Howa mini action mag release

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Groverino

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I’m looking at the Howa mini action in 7.62x39. I see numerous reports online that the mag release is easy to bump resulting in a lost magazine. Is this an overstated risk or a real issue?
Also some have said this issue is fixed in the new models. Is that true?
 
Groverino said:
I’m looking at the Howa mini action in 7.62x39. I see numerous reports online that the mag release is easy to bump resulting in a lost magazine. Is this an overstated risk or a real issue?
Also some have said this issue is fixed in the new models. Is that true?
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I have had two Howa's mini action in 7.62x39 for over two years now. I've never had any problem with bumping a mag release. IMO it's very overstated.
 
Do the Howa mini actions handle steel cased surplus or just better to feed virgin brass? Softness. Extraction issues, etc?

I only ask because I have a Vanguard in .308 and a Howa 1500 in .270. Both solid pieces of kit.
 
Groverino said:
I’m looking at the Howa mini action in 7.62x39. I see numerous reports online that the mag release is easy to bump resulting in a lost magazine. Is this an overstated risk or a real issue?
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I bought one of those online a few years ago. Got it home, pulled it out of the box and tripped the mag release the first time I handled it. Mag landed on my foot.

A quick Google informed me that this was in fact a problem and there were no spare mags to be found in Canada. I sold it toot sweet without ever even firing it.
 
Some mixed reviews here. I’ll have to make sure that it’s a newer model. Seems like a nicer rifle to me than the Ruger Ranch at a better price point but dropped magazines can’t be a thing.
 
Groverino said:
I’m looking at the Howa mini action in 7.62x39. I see numerous reports online that the mag release is easy to bump resulting in a lost magazine. Is this an overstated risk or a real issue?
Also some have said this issue is fixed in the new models. Is that true?
Click to expand...
Overstated by Clumsy people not paying attention :p
 
I have one of the Howa mini actions in 7.62X39 and it's deadnuts accurate with my reloads (123 gr. Hornady SST's on top of 25.5 gr. RL7). The problem with the sensitive mag release cost me a dropped mag which I didn't find until next spring when the snow thawed. I now have a spare mag and I've put blaze orange trail marker tape around the mags. I'm told there's an after market fix but it's pretty pricey. I did a bush fix and drilled a small hole in the back of the mag and it fed a kevlar line through it which is now attached to the trigger guard. I can't drop that mag now if I tried.
 
LawrenceN said:
I have one of the Howa mini actions in 7.62X39 and it's deadnuts accurate with my reloads (123 gr. Hornady SST's on top of 25.5 gr. RL7). The problem with the sensitive mag release cost me a dropped mag which I didn't find until next spring when the snow thawed. I now have a spare mag and I've put blaze orange trail marker tape around the mags. I'm told there's an after market fix but it's pretty pricey. I did a bush fix and drilled a small hole in the back of the mag and it fed a kevlar line through it which is now attached to the trigger guard. I can't drop that mag now if I tried.
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That’s a good idea but I don’t want to buy a new rifle and have to mess with it like that. I get that you already had the rifle and needed a fix but I’d prefer not to get into that.
 
Joel said:
The problem isn't the mag release

Its that the whole "bottom plastic" itself and the mags are complete dogsh*t ;)
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I don't particularly like the magazines on the 1500 short actions either. However, I've never had any issues with mine falling out, not feeding or breaking.

I can see it being an issue, as the mags release very easily, without any friction holding them back, even when empty.

The release on the front of the mag well makes it very easy to access, and this is where the issue comes in.

When I first bought this rifle, it was one of the first coming into Canada. The mag release was one of my first concerns.

Now that this has been brought up, I'm going to make a slight modification to the lever's length and put a small tab in front of it, held in place by the king screw. This will make dropping the mag by accident much less likely.
 
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bearhunter said:
I don't particularly like the magazines on the 1500 short actions either. However, I've never had any issues with mine falling out, not feeding or breaking.

I can see it being an issue, as the mags release very easily, without any friction holding them back, even when empty.

The release on the front of the mag well makes it very easy to access, and this is where the issue comes in.

When I first bought this rifle, it was one of the first coming into Canada. The mag release was one of my first concerns.

Now that this has been brought up, I'm going to make a slight modification to the lever's length and put a small tab in front of it, held in place by the king screw. This will make dropping the mag by accident much less likely.
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Happy to hear it. But conversely, I've had lots of trouble feeding from many of their magazines in 7.62x39 and 6.5 Grendel. Several mags in several rifles. Enough that they failed with envious reliability lol

Completely loathe the whole setup.


I'm waiting on a stainless one now, with the understanding that the very millisecond I can get that cheap garbage off of the rifle and a Jefferson Outdoors setup on it, it still won't be soon enough ;) I don't know why they cursed such a well made, all steel rifle with such an unbelievably cheap plastic bottom and magazine

Don't get me wrong, this is from a Tikka lover ;)
 
I see they have replacement kits available for them as well as kits to switch them to a swing out floor plate/internal mag system.

That may suit your purposes better.

I like mine, it shoot handloads, loaded to higher 55K psi pressures well, and will stabilise 150 grain flat base bullets well. I was going to try some 200 grain spire points I have on hand and work up a "subsonic" load.

I didn't buy the rifle for "action drills"

I bought it for a light, handy rifle to shoot the once cheap surplus ammo available at the time.

It shoots well enough that I've only tried three different surplus ammo types, one from South Africa, one from Russia, and Czech, which was painted steel cased. It shoots all three into sub 3 inch groups at 100yds. An inch tighter than the SKS shoots the same ammo.

It shoots .308 - .312 bullets well enough to hunt Deer with, but best with .310 diameter.

It's a good little rifle for the price.
 
bearhunter said:
I see they have replacement kits available for them as well as kits to switch them to a swing out floor plate/internal mag system.

That may suit your purposes better.

I like mine, it shoot handloads, loaded to higher 55K psi pressures well, and will stabilise 150 grain flat base bullets well. I was going to try some 200 grain spire points I have on hand and work up a "subsonic" load.

I didn't buy the rifle for "action drills"

I bought it for a light, handy rifle to shoot the once cheap surplus ammo available at the time.

It shoots well enough that I've only tried three different surplus ammo types, one from South Africa, one from Russia, and Czech, which was painted steel cased. It shoots all three into sub 3 inch groups at 100yds. An inch tighter than the SKS shoots the same ammo.

It shoots .308 - .312 bullets well enough to hunt Deer with, but best with .310 diameter.

It's a good little rifle for the price.
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Have you run any cast bullets through it?
 
bearhunter said:
I see they have replacement kits available for them as well as kits to switch them to a swing out floor plate/internal mag system.

That may suit your purposes better.

I like mine, it shoot handloads, loaded to higher 55K psi pressures well, and will stabilise 150 grain flat base bullets well. I was going to try some 200 grain spire points I have on hand and work up a "subsonic" load.

I didn't buy the rifle for "action drills"

I bought it for a light, handy rifle to shoot the once cheap surplus ammo available at the time.

It shoots well enough that I've only tried three different surplus ammo types, one from South Africa, one from Russia, and Czech, which was painted steel cased. It shoots all three into sub 3 inch groups at 100yds. An inch tighter than the SKS shoots the same ammo.

It shoots .308 - .312 bullets well enough to hunt Deer with, but best with .310 diameter.

It's a good little rifle for the price.
Click to expand...

Right on :) Thanks!

One of the reason I am going to the Jefferson Outdoors bottom metal (hinged or blind, but internal mag either way yeah) is because its long enough to accept a 7.62x39mm bullet loaded with a Barnes 110 or 120 gr Tac-Tx or Hornady 110gr CX, all of which are meant for the 300 Blackout at those velocities.

What you mentioned doing with yours sounds like a good idea!
 
The newer ones have a slightly better mag release but the early mini's were absolutely horrible. Even shooting off the bench you could drop the mag just by resting the gun on the sand bag. The bottom line, as Joel said, is the whole plastic assembly is basically garbage.

There are solutions out there and once corrected they are great little guns.
 
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