Help with my Howa 1500

[Pareto]

I am just a beginner at both reloading and shooting centerfire rifles, neither of which I've done for more than a couple of months.

I have a question about diagnosing why the accuracy of my Howa mini in .223 has gone south. I hope someone here can advise me.

When I first got the gun, I had no problems shooting sub MOA 3x groups (not 5x though) at 100 with 55 gr PMC. Several sub half inch groups with 69 gr and 77gr ammo. The same was true at a long second range session. But at the third the shooting got worse. So I used a borescope and saw it needed a good cleaning, which I did.

Then I put the gun in a chassis and it was all over the place. Sometimes, it would shoot amazingly. 5x half inch with 77 grain ammo, but then many 1.5 to 2 inch 3x groups with PMC -- something it never did in the first two long sessions in its original wobbly Hogue stock. I loaded a variety of ammo and could get it to shoot well with some 77 grain but never with most 55.

I put it back in the Hogue stock but today I found it didn't shoot as before either.

What should I do to diagnose the potential problems? No carbon ring and no obvious copper fouling.

I also shoot off a very stable competition front rest with a rear bag, so setup so no issue with the setup, I shoot very small groups with match grade rimfires at 50.

 

[swd]

The first easiest thing to try is loosen the action screws, stand the gun on its butt, put some pressure down on the barrel towards the butt and snug the l screws back up. The recoil lug not seated against the bedding can cause those kind of problems.

 

[harro]

Muzzle crown and Scope/Bases are the first two things I’d check .
Love the Howa’s, I’ve got three of them .

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

PMC 55 fmj is not the best ammo to be testing accuracy with. What is the twist? Check scope rings and bases. If screws and screw holes were not degreased they can and will loosen up. Scope base should be pushed forward in it's slot while being tightened. Are you using a known good scope? Not all scopes are created equal. What powder are you using and how much?

Frank

 

[dantiff2]

All very good points ^^ Start with the basics. Check ALL screws with a torque driver such as a FAT wrench. I've seen this with people not checking factory scope bases, only to realize they were not tight. You'll get it narrowed down to something sooner or later ; )
Dan

 

[CJ6]

Bed it.

 

[TAJ45]

Everything mentioned so far is good advice.
With your stated ability w rf @ 50 yds, I'm betting you have flags out.
I have a W 70 action, 257 W'by, zero freebore that is an easy low .2 shooter. No kidding. BUT, the torqueing of the action screws is the #1 variable after the mounts, rings etc as far as check the simple things first.

 

[Pawnee Bill]

Have cleaned the barrel real real good? I found PMC to be pretty dirty.

 

[DGP4]

What is the barrel length profile and twist? PMC ammo is OK for plinking but not the most accurate in most guns. Remington and Winchester both made match ammo IIRC. I would start with that if you don't want to reload

 

[moorepower]

My .222 got a carbon ring pretty quickly when I first started shooting it. The throat was a little rough and collected carbon.. The .223 should be a 1-8, I think. I just trimmed the plastic stock, to float the barrel.

 

[Pareto]

It's a 1:8. I mentioned PMC because it shot so well, about 0.8 moa 3x with that cheap ammo. It was closer to 0.5 or 0.6 moa with Sig 77. I also got under an inch with a variety of low velocity handloads as well as Norma 69 g Golden target with a low of under 0.4 inches. I only shoot indoors with a bench adjustable front rest. Now nothing seems to work. I am experimenting with different torque

 

[DGP4]

With a 1:8 twist barrel, I would be using 69-75 grain match bullets for the best accuracy. In my personal experience, the Nosler 70 grain RDFs worked the best, but the Nosler 69 grain Custom Competition and Sierra 69 grain SMKs also worked well.

 

[Prose]

Scope rings and bases tight? Test accuracy with second scope if so.

 

[Pareto]

I just checked scope, screws, etc. Will go to shoot again this weekend. Checked barrel with a borescope. I don't see how I went from 0.75 averages with bulk and 0.5 moa with 77 gr to barely getting moa with match ammo and 1.5 to 2.0 moa with 55 grain. Of course 5x was even worse.

 

[Prose]

I just checked scope, screws, etc. Will go to shoot again this weekend. Checked barrel with a borescope. I don't see how I went from 0.75 averages with bulk and 0.5 moa with 77 gr to barely getting moa with match ammo and 1.5 to 2.0 moa with 55 grain. Of course 5x was even worse.

I've had a scope fail on me once where it worked great at max power but not at all other powers. Weirdest things. Good luck to you.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

IF you're NOT, a Reloader,.. try Hornady, Fiochi or, IMI ammo ( Match Bullet Weight to Barrel, TWIST ! )
Bed, the Rifle's, action / Lugs, "Free float" Bbl, Blue Loctite, the Base / Rings, Adjust Trigger to 2 to 3 LBS, Check Scope with, Shooting, the "Box method".
IF all of, the above, Fails,.. Sell it and, Buy a Tikka

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

PMC 55 fmj is not the best ammo to be testing accuracy with. What is the twist? Check scope rings and bases. If screws and screw holes were not degreased they can and will loosen up. Scope base should be pushed forward in it's slot while being tightened. Are you using a known good scope? Not all scopes are created equal. What powder are you using and how much?

Frank

YUP,.. PMC ammo, shoots about, 2 1/2" groups out of. my, ONE MOA,.. Adams Arms, Piston Rifle (1-7 twist) that easily shoots, Sierra and Nosler 55 gr. thru 69 grain, Bullets, into Sub 1" groups at, a 100 yds.

 

[Pareto]

IF you're NOT, a Reloader,.. try Hornady, Fiochi or, IMI ammo ( Match Bullet Weight to Barrel, TWIST ! )
Bed, the Rifle's, action / Lugs, "Free float" Bbl, Blue Loctite, the Base / Rings, Adjust Trigger to 2 to 3 LBS, Check Scope with, Shooting, the "Box method".
IF all of, the above, Fails,.. Sell it and, Buy a Tikka

I have started reloading using TAC for lighter bullets and SW Precision (S062) for 69-77 grain bullets. But if I can't even return to my old baseline, how do I know that any more serious problems haven't been dealt with? I was easily getting MOA or below with bulk 55 FMJ handloads with TAC, PMC or LC brass, Sub MOA with 77 gr SMKs. Now, it's all over the place. Yet the first two weeks I shot the gun, most 3x loads were sub MOA at 100 and several were sub 0.5 MOA with match ammo.

 

[Pareto]

If I can't make this work, I may just sell the original setup with Yote stock and matching telescope locally as a plinking or hunting gun for cheap. I could then get a new gun or else an inexpensive Howa barreled action from Brownell's.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I have started reloading using TAC for lighter bullets and SW Precision (S062) for 69-77 grain bullets. But if I can't even return to my old baseline, how do I know that any more serious problems haven't been dealt with? I was easily getting MOA or below with bulk 55 FMJ handloads with TAC, PMC or LC brass, Sub MOA with 77 gr SMKs. Now, it's all over the place. Yet the first two weeks I shot the gun, most 3x loads were sub MOA at 100 and several were sub 0.5 MOA with match ammo.

Something HAS changed with, your Rifle for, Group's to open up like that, after Once,.. shooting, "Well".
I was a former Gun Smith and still Build, Rifles for, myself. I'd go thru IT,.. Step by Step.
See all, mentioned advice and Step's to, Fix,.. above. ( Something's, worked itself,.. LOOSE ! )
Once you find the "Problem" it "should", start shooting good, again ! Good Luck !