lt scope with qd mount
-TBAC ultra 7 suppressor

So what I’m trying to build is a lightweight pack rifle that can be taken on trips easily and have day/night hunting capability. I’m undecided on caliber. A 223 would be great for ammo price/availability but is mostly limited to small game. A 6mm arc is good for small game and possibly up to deer size but ammo availability and longevity of the caliber is questionable. I already have a 6.5 Grendel but in some states that I hunt coyotes you are limited to 6mm or smaller. As such 6.5 is off the table.

I’d like to build up a kit of sort where I can easily swap the day scope for a thermal to night hunt with. I have used larue qd mounts in the past and have been satisfied with them. I know some testing has show that they have poi shift so I’m curious what a good alternative is?

The primary purpose of the rifle is as a lightweight predator hunting rifle off a tripod. I may be tempted to deer hunt with it too at some point. It will also be used for shooting steel of course. As I may be forced to move to a ban state at some point, I want a bolt action that can replace the jobs that my AR’s normally perform. What do you guys think of this list?

 

[sparky702]

I have a howa mini-action 223 and enjoy it very much . Mine shoot's very well and 77 grain match kings excellent . I have a 20 moa scope rail on mine and I believe the company is called outer limit's . I thought about getting a different stock for mine but it really isn't that bad so I am just letting that hang out there for now maybe later . Bite the bullet and order you some extra mags from legacy sport's I know 36.00 sounds high for mags but I paid the same price for bergara 22lr magazine's . It is what it is . I killed a deer this year with my howa 100 yds no problem dropped where he stood . enjoy because I the end nobody is funding your rifle but you so build what you want .

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

What state has a maximum caliber for shooting coyotes? I didn't know that was a thing anywhere in the free world. I've heard of minimums, and I think South Dakota has a maximum caliber at night only, (which I think is like .277?). Michigan has a night time only limit of 6.5 maybe?

 

[sparky702]

What state has a maximum caliber for shooting coyotes? I didn't know that was a thing anywhere in the free world. I've heard of minimums, and I think South Dakota has a maximum caliber at night only, (which I think is like .277?). Michigan has a night time only limit of 6.5 maybe?

I thought I saw a guy the other day saying they were limited at night to 243 or something of that nature in Kentucky .

 

[Hecouldgoalltheway]

Can you imagine the possum cop that writes you a ticket for shooting coyotes with a 6.5 grendel? That dude wore a "kick me" sign on his back all throughout high school, and was left inside lockers against his will.

 

[ColtSAA.45]

Not the “free world” but my parents own a farm in NJ (I know what everyone thinks). I go back a few times a year and do a lot of hunting there. The farm borders about 65,000 acres of public hunting land. We just built a 650 yard range on it this summer. The law for coyote hunting is no larger than 6mm or heavier than 80 grains.

I ended up picking the 223 20” barreled action from brownells. I figure I’d shoot a lot more with a 223 and it’ll be nice to train with a round thats not quite as flat as a 6mm ARC. I have plenty of other rifles for deer hunting anyways.