howa accuracy problem, help!!!

[Gallahad]

I have a stainless 30-06 howa 1500, in a houge  pillar bed stock. tried 180 gr. core locks, 165 gr. fusion, and 150 gr. fusions. cant do better than 2" at 75 yds. scope is vx3, rings are talley ring mounts, and everything is solid. action is solid in stock. do i need to try more ammo? if so,  WHAT? Thanks for any help.

[wmdron]

Gallahad, is this a new rifle or did you purchase it used ?

[Gallahad]

new barreled action, new stock, rings, scope.

[mannyrock]

Just a few thoughts:
 
    Very first thing, is to make sure that your scope is not bad.  Mount a different scope on it and see what happens.  If the groups are no better, then consider:
 
   1.  Buying a pillar bedded stock is no guarantee of accuracy. Years ago, I had a bolt action rifle with original walnut stock.  It consistently shot 1.5 inch groups.  I bought a new HS Precision pillar bedded drop-in stock, for a pretty high price, and switched out the stock.  It immediately shot no better than 2 inch groups.
 
   2.  So, you just have to forget that you have a pillar bedded stock, and treat this as any other rifle that won't shoot well.
 
   3.  Are you overtightening the front action screw?   Very first thing I would check.  Screw it down gently until it stops, and then just give it one-half to three-quarters more of a turn.  See how it shoots.
 
   4.  Free float the barrel, from one inch in front of the receiver to the very end. Often, this fixes the problem.
 
   5.  If not, then take a heavy business card, and shove it under the forestock and barrel near the very front of the forestock, and see if this helps.  Shoot a group, then move the card back about an inch, then shoot another group, etc., until you find the sweet spot where you get good groups.  Mark the spot on the forestock, and then put a little bit of glass bedding there (in place of the card), and you should be good to go.
 
  Hope this helps.
 
Mannyrock
 
 
 
 
 

[D Fischer]

I don't know why but standard answer for a question like this is first check the scope. First thing I always check is bedding. If it has problems, I shoot it and see what it does. if it does well, I can live with bad bedding. But if it does bad, i reber the whole thing and float the barrel from the action forward. If in checking the bedding, I can't get a couple pieces of note paper down the barrel channel the whole way of it binds up, I quit and re-bed the whole thing. If the bedding changes in the barrel channel, it may change the action also. Why fool with it. If the paper does slide easily, I tighten up the guard screws really well and them loosen the front one slowly watching for the barrel at the front of the barrel channel to lift away from the stock. That could be a bind in the action, the recoil lug or pressure under the chamber. If it doesn't rise in the front, do it again and this time watch the chamber right at the stock. It rises there and there is probably something in the action causing it. Don't look for the problem, just re-bed everything and be done with it. If it still doesn't shoot, sell it!

[Val]

The advice proffered here is good advice. Just because you bought a "drop in barrel" does not mean that there may not be some minor fit problems. I would check the float on the barrel and insure that it is indeed fully floated. I use a business card to insure adequate clearance. If there is some interference sand it away. I would also check the fit of the stock under the action. The only place the action touches the stock is the back of the recoil lug and where the rear screw is located. Some sandinf may be in order in the action area. I use a bright blue compound call Prussian blue. Coat the action and the barrel. Install the stock and look for transfer of the ble color to the stock. Sand those places where the transfer occurs. Remeber the rear of the recoil pad and the stock screw should touch the stock. After doing all this, once again check the group size.

The problem could well be that you haven't found the right load for it. If you have a reloader friend, I would try developing a custom load for that rifle. Your group sizes are well in the area where load development could well provide tight groups.

[tomtomz]

New Howas are guaranteed to be sub-moa.

Take It back, get another. Repeat until they get it right.