Howa 1500 6.5 PRC accuracy issues

grfox92

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Mar 14, 2017
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Boxed it up and will ship it back to Howa. Brownells offered no help and referred me to Howa. I read one review that was the same as my exact issue. I have given this action a valiant effort. Over 80 rounds of quality factory ammo and I was lucky to get ONE group that was .995". (the Howa standard) Most are more like 1.8" and a few were even over 2"! The fliers are always in a different direction and at different times in the group.
I bought a Ruger American Predator in .308 because of how everyone said how accurate they were. Mine shot horrific groups like 2" at best. 5 bullets and 3 powders later I contacted ruger and they asked I send it in. They rebarreled it and now it's sub MOA with 178g ELDM.

It's rare for Howas to not shoot, it's also rare for Ruger Americans not to shoot, but every company has lemons. I'm sure you'll get it back a tack driver.

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Reburn

Mayhem Contributor
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Feb 10, 2019
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Before changing the scope you should definitely try some other factory ammo. This is the most improtant variable by far.

Maybe it's just a lemon

I only find this true for "older" chamberings. If a 6.5 PRC wont shoot 147 eld-m or 143 eld-x get rid of it or send it back. That chamber was mostly designed for those bullets in mind.
 

49ereric

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Jun 21, 2022
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I have a 22-250 with a sporter barrel that would put two rounds extremely tight at a 100yds but the 3rd shot always was off an inch. Heat.
first shot or two were always repeatable on any given day.
if your rifle shoots 2 rounds or even 1 accurately on any given day then heat is the answer to your problem.
 
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razorsharptokill
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
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Oklahoma
I have had that same results where two shots are tight, then one out over an inch. I have had this when waiting only 20-30 seconds between shots, and I have had it when I wait 5 minutes.
 

grfox92

WKR
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Mar 14, 2017
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NW WY
I have had that same results where two shots are tight, then one out over an inch. I have had this when waiting only 20-30 seconds between shots, and I have had it when I wait 5 minutes.
Shoot a 10 shot group.

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razorsharptokill
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Feb 12, 2014
Messages
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Oklahoma
Will see what howa says. They should have it Thursday. Will probably be a long time before they get to testing it. They say up to 120 days in their return paperwork.
 

bpitcher

FNG
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Jan 2, 2024
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TX
Sorry to hear about your accuracy troubles. Hope they fix you up.

I just dropped the same action into a peak44. I'll get it out for break in this week hopefully.
 
Joined
Apr 3, 2013
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Somewhere between here and there
I have a 22-250 with a sporter barrel that would put two rounds extremely tight at a 100yds but the 3rd shot always was off an inch. Heat.
first shot or two were always repeatable on any given day.
if your rifle shoots 2 rounds or even 1 accurately on any given day then heat is the answer to your problem.
If heat is your issue I’d wager a guess it’s a junk barrel or a junk install. Or both.
 

49ereric

WKR
Joined
Jun 21, 2022
Messages
838
If heat is your issue I’d wager a guess it’s a junk barrel or a junk install. Or both.
Borescope says toasted barrel. Used 700 Rem rifle I got cheap 1983.
it did shoot well once I tried the 60 HP hornady but working up the load must have been the coup d'état for the barrel. In time I’ll get a vice & action wrench.
 
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