Howa mini 6mm ARC available now!

[MTMAN]

I received my new Howa Mini 1500 in 6mm arc yesterday. They are officially available.
Haven't done anything but sight it in at 25 yds. Hope to load up some 85 Gr. Speer boatails and try them out next week.

[CZ527 Guy]

Look forward to hearing more! What model & barrel length did you go with?

Congratulations!

[MTMAN]

Look forward to hearing more! What model & barrel length did you go with?

Congratulations!

M1500 Mini 20" barrel Fagen stock Green. Brrel seems to be medium to heavy. Wanted a CZ 527 but weren't available. Have 2 1 in 223, the other in 7.62x39

[CZ527 Guy]

Howa is more cost effective IMHO. Though your 7.62 x 39 is relativly straight forward switch should you so desire.

[MTMAN]

Howa is more cost effective IMHO. Though your 7.62 x 39 is relativly straight forward switch should you so desire.

Thought about it, but the cost of a new barrel was more than the Howa. I believe the CZ 527 will become a collectors item in time - besides ammo is cheaper and more readily available in 7.62X39.

[MTMAN]

Checked speed on the 85 gr. Speer BT, 2954 fps in my 20" barrel using LVR at 32 grains which is .3 grain under Hornady max. I'll settle for that. Weather was bad, cold and very windy 25 mph, so no real accuracy test yet, although very promising. Speed on 108 gr Hornady factory was low 2600 fps - not great but will work up some loads with 105 Amax I have. Hope to get those over 2700 fps. I've used those 85 gr Speers on Antelope in a .243 Win. and they worked very well. Those were moving about 3200 fps and the Antelope went down immediately. I'm looking for a load that works on deer and antelope to about 400 yards and shoots flat enough for coyotes to 600 yds. Probably carry 95 or 100 grain particians for backup.

[alwie]

waiting eagerly for more data on your Howa 1500

[MTMAN]

waiting eagerly for more data on your Howa 1500

Weather still an issue here, so no group testing. I did manage to shoot some steel targets from 350 yds to 550 yards. Wind was moving  between 8 & 10 mph, but all bullets hit their targets. The 550 yard is a life size coyote and was 3 for 3 with the 85 gr Speer boat tail at 2954 fps. Hope to do some real group testing when weather settles down. I think this Howa is a keeper.

[Fmuguira]

I got a mini carbon about 3 weeks ago. Have only gotten around 25 rounds downrange. All factory ammo as I m working towards getting some once fired brass ready for load development.

I ve got 105 Amaxes also and plan to try those for LR targets and picked up some 80 gr Sierra Blitz for coyotes/chucks. Please share your load work ups. I ve got about 1/2 pound of CFE223 and got a couple pounds each of Varget and H4895. I might have to give up some velocity and work with those.

[MTMAN]

I got a mini carbon about 3 weeks ago. Have only gotten around 25 rounds downrange. All factory ammo as I m working towards getting some once fired brass ready for load development.

I ve got 105 Amaxes also and plan to try those for LR targets and picked up some 80 gr Sierra Blitz for coyotes/chucks. Please share your load work ups. I ve got about 1/2 pound of CFE223 and got a couple pounds each of Varget and H4895. I might have to give up some velocity and work with those.

You should be able to get higher velocity with your 22" barrel than I have with my 20". I've loaded up to just under the max. suggested by Hornady and on a 25 degree morning was achieving 2780 fps with a 85 gr Speer BT and CFE223. Only about 1" groups - probably my fault on accuracy very cold out. With LVR Evolution under max 2912 fps with the same bullet and about same accuracy. 103 gr ELD-X factory 3 shot groups run .60" and velocity right at 2600 fps. Haven't tried Hornady Blacks yet, but the 108 gr AMax run 2550 in my rifle and 1" grps. Still have lots of testing to do to find my preferred load. Good luck with your new rifle. Would like to have ordered the light weight like yours but couldn't justify the extra cost.

[Old Bob]

Brownells has 6mm ARC barreled actions for those who wanna build a custom rifle. They have both 20" & 22" versions.

https://www.brownells.com/gun-parts/rifl...03_21_Howa

[MTMAN]

I find all the Hornady loads are 150 fps under what is listed on the box. Accuracy is OK, under 1moa. The ELDX load hits .60 for 3 shots. Tested my load with 105 grain Amax using LVR . I have several hundred 105 AMax left over. They shoot at 2760 average velocity and print under .75". That load reaches 500 yds with just over 1000 fpe of energy. Hornady used to list that bullet as suitable for deer hunting. It was 23 degrees this morning but very little wind, so not bad shooting day here. Getting enough loads down range and this Howa seems to be getting better each time I shoot it.

[Fmuguira]

Shot 10 rounds of 108 Match in 22” barrel Howa today. Temp was 46 degrees and avg was 2620 fps which is slower than factory advertised velocity by 130 fps.

Did launch 4 at a 650 yard gong and with 14.25 moa got 2 hits. Still carrying nice energy as gong swung pretty good.

Now at 75 rounds downrange and cleaning up nicely each 10 rounds fired. Throat has grown .010-.015 so looking forward to more shooting. Thinking once I start loading my once fired brass I can get another 75 fps or better and hopefully improve accuracy with some seating depth work. The factory ammo has shot under moa; roughly 3/4” at 100 yds but bullets in factory loads are .075 off the lands so will experiment on that.

Keep us posted on your continuing work/load work ups! Thx.

[MTMAN]

i FOUND ALL THE HORNADY FACTORY LOADS 150 FPS SLOWER THAN LISTED ON THE BOX. YOU SHOULD SEE AN IMPROVED VELOCITY WHEN YOU LOAD TO BOLT ACTION PRESSURES. MY 105 AMAX JUMPED TO 2760 OUT OF MY 20" BARREL. THE FACTORY LOADS ARE SET FOR GAS GUNS AND MUCH LOWER PRESSURE - DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE LISTED SO FAST ON THE BOX.

[Fmuguira]

Mtman, False advertising in my mind. Mind sharing your powder and charge with that 105? Also OAL if round?

Thx !

[MTMAN]

Mtman, False advertising  in my mind. Mind sharing your powder and charge with that 105? Also OAL if round?

Thx !

30.5 gr. of LVR. Overall length same as factory ELDX. Cann't say false advertising, just different barrels and lengths!

---

Cann't claim false advertising, just different guns, barrel lengths. I see a difference per inch of less than 20fps for this cartridge online and in YOUTube, so shouldn't see more than 100 fps difference in my gun..

[grayfox]

Guys, keep it respectful, even if you disagree.
By the way I am shooting some 107 Smk's in my 22", I did a quick check of using a 105 Amax with 30.5 Lever in a 20" bolt gun, got an estimated 2782 ft/sec but pressure only slightly over the gas gun limit (52Ksi), depending on your OAL.
An Amax can be seated longer than the 105 HPBT's of Hornady, plus Lever gets real good MV without as much chamber pressure as other, more commonly used powders.
So high 2700's in a 20" bolt gun, not out of the realm of possibility.

[MTMAN]

Guys, keep it respectful, even if you disagree. 
By the way I am shooting some 107 Smk's in my 22", I did a quick check of using a 105 Amax with 30.5 Lever in a 20" bolt gun, got an estimated 2782 ft/sec but pressure only slightly over the gas gun limit (52Ksi), depending on your OAL.
An Amax can be seated longer than the 105 HPBT's of Hornady, plus Lever gets real good MV without as much chamber pressure as other, more commonly used powders.
So high 2700's in a 20" bolt gun, not out of the realm of possibility.

YOU ARE CORRECT IN WHAT YOU SAY. I'M GETTING 2768FPS WITH THAT LOAD IN A 20" BARREL AND 23 DEGREES OUTSIDE TEMP. I WANT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO WORK UP LOADS AT THIS TEMP THEN FIND THEY ARE TO HIGH IN SUMMER TEMPS. HAVEN'T HAD TIME TO DO MORE LOAD DEVELOPMENT AS YET. MY 85 GRAIN LOAD IS RUNNING 2970 TO 3000 FPS WITH LVR AT 23 DEGREES. EITHER LOAD WILL DO WHAT I NEED DONE, NOW TO MESS WITH OAL TO FIND ACCURACY POINT.

[Fmuguira]

Everything I read seems to indicate that ball powders, cfe223, Lvr, 2530, etc do quite a bit more velocity that sticks like H4895, Varget, etc. Like around 100 fps more.

Anyway getting anxious to load but still shooting the factory ammo to get some brass built.

I m like you MtnMan, don’t like developing loads when real cold (especially with ball powders) and then get high pressure when temps go into 80-90 range. Please keep sharing your data/loads for all bullet weights and powders as you experiment; very helpful!!

[MTMAN]

TRADED SCOPES AND PUT MY 4 - 16 VORTEX 30 MM SCOPE TO START DOING SOME SERIOUS ACCURACY TESTING AND FIRST THREE 85 SPEER, SHOTS AT 100 YDS, WENT INTO AN HORIZONTAL SPREAT OF .630", BUT THE NEXT TWO WENT SLIGHTLY HIGHER. SWITCHED TO 105 GR. AMAX FIRST TWO ALMOST TOUCHING NEXT THREE CREATED A VERTICAL GROUP OF ABOUT 1 1/4". FOR SOME REASON EVERY GROUP I FIRED SEEM TO SPREAD VERTICALLY. I WAS NOT HAPPY! CHECKED THE GUN THIS MORNING AND FOUND THE SCOPE WAS SLIDING AHEAD FROM THE MARKS I PLACED TO CHECK THAT. MISSED THAT AT THE RANGE. WILL TRY AGAIN SOON. THOSE 30MM TUBE SCOPES ARE VERY HEAVY AND I'VE HAD THEM MOVE THROUGH THE RINGS BEFORE. OH WELL, LIFES FUN!