Howa bbled action issues

[jksiller]

I’m about 40 rounds of quality factory ammo down the tube, and still showing inconsistency at 100 yds ( 2+ moa). I’ve taken it all apart, retorqued action screws, checked and retorqued bases and optic rings. I’ve done nothing except swap out the trigger to a Timney and am a little frustrated. I’ve read some other users having issues- did anybody come to a resolution? FYI it’s in a Krg bravo stock, mark 3 scope. I started at 55 in lbs on action screws, then went to 65, then went back to 55, torquing front screw first. 16” bull barrel, .308, let rifle rest every ~5 shots to cool down.
Bought to go back to bowhunting!

 

[hereinaz]

Try tightening the front to just snug. Then tighten the rear down. Then torque the front to spec. Sometimes if you tighten the front first, it pulls the rear up and then the action gets bent. The screw in the lug can pull the action up and cause an issue.

Seen it happen and it changes a gun from sub moa to +2 moa in and instant.

Sometimes, the gun just won’t shoot. Have to work through Legacy then.

 

[Kyguy]

Is it 40 rounds of the same load? 2 loads? 10 loads? Try different ammo. Put a different scope on it and see what happens.

 

[jksiller]

Try tightening the front to just snug. Then tighten the rear down. Then torque the front to spec. Sometimes if you tighten the front first, it pulls the rear up and then the action gets bent. The screw in the lug can pull the action up and cause an issue.

Seen it happen and it changes a gun from sub moa to +2 moa in and instant.

Sometimes, the gun just won’t shoot. Have to work through Legacy then.

Thanks, will give this a try.

 

[hereinaz]

If you tighten the front only, as an experiment you can watch it lift off the rear.

Just make sure it seats against the lug and my method has “fixed” Howa more than once.

 

[Ranger 692]

That is the experience I had with my mini action, unbedded and bedded in a Stockys, all sorts of different ammo. 2 MOA. I wanted to like it but just wasn’t working.