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Howa - A Work In Progress

Engin

Private
Minuteman
May 18, 2010
30
0
62
London, England
I just wanted to show you guys my latest toy, thats still a work in progress, but which I am very happy with nonetheless

FinishedHowa.jpg


A Howa .308 calibre with a shortened Varmint barrel (now 20 inches). The sound moderator is an ASE Ultra and makes a big difference when shooting. The action is pillar and glass bedded and the bottom metal is CDIPrecision. Did I say "Thank you, Jeff"?

If not: Thank you very much.

The scope is a PM II 5-25 P4F with the double twisty turrets.

There are some things still to be done:

1. The trigger needs lightening.

2. The scope rings. I have Fultons ones with the fibre insert to grip but prevent crushing. A good interim solution, but they are steel and heavy and I really hsve my heart set on aa one piece mount.

3. I would have preferred a Bell and Carlson Tactical Stock or similar. The one I have is not the greatest quality!

Anyway, as it stands now, the rifle outshoots my abilities so no 10 shot groups as yet. Now that I can't blame the tool, I know the "craftsman" is really a bodger!

Comments welcomed.
 
Re: Howa - A Work In Progress

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: benchmstr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">those bipod legs are stretched....you shooting at the moon?

grin.gif


good looking rifle bro...

bench </div></div>

LOL

(Cheeky Git!) :p

I think part of my problem is my shooting position. I struggle to get my neck up when the legs are open but shortened so keep losing sight picture. To get into position I had to extend the legs....

At first I thought: More practise and less weight, I really dont weigh that much, only 14 Stone!
 
Re: Howa - A Work In Progress

Get a McMillan or Manners and you wont regret it. Looks good.
 
Re: Howa - A Work In Progress

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Savage110</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Get a McMillan or Manners and you wont regret it. Looks good. </div></div>

Buying one of those stocks on this side of the Pond is going to be a problem. We have to pay an extra 40%+ in order to get them through UK companies. Its a right Royal pain in the butt and an expensive it is too!

There is a guy tthat makes Carbon Fibre stocks in Ireland, perhaps I could get him to make one up for less than the price of a first born Son....
 
Re: Howa - A Work In Progress

Well, had it on Century Range today at 300 and found that shots were not tightly grouped. A fellow shooter said that I wasn't getting the same cheek weld each time. I need to work on my technique, but also, it looks like I also need either a bag on the butt or a new stock.

Pete Lincoln has some of the B&C stocks on the shelf, but there's a thread on SH about how the alu bedded B&C stock needs some skim bedding as well...... What to do?
confused.gif
 
Re: Howa - A Work In Progress


going through the same thing atm with my howa.
a propper bedding job will hopefully make those groups my howa throws tighter. i was floating around in the 1 moa area when load testing, with that soft hough pillar stock it came with.
then with the unbedded BC medalist stock i ordered, the groups opened up considerably! i could tell from the marks on the alu block, and from the rear part where the action sits in the stock that there was some movement during shooting.
so the BC medalist stock i bought does definitely need bedding, i have it at my gunsmith now.

i could rule out that either my reloads, or the driver are the problem. my reloads shot very well out of a custom rifle from a friend, and i was abled to produce very tight groups with his gun
the best load seems to be , at least for my rifle in the old hough stock, 41,7 grain of N140 behind SMK 168 grainers , COAL 72mm. they group around 2-2,5cm 5 shot grps center to center.
i am not really happy with that accuracy. if i cant get it to shoot 2cm or better groups once the bedding is done, i will replace the barrel i think and go for 6,5x47 lapua.



looks like there is no propper drop in stock for howas besides roedals chassis system.
i fear you will need to bed it , or let it be done if you go for b&c manners or any other. try shooting off a sandbag, with a sandbag supporting the back part of the rifle, to see how accurate it really is.


i am eyeing on a CDi bottom metal aswell, does it feed flawless, and drop in well?
 
Re: Howa - A Work In Progress

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: cobaltbomb</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
the best load seems to be , at least for my rifle in the old hough stock, 41,7 grain of N140 behind SMK 168 grainers , COAL 72mm. they group around 2-2,5cm 5 shot grps center to center.
i am not really happy with that accuracy. if i cant get it to shoot 2cm or better groups once the bedding is done, i will replace the barrel i think and go for 6,5x47 lapua.

looks like there is no propper drop in stock for howas besides roedals chassis system.

i fear you will need to bed it , or let it be done if you go for b&c manners or any other. try shooting off a sandbag, with a sandbag supporting the back part of the rifle, to see how accurate it really is.

i am eyeing on a CDi bottom metal aswell, does it feed flawless, and drop in well?</div></div>

Thanks for your load info. Thats something else I'm going to have to start thinking about fairly soon. Load development. Blimey, its never simple, is it? ;-)

Drop in stocks? There are some about but on this side of the pond they seem to be very expensive. Scarily so, which is why the factory stock was bedded. I now think that the bedding exercise on that stock may have been a waste of time. The RCS stock seems okay but wont be available for a while.

The Bell and Carlsons are not quite up to standard, it seems.Its almost getting to the point where i will have to visit the USA and do some shopping in person. I might also attend one of these rifle courses if allowed by the bank manager (wife)!

CDI Bottom metal? I have absolutely no complaints. its well made if slightly oversized compared to the factory floorplate. The finish is excellent with a solid lustre. Magazine retention is good and the line-up is okay but does need a little bit of effort at time.

The onnly problem I had was when the bolt didnt pick up round but then I realised I was short stroking the bolt.