Thread: Howa mini modifications

Years ago a shortened a mag for a 22lr. I don't like long protruding magazines

I dont own one but decided to search for the same thing for the Howa mini rifle (mate thinking of buying one)as it's a common complaint:

1. Magazine is too long.
2. Magazine drops out because latch is too long and gets lost.

So here is a solution.

To shorten the mag,
https://youtu.be/zxLEMfYuIn4

https://www.firearmstalk.com/threads/ho ... on.146219/

I would paint the Magazine red.

Shorten the latch as many do

Yep, many of us have been doing this for years, as well as shortening and thinning up the stupidly long and chunky factory stocks, nice barreled actions, but the mags and stocks are total arse.

The mag dropping out is easy to fix. You shorten the mag release lever so its only what it needs to be, and jam a wedge of something behind the tail of the spring where it contacts the magwell I used a small triangle of plywood and its been in there for years. This stiffens the spring up considerably and the shorter lever improves this as well. I have hunted and competed with a couple of minis I have done this to for years and never had a mag drop out. The VTP shields are a cool idea, but the spring is still too soft and its pretty easy to shorten the plastic lever with a knife and some sandpaper.

Other than the mags sticking out a ways, I think they are good. I have put several thousand rounds of 223 through a couple of mags and never had a single problem with them

Originally Posted by SixtyTen

The mag dropping out is easy to fix. You shorten the mag release lever so its only what it needs to be, and jam a wedge of something behind the tail of the spring where it contacts the magwell I used a small triangle of plywood and its been in there for years. This stiffens the spring up considerably and the shorter lever improves this as well. I have hunted and competed with a couple of minis I have done this to for years and never had a mag drop out. The VTP shields are a cool idea, but the spring is still too soft and its pretty easy to shorten the plastic lever with a knife and some sandpaper.

Other than the mags sticking out a ways, I think they are good. I have put several thousand rounds of 223 through a couple of mags and never had a single problem with them

Yeah they feed fine, just cheap nasty plastic crap, but thats what ya get for the price I guess

Who has thinned up a factory stock?
How did you go about it and how did it turn out?

The newer howa mini come with a much shorter mag release which is nice dunnomif it's stiffer cause I've only had the new version but I think it wouod be pretty hard to accidentally drop the mag out of the newer model.
I too despise the over sized factory stock, will be replacing it as soon as I can find a reasonably priced option, paying $1k for a kroseg seems a bit prohibitive considering it's more than I paid for the rifle new.
Will probably go a boyds if nothing else comes up.

I've done the mag release spring jam-something-in trick, it works well. Shortened LOP and reduced weight with a jandel recoil pad. Intend to make a short magazine as well.

I bought mine second hand off here, it came with a shortened mag that worked ok.
I got a cheap 3d printed mag release lever that helped with the risk of dropping the mag accidentally but I really wanted flush bottom metal so got a mate to import Jefferson Outdoors bottom metal for me....he has since sold quite a few.
They make it so much nicer to carry in hand and still have 5shots in mag, able to topload the mag too.
Got a Hightec stock for it a while back but haven't got around to shooting it yet.

Originally Posted by ROKTOY

Who has thinned up a factory stock?
How did you go about it and how did it turn out?

I did one a couple of years back, it came up really well. Made it much nicer looking and to handle.

https://www.nzhuntingandshooting.co....my-6-5g-65500/

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

I bought mine second hand off here, it came with a shortened mag that worked ok.
I got a cheap 3d printed mag release lever that helped with the risk of dropping the mag accidentally but I really wanted flush bottom metal so got a mate to import Jefferson Outdoors bottom metal for me....he has since sold quite a few.
They make it so much nicer to carry in hand and still have 5shots in mag, able to topload the mag too.
Got a Hightec stock for it a while back but haven't got around to shooting it yet.

@veitnamcam what are they? A floor plate?

Trigger guard/floorplate and magazine.

https://jeffersonoutdoor.com/howa-mi...ed-floorplate/
@Oldbloke

Thanks

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

Trigger guard/floorplate and magazine.

https://jeffersonoutdoor.com/howa-mi...ed-floorplate/
@Oldbloke

Um, I thought it was in NZ? @veitnamcam

Originally Posted by Oldbloke

Um, I thought it was in NZ? @veitnamcam

I got Terminator products to import mine....give Greg a a ring to see if he has any left 0272450452

Keen to know. How @robhughes-games is getting on With his design for a mini action floor plate.