Thread: Best Howa mini action barrel - Blue/HB/Stainless?

With a return to NZ on the cards in the new year, I've been looking at what is available in NZ as a good value rifle.
As I would be located in Taranaki, it would be a goat/ scrub gun.
I've been looking at the Howa mini options in 7.62x39 as I think it would suit my needs, while been cheap to feed.

Looking around it seems that they are available in 3 basic options

Blued standard barrel (threaded/16.5") $900
Blued heavy barrel 16.5" (threaded) - $1000
Stainless standard barrel 20" -(plus chop & threading) $1050

So given the above....- is the stainless really worth the extra 15% over the standard blued barrel?

Any advantage to the HB for a short range rifle that only has a 5 shot mag?

Advice (helpful or unhelpful) appreciated...