6.5 Grendel Howa project

Been working on this for The last few weeks. A 6.5 Grendel on a Howa mini action. Made it for my 7 & 11 years old boys to go hunting with. Tuned the trigger, cut the bolt shroud in half, reprofiled the rear tang, built the CF stock and a flush 3-shot magazine for it. A couple of minor items to complete- side mounted sling swivels and some sandblasting.
Then I’ll shoot it and see how she goes. Probably should have shot it before I started on all that work!! But I couldn’t get ammo for a month and I had itchy fingers... exactly 5 pounds with the leupold/Talleys. I’ll do a range report when the Wgtn weather improves...
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@FRST mind shaing the flush mag design ect

Cheers:thumbsup:

Nice rig and a great caliber for kids or recoil sensitive shooters. Whats the barrel length and loads you using?.

Just a standard Howa barrel at 20 inches. Cut the original Howa mag flush with the bottom of the stock and epoxied Rem bdl short bottom metal over the top. You have to bottom load the mag. Cut down the mag spring and the follower to accomodate the lack of room. Also did twisty things with spring to keep it and the follower together Llewelyn: Attachment 98453

Will probably install a leaf spring when I find one short enough, but until then this is working ok. Got some Hornady Black ammo to try- 123 gr ELDM’s.

@FRST I talked to the rep from outdoor brands and he said Howa were about to release a new floor plate assembly for the Mini , they had ordered some for NZ around 150 bucks.

Going by the usual way outdoor sports is run the parts will wrong / late / mischarged .

They have good brands but are utterly useless to deal with.

Bypass them and get them from oz?

Same owners I believe .

We are fucked then.

They get the stuff to the shop eventually . Just lacking staff that have much knowledge right now .

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Originally Posted by Clint Ruin

They get the stuff to the shop eventually . Just lacking staff that have much knowledge right now .

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Sounds quite familiar with a few of the Firearm related wholesalers I deal with :XD: :XD::XD:

Very keen to get hold of one if availbile, can you please let me know if you find out any more info - cheers

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Originally Posted by von tempsky fan

@FRST I talked to the rep from outdoor brands and he said Howa were about to release a new floor plate assembly for the Mini , they had ordered some for NZ around 150 bucks.

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Very keen to get hold of one @von tempsky fan if availbile, can you please let me know if you find out any more info - cheers

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Originally Posted by von tempsky fan

@FRST I talked to the rep from outdoor brands and he said Howa were about to release a new floor plate assembly for the Mini , they had ordered some for NZ around 150 bucks.

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Originally Posted by Pete_D

Very keen to get hold of one @von tempsky fan if availbile, can you please let me know if you find out any more info - cheers

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Hi, no worries I will PM you.

Thats really awesome i reckon @FRST

Yeah I will second the comments about Outdoor Sports. I have really struggled with them in the past both for Howa and Ridgeline clothing. The last time round was such a cluster I wrote a surprisingly polite complaint letter but never heard a word back. There was a lady in accounts who was very helpful unlike the numpties in sales who I believe they hire direct from KFC in Glenfield.

Pretty happy with how she’s shooting for 5.2 pounds, unsuppressed, 16 rounds down the tube. Now just need to find something worthy of shooting with my boys.

Attachment 99021

Went for a short wander with my boys this morning and Hunter shot this young billy. Only 100yrds away but the ELDM did it’s job punching through the chest diagonally and leaving a 50mm exit. Billy dropped like the proverbial sack o potato’s.
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Neat little weapon and it obviously works ok.

yeah the boys

Those lads sure look like their Father.

Just wondering @FRST is it 5.2 pounds scoped?

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Originally Posted by Stocky

Just wondering @FRST is it 5.2 pounds scoped?

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Sure is

Very impressive that's lighter than even most short barrelled titanium actions. You stock must be very light.

I’ve often thought the Grendel would make a mint youth rifle.

Very cool man. Very lucky boys.

@FRST very cool project.

Meant to ask, how did you do the bedding job on it? Guessing the action screws did not line up with the floorplate?

Do you still have the rifle?

Considering doing a similar build myself and make it a 6 or 22 Grendel :cool:

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Originally Posted by caberslash

@FRST very cool project.

Meant to ask, how did you do the bedding job on it? Guessing the action screws did not line up with the floorplate?

Do you still have the rifle?

Considering doing a similar build myself and make it a 6 or 22 Grendel :cool:

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The bottom metal became part of the stock at the front. The rear hole lined up with the action. Both ends have alum tube pillars, with the front one I have a heavy duty washer that sits under the pillar to house the nut head. If I had a lathe I’d probably turn up a one piece pillar/ washer unit.

If your going to run a suppressor then just use the plastic bottom metal/mag combo as the balance point is forward of this area. For instance this is my brothers one that I put together: Attachment 154914

Can you get cheap Grendel ammo or make it from used Russian brass?

It would be good for wallaby on a windy day but I hate having to pick up brass and it needs to be cheap.

Ppu $40 a pack is about the cheapest I think you will find

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Can you get cheap Grendel ammo or make it from used Russian brass?

It would be good for wallaby on a windy day but I hate having to pick up brass and it needs to be cheap.

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The old guy I purchased my Grendel from was handloading using 7.62x39 brass.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Can you get cheap Grendel ammo or make it from used Russian brass?

It would be good for wallaby on a windy day but I hate having to pick up brass and it needs to be cheap.

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Ive just run some windage numbers:

6.5 G with 123 eldm at 2550 fps at 300 yards in a 15 mph crosswind. 10.5 inches of wind drift.

6.5G with 90gr TNT at 2800 fps would be 18 inches wind drift

223 with 55gr SGK at 3190 fps same conditions would be 17 inches of wind.

So the same amount of powder in the grendel with the 123gr will def give you a windage advantage over the 55gr 223. But dropping to a 90gr in the Grendel will not.

A 75 gr eldm at just shy of 3k in the 223 would give you 10.3 Inches of drift, without buying a new gun. ;-)

Neck that Grendel down to 6mm (IE 6mm ARC - May come out in the Howa Mini next year) running a 108 eldm at 2850 fps would give you wind drift of 8.4 inches at 300 yards in a 15 mph crosswind. For same amount of powder as 223 roughly.

Just use your 77gr 223 load ;-)

Getting 3 k with a 77 gr 223 is making the thing work. You also get more foot pounds at the muzzle and nearly 50% more at 300 with the grendel than the 223. It's clearly quite an efficient cartridge .

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Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Getting 3 k with a 77 gr 223 is making the thing work. You also get more foot pounds at the muzzle and nearly 50% more at 300 with the grendel than the 223. It's clearly quite an efficient cartridge .

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Yep for sure. How much energy does one need to kill a wobbly at 300 yards thou? I've never even seen one let alone shot one.

I run 75 eldms at 2980 fps from a standard length T3 barrel, with a DPT can. I think Tahr is running 77's at a bit over 2900 from memory.