Ruger American G2 or Howa Mini for 223?

Which factory rifle?

  • Ruger American Gen2

    Votes: 6 26.1%

  • Howa Mini

    Votes: 17 73.9%
  • Total voters
    23
Either of your choices are going to require work to the trigger, unless you actually like a two-stage trigger, then the edge goes to the Howa.

As for the magazine, both are going to have mags that are not flush. The Howa can be "fixed" with the Jefferson Outdoors bottom metal, so that is another vote for it.

Either way, for me, in order to get the Howa mini to be "ready to hunt", I am going to be spending around $969 ($569 plus tax for the rifle, $169 plus shipping for a Jard single-stage trigger, and $175 plus shipping for the Jefferson Outdoors bottom metal, whenever they actually have them again).
I can get a blued Tikka for $749 plus tax and spend another $125 having the barrel chopped and threaded, so $923. I know which one I am picking.
 
I have a Ruger Gen 2 American Ranch in 300 BO and a Howa Mini in 6.5 Grendel. The Howa is in a Boyd's stock and the Ruger is in a Sharp's Brothers Heatseeker chassis. https://sharpsbros.com/sbc05-heatseeker-chassis-ruger-american-ranch-ar-magazine-fed/ The chassis makes it very hard to get to the Ruger's tang safety, but otherwise it is very nice. Fit and feel is great. With optic and suppressor (CGS Hyperion, 15 ounces) it weighs over 9 lbs. Shooting subsonics it is ridiculously (pellet gun) quiet. The safety is only 2-position but is on the tang.

The Howa is a sweet rifle all around. Lighter than the American Ranch with chassis. But supersonic only in Grendel. So even suppressed it makes a decent crack.

I also have a Tikka T3 Lite in 300 WSM, that rifle without optic weighs about 6.5 lbs, with about 7.5; the Tikka someone referred to in .223 weighs 9 lbs bare. That seems pretty heavy for a .223.

For hunting at the ranges you will be using a .223 / 5.56 anything, I just don't think the trigger, probable accuracy and such are that different between the Ruger and the Howa, for relatively close-in work. Go for the one whose ergonomics - fit, feel, ease of target acquisition, weight - feel best to you, they will all work just fine.
 
I would do the Howa. I have the ultra light 6.5 grendel and love it. The first three shot group out of it with my new suppressor. It's extremely light and very, very accurate.
IMG_0135.jpeg
 
megastink said:
I'm wanting to acquire a lightweight .223 Rem hunting rifle and shoot the 77gr TMK based off of the success on big game of the guys over on Rokslide (link below). I've decided to buy a factory rifle that meets my needs. It will be unsuppressed, possibly suppressed in the future. I'm a huge savage fan, but all of their barrels are 9 twist, and you need a 1:8 to stabilize the heavier bullets. My search has brought me to two affordable options: The Ruger American Gen2 and the Howa Mini. I'm hoping SOMEONE on here has one of these rifles and shoot a similar load out of it. I'd love to hear from that person, but feel free to give me your recommendation and your justification for it.

.223 for bear, mountain goat, deer, elk, and moose.

DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ 176 PAGES? HERE'S THE CHEAT SHEET. “Bullets matter more than headstamps.” “Spent primers offer the supreme tutorial”. I’ve read it here and elsewhere online. It got my attention. I started digging and asking questions and listened. The 77gr TMK delivered by a .223...
rokslide.com rokslide.com
Click to expand...
I own two how a minis one for my son and one for myself and 65 Grendel they are awesome accurate rifles.
 
I was no so much of a Ruger fan until a few years ago.
I now own 2 gen 2s and here are my I observations:
Pros:
V-block action bedding free floats the barrel providing good accuracy
for a factory rifle
Competitive price
Will accept AICS mags for longer
COAL of heavier bullets
Reasonably fast twist
Cons
Gritty feeling bolt action
Trigger is not the best out of the box.

If you change the trigger to a Jard, these rifles can deliver .5 MOA with a good shooter.

I like the 77 grain bullets in .223 as they perform well to greater distance.
 
I wanted the same thing, a .223 twisted fast enough to shoot heavier rounds, with a shorter barrel to shoot exclusively suppressed.

I wanted a shorter barrel to make it handy and I also wanted something lighter weight.

I thought hard about a Tikka, but I didn't want to deal with getting the barrel chopped and threaded. I looked at the Howa but wasn't sure that I wanted to deal with the magazine issues I've seen a few people post about.

I saw the Franchi Momentum All Terrain and liked its looks and the specs, but I couldn't find any information about it.

Ultimately, I bought a Gen 2 Ranch in 5.56.

It shoots everything from 69gr MKs to 77gr TMKs into the same 1 1/2" groups at 100. Occasionally I'll get something a little smaller but not consistently to view it as anything other than a 1.5 MOA rifle.

The rifle handles OK, but the bolt has 3 distinctive catches as you cycle it. I assume it may smooth out over time, but I haven't spent any time worrying about it.

I did buy an AICS bottom plastic from Ruger. The guy I spoke to at Ruger couldn't understand why anyone would want an AICS option for a 5.56 or a .223, but after a minute of me explaining longer match bullets, he just sighed and told me the price.

I don't hate the rifle...but I don't love it either.

I'm probably going to buy a Franchi so I can see if it is as good as I hope it is.

As many others have said...a Tikka is probably the easy button.

Good luck in your search!
 
jglenn said:
I purchased a 6.5 grendel barreled howa action from Brownells. Added a stockys graphite stock and an aftermarket trigger guard and lower plate to eliminate the magazine. Rifle weighs around 6lbs and shoots around. .75 in. Good trigger too. Easy to lower it to around 2lbs by changing a spring
Click to expand...
 
I bought a Weatherby Vanguard Obsidian 1-8" since it's a full size SA. It's heavier than a Howa Mini, but is the Howa 1500 action. It has a decent trigger, very slick action, and is reasonably accurate even though it's not free floated. I'll get a Stocky's Carbon fiber stock once the seconds are in again.

Edit: I forgot to mention it has a threaded barrel. Chassis stocks are available for it too. The stock magbox is standard length. But I'm sure I can modify the box to go 2.5XX" or greater to seat out bullets. Shooting 75gr and 80gr ELDM's through it.
 
Last edited:
Prairie Sasquatch said:
I have a Howa mini with the 1-8" twist. Shoots 60 gr vmax with Varget into a half inch. Under 60 grains not as well but still at an 1" -1 1/4". Never tried the 77 grainers. This is my truck rifle and I really like it for the price.
Click to expand...
I believe the Mini's have a standard .223 rem length so I'd try some 73gr ELDM's or 77gr TMK's. If you want to shoot the heavies.
 

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