Howa Superlite, 308, 16", aluminum bottom metal, detailed stock review and bedding

[Bidwell]

Some additional photos.

View attachment 754276
Gun weight without rail and with factory plastic bottom metal, no mag. The aftermarket aluminum bottom metal with mag body can be seen in the background.

View attachment 754275
Stock color with added brown and gray sponge design.

View attachment 754277
Chips (?) in the stock that were painted over. Seems to me that as long as Stocky's is painting a stock and not leaving it with a smooth carbon finish they are fine with whatever cosmetic defects the stock has. Their website sells blemished carbon fiber stocks (always out of stock), but I bet they use the majority of them for their textured paint jobs since they won't be too noticeable.

View attachment 754280

The top rail that comes with the gun, scratches on it from where it rubbed against some part of the barreled action. It comes taped near the barreled action, both on a piece of cardboard within a box, wrapped in a couple of places with cellophane like packaging. It weighed 1.7oz if memory serves, so almost the same weight as both Talley rings alone.

Thanks for your time! Again, I hope it's helpful.

Hi, thanks for this post. Got the superlite in 308 and having some issues with the stock. When I place the barreled action in the stock there's probably a quarter inch teeter that causes the barreled action to slip maybe too far into the stock when fully torqued to 30 in lbs. This causes the barrel to have some pretty significant contact with the forend of the stock. Would you have any suggestions for this situation? Howa said I could send back to them but it will take at Lear 3 months, could send it to Oregunsmithing, that's a month but sounds like they have a lot of experience with superlites, or I could try this myself. I can sort of wrap my head around the glassing but not sure how to add mass to the front action screw area so it doesn't dip into the stock. Was thinking shims, washers, something like that. But this could be a terrible idea.

Thanks!

 

[IAm_Not_Lost]

Hi, thanks for this post. Got the superlite in 308 and having some issues with the stock. When I place the barreled action in the stock there's probably a quarter inch teeter that causes the barreled action to slip maybe too far into the stock when fully torqued to 30 in lbs. This causes the barrel to have some pretty significant contact with the forend of the stock. Would you have any suggestions for this situation? Howa said I could send back to them but it will take at Lear 3 months, could send it to Oregunsmithing, that's a month but sounds like they have a lot of experience with superlites, or I could try this myself. I can sort of wrap my head around the glassing but not sure how to add mass to the front action screw area so it doesn't dip into the stock. Was thinking shims, washers, something like that. But this could be a terrible idea.

Thanks!

Yeah, so if you read towards the bottom of my initial post, where I show new bedding material and talk about how the barrel likes to tilt forward, I think you can get an idea of what’s going on.

The Stocky’s stock is lightweight, but it definitely needs fitting and bedding.

So my advise would be to take the action out, and just do a really simple bedding around the first inch of the barrel.

Don’t use the action screws to hold the barreled action in place after you lay the bedding, just press it in firmly and then use tape or tough self adhering straps or something.

Just watch some YouTube bedding videos and that will give you a good idea of how to do it. But in this case what’s happening with these stocks is that the front action screw pulls down the front of the barrel because the recoil lug isn’t supported underneath it, and the action screw threads into the recoil lug.

Hope that helps!

 

[Bidwell]

Yeah, so if you read towards the bottom of my initial post, where I show new bedding material and talk about how the barrel likes to tilt forward, I think you can get an idea of what’s going on.

The Stocky’s stock is lightweight, but it definitely needs fitting and bedding.

So my advise would be to take the action out, and just do a really simple bedding around the first inch of the barrel.

Don’t use the action screws to hold the barreled action in place after you lay the bedding, just press it in firmly and then use tape or tough self adhering straps or something.

Just watch some YouTube bedding videos and that will give you a good idea of how to do it. But in this case what’s happening with these stocks is that the front action screw pulls down the front of the barrel because the recoil lug isn’t supported underneath it, and the action screw threads into the recoil lug.

Hope that helps!

Interesting, thanks for the tips! As a test, I ended up shimming the lug and the flat base behind the lug with .025 aluminum pieces. Did this based on advice i hot from a few different folks. That floated the barrel and shooting ok so far but I haven't really stretched it out yet. Bedding sounds like way to go.

 

[Trapper330]

Sooo...I took the leap and bought a superlite. I dislike magazines, so I was elated to see the after market aluminum floor plate, so I bought that. Just went to shoot it and you can't load it from the top!? WTF!!!??? I see you mentioned jiggling a round in from top, or easier "throwing " loads in from the bottom!? Sorry, but that's BULLSHIT!! (Not you, the process, or lack thereof!!) Good Lord...idk. if I grind off one side will it load from the top?? I have a call in to Oregon gun smithing, but idk...Help!!

 

[Bidwell]

Sooo...I took the leap and bought a superlite. I dislike magazines, so I was elated to see the after market aluminum floor plate, so I bought that. Just went to shoot it and you can't load it from the top!? WTF!!!??? I see you mentioned jiggling a round in from top, or easier "throwing " loads in from the bottom!? Sorry, but that's BULLSHIT!! (Not you, the process, or lack thereof!!) Good Lord...idk. if I grind off one side will it load from the top?? I have a call in to Oregon gun smithing, but idk...Help!!

Legitimately just curious (still fairly new to shooting) what is the advantage of being able to single feed from the top instead of using the mag? For extended coal loads beyond magazine capacity? Also, just taking mine in for bedding. Fingers crossed it works out OK. Had it shimmed before and was shooting really well, but wanted a more reliable solution. Should also note that I got the muzzle brake from Oregunsmithing and its been great. They did send me the wrong caliber at first, which was a little scary since it only had about .003 clearance but it was fine. They fixed pretty quickly.

 

[The Guide]

It seems to me that Howa actions shoot the best when pillar bedded. Thus needs to be done so the rear of the recoil lug fully seats in the stock or gets bedded so it gets even pressure down and rear ward during the recoil impulse. This allows the action and barrel to be free floated and stress free everywhere except the connection points at the tang and recoil lug. The Howa 1500 actions in their various versions and brands could all benefit from being stress relieved in this fashion. The biggest issue I've seen from Howa 1500 rifles of any type is contact stress whether from the barrel touching, the action getting pulled uneven, or most likely, a combination of the two.

Jay

 

[Trapper330]

Legitimately just curious (still fairly new to shooting) what is the advantage of being able to single feed from the top instead of using the mag? For extended coal loads beyond magazine capacity? Also, just taking mine in for bedding. Fingers crossed it works out OK. Had it shimmed before and was shooting really well, but wanted a more reliable solution. Should also note that I got the muzzle brake from Oregunsmithing and its been great. They did send me the wrong caliber at first, which was a little scary since it only had about .003 clearance but it was fine. They fixed pretty quickly.

Just what I like i guess. Less to go wrong, meaning magazine can't accidentally fall out while hunting, not sure it ever would, but?? I like the aluminum vs. the plastic trigger guard and bottom metal, but seriously thinking of going back to just the mag. Spoke with Oregon as I can't wiggle a round in from the top, and takes too long if I need it in a hurry. He mentioned the dumping loads in from the bottom, which I'll see. I asked about grinding off a bit on magazine part that holds rounds. he said 1/4-3/8" at most so I may see if that is a fix?? Howa makes drop floorplates for other models, so maybe in the future??

 

[Bidwell]

Just what I like i guess. Less to go wrong, meaning magazine can't accidentally fall out while hunting, not sure it ever would, but?? I like the aluminum vs. the plastic trigger guard and bottom metal, but seriously thinking of going back to just the mag. Spoke with Oregon as I can't wiggle a round in from the top, and takes too long if I need it in a hurry. He mentioned the dumping loads in from the bottom, which I'll see. I asked about grinding off a bit on magazine part that holds rounds. he said 1/4-3/8" at most so I may see if that is a fix?? Howa makes drop floorplates for other models, so maybe in the future??

I see, that makes sense. If you lost the mag there's easy access.