Another Lightweight Howa Mini in 6.5 Grendel
Posted: 27 Mar 2020 20:42
I bought a Howa barreled action from Brownells with the 20" lightweight barrel. I figured that I would test it against the 22" one I already had and keep the best of the two. I slimmed down the factory plastic stock on the 22" but wanted something in wood and I wanted to see if I could get the bare rifle down to 5 lbs.
I'm too cheap to buy a stock and love to build stuff so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'd never built a stock before but firmly believe that old proverb, "What one fool can do, another can."
When my boys were babies they had a crib with solid plywood headboards. I thought it was some nice wood and have been saving it ever since (over 30 years.) I did trim off the edges where my boys gnawed on them.
I laminated three pieces together, traced around the oem Howa stock, and clamped the stock blank in my mini mill. Then I tried my best to replicate the oem stock channel. It was slow going, but I quit when I got tired and didn't make too many mistakes.
I turned some aluminum pillars on my lathe and then cut out the channel for the bottom plastic. I installed the pillars and bedded the action with epoxy.
I met my 5 pound goal with the bare rifle, but I'm 0.56 of an ounce over with the scope bases installed and the 4 round mag inserted. I trimmed down the magazine so that it doesn't stick out so far. It's now comfortable to carry.
Of course, with sling, ammo, and scope I'll be adding another pound.
I sure like how wood feels compared to the plastic stock. The wood is plywood composed of alternating layers of poplar and rock hard maple. Finish is an oak stain followed by several coats of Tru-Oil.
I've taken several deer with the 6.5 Grendel. It's the real deal. The rifle is light, accurate, recoil is minimal, uses 28gr of powder, and puts them down quickly.
I'm too cheap to buy a stock and love to build stuff so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'd never built a stock before but firmly believe that old proverb, "What one fool can do, another can."
When my boys were babies they had a crib with solid plywood headboards. I thought it was some nice wood and have been saving it ever since (over 30 years.) I did trim off the edges where my boys gnawed on them.
I laminated three pieces together, traced around the oem Howa stock, and clamped the stock blank in my mini mill. Then I tried my best to replicate the oem stock channel. It was slow going, but I quit when I got tired and didn't make too many mistakes.
I turned some aluminum pillars on my lathe and then cut out the channel for the bottom plastic. I installed the pillars and bedded the action with epoxy.
I met my 5 pound goal with the bare rifle, but I'm 0.56 of an ounce over with the scope bases installed and the 4 round mag inserted. I trimmed down the magazine so that it doesn't stick out so far. It's now comfortable to carry.
Of course, with sling, ammo, and scope I'll be adding another pound.
I sure like how wood feels compared to the plastic stock. The wood is plywood composed of alternating layers of poplar and rock hard maple. Finish is an oak stain followed by several coats of Tru-Oil.
I've taken several deer with the 6.5 Grendel. It's the real deal. The rifle is light, accurate, recoil is minimal, uses 28gr of powder, and puts them down quickly.