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> Howa Bedding
Howa Bedding
@ 09:26 am (GMT) |
Brandon WarnerI’ve enjoyed reading articles and viewing videos that are available on this site I ordered The Practical Guide To Longe Range Hunting Rifles. I read from cover to cover the day I got it. I have a new stock on order for a Howa 1500. I’m going to fully bed the stock. I was wondering if someone would mind explaining why you tape the bottom of the recoil lug on this rifle? It makes sense to me on one that has a recoil lug separate from the action bolt. Would it not cause some torque on the action of the Howa if it had room to draw down on the lug? I over think everything! I just want to build the most accurate rifle I can with what I’ve got. Thank you. |
Replies
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@ 01:24 pm (GMT) |
Brandon WarnerRe: Howa BeddingWell we had a nice day for shooting. Before bedding we had worked up a load that I was able to shoot 3/4”-1” groups. Today that same load was 1.5-2”. At first I thought it must have been something I didn’t get right while bedding the new stock. Took the gun apart and studied everything and couldn’t find anything I thought needed addressing. Decided to try working up another load figuring bedding must have changed the harmonics of the gun. After several attempts, we came up with a load that looks like it’s going to shoot.5” groups if I can get consistent behind the rifle. It’s definitely a learning experience. I truly appreciate all of you guy’s help and advice. |
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@ 01:41 pm (GMT) |
Brandon WarnerRe: Howa BeddingDoing load work today. We settled on a powder charge that was consistently shooting within 1/2” vertical. Went to playing with seating depth. The Howa produced a couple 1/2” 3 shot groups and the last seating changed produced a three shot 1/4” group. I don’t think I can ask for anything more than that! Thank you all again for your help. I would have posted a picture if I could have figured out how. |
@ 09:28 am (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Howa BeddingExcellent work Brandon, thanks for the update. |
@ 09:51 pm (GMT) |
Mike DavisRe: Howa Beddinggreat info.....I purchased one of these 1500 howas to replace my old rifle after its sudden demise and have found it great...initial barrel break in also got rifle zeroed.... 3x highland 130 grn 3x remington coreloct and 2x winchester 150grn power point went into a combined group just a smidge over an inch,that was first 10 rounds fired the 11th took a red hind as did the 12th... I have swapped scopes a few times trying to make up mind as to what works best for me...the fixed 3x loopy was good in bush,not so good out further..so the fixed 4x is on it now and should stay there...I normally dont shoot out past 300 yards at all... 350 absolute maximum. rifle came in a hogue stock....I did the wee trim off of the rubber lip at front of stock which then stopped stock flex hitting barrel..and then spotted a very good conditioned walnut stock at the right price....it has two screws expoxied across stock..assumably for added strength...and just like the hogue double alloy pillars,the action dropped straight in and shoots fine...BUT out hunting the other day I noticed the dreaded knock sound when tapped the but...sure enough the action screws were slightly loose... took rifle apart when got home and had a good look..it is just like the hogue completely beddingless nothing at all...and has two solid pressure points just off end of barrel channel...my delima now is weather or not to remove pressure points to free float barrel and give it a bedding job....or leave well enough alone?? Ive contemplated doing the(as Nathan so eloquently put it) dob of hot glue bedding...it worked for years on my model 70 and confession time,my .223 zastava still has it after 25 years...its not broke so wont fix it. one thing about doing that...its not hard to remove it if doesnt work out. thoughts or flaming... |
@ 09:34 am (GMT) |
Scott StruifRe: Howa BeddingHi Mike. I’ve had the same problem with action screws loosening a bit. I bought one of these handy torque drivers made for bicyclists. I keep it in my backpack so I can torque the screws on a hunting trip. The 4Nm tool is 35 in. lbs., which Weatherby recommends for pillarless stocks. The 5Nm tool is 44 in. lbs, which is within the range that Nathan recommends. The tools are available separately, too.https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JW55LN3 As to your dilemma whether to remove the pressure points, . . . if the first shot out of a cold barrel is accurate, you could leave well enough alone. However, wood is more likely to be affected by changes in temperature and humidity. So if you hunt in cold, wet weather, but sighted the rifle in at the range on a warm, sunny day, the point of impact of could change. Also, if you plan to do a lot of load development at the range, the pressure points could cause problems as the barrel heats up. If you remove the pressure points, you should probably plan on at least a front and rear glass bedding job. But you could try the hot glue first. As you said, it shouldn’t be hard to remove. |
@ 10:59 pm (GMT) |
Ben LawRe: Howa Beddingwhat sort of accuracy do you want out of it mike?sub moa, id remove the pressure points and bed it. a lot of guys i know only want to shoot a deer at 100m or less, 2.5moa does the job. |
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@ 04:27 pm (GMT) |
Mike DavisRe: Howa Beddingyeah thats the kicker...anything hovering around the inch works fine for me and the type of shooting I do...a couple or three good sub moa loads with me and good solid hitting loads in magazine is the normal .Im getting inch or there abouts from it now,thus the Delima, do I leave well enough alone.... Scott,I carry enough crap with me now LOL... will make a point of checking tension at home before heading out all the same. firm is good enough for me... the only use I have for a torque wrench is truck wheel nuts.... not saying using one is wrong...just possibly wasted on me. |
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@ 09:44 pm (GMT) |
Scott StruifRe: Howa BeddingMike, if your wood stock has pillars, you should be able to torque the screws, by feel, tight enough so they don’t work loose. If the gun was shooting OK in the Hogue stock after you fully free floated the barrel, it will probably shoot the same after you remove the pressure points from your wood stock. If the action is riding on the pillars, however, you would need to bed it, to get contact between the stock an the action. On the other hand, if there’s a high spot in the stock material, preventing the action from sitting evenly on the pillars, there could be stress in the action causing problems, which bedding would solve. |
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@ 11:05 am (GMT) |
Mike DavisRe: Howa Beddingsitting at home so bit the bullet and did the "blob job" took action out of stock,gave it a liberal coating of vasoline (much cleaner than grease Ive used in past) got the HGG very hot ,inserted straw through front pillar,manually placed very small shim around rear of action,mm at most,then got stuck in...took 4 lots of squirt n fit..let set,squirt n fit,let set untill I was happy I had added enough material into the gaping cavity the recoil lug was floating around in... would be 1.5-2mm in the area between lug and magazine box so it lifted action just a little bit in barrel channel.... then took stock out to the man cave and employed a rat tail rasp to remove the front pressure points,when they were down flat,bit of a rub over bare area with oily fingersand some vasoline to help seal it back up again (will keep an eye on it and seal with eurathane if needed later) gave action a whipe down to remove excess vasoline and reassembled it good and firm using the star type key in a T handle...checked barrel float with a thick piece of paper...sweet,nothing touching even with my silage tape around barrel. these Howas have reputation for easily surface rusting so it has a single layer of tape,like wide insulation tape,around barrel from action to where suppressor sits,I figure this will keep the underside of barrel dry and rust free.if this southerly front settles down I shall try to get out of town and reconfirm zero and see if Ive made matters worse of she still shoots fine...cant see it being an issue. thanks for replies/help. |
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@ 05:26 pm (GMT) |
Mike DavisRe: Howa Beddingwell it hasnt made things any worse..... re learnt a couple of lessons.#1 the wee 4x scope is awesome for close range bush work (or shooting hare out door of truck at 3 paces) but not so flash for poking holes in paper...the post covers an inch square/dot at hundred yards easily so its a matter of holding under then lifting as squeaze off... #2 the older M8 leupolds are 1/2" per graduation not 1/4" like most others,it catches me everytime.... because they just dont move so its a year or more between tweaks. got home and retightened just a little now its settled in properly..... will see how it lasts and decide if to bed it properly at later stage. |
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