Do I need a new stock?

[IdahoSkies]

I am not a rifle guy. Shotgun, check. Handgun, check. But rifles I'm still learning.

So a while ago I inherited this .270 S&W 1500 (Howa).



Today while looking at upgrading the fix powered scope to a variable powered scope I noticed some play with the barrel and the fore-rend of the stock.



There has always been a crack, but now I notice that if a push the barrel away from the stock (side with the crack) there is about 1-3 millimeters of
movement of the barrel. Its my assumption this is a bad thing for accuracy and I am wondering, is this the crack, do I need a new stock, or do I need to tighten a screw somewhere?

Might be an obvious and stupid question, but as I said before, I'm rifle dumb.

Thanks.

 

[rondog]

Have a gunsmith look it over if you can. Might just need to be tightened up somewhere. A smith could also fix that crack.

But I can also tell you there's an accurizing trick called "floating the barrel" where you intentionally create some clearance space between the barrel and the stock, so that the stock isn't exerting any forces against the barrel, so that the barrel is free-floating. About enough clearance to slide a dollar bill under there from front to back. I just did my dad's old Remington 700 like that, its accuracy was lacking. Haven't tried it yet.

 

[Jackal]

If the barrel is that wiggly, tighten the action screws. As for the stock, squirt some super glue into the crack and clamp it for a while. Will be good as new.

 

[LeonCarr]

A good glass bedding/pillar bedding job in conjunction with free floating the barrel will do wonders for accuracy, and the epoxy used for the bedding can also repair that crack. Google the terms if they are unfamiliar, but basically glass bedding and pillar bedding stabilize the action with a form fitting epoxy layer or epoxy layer with aluminum pillars surrounding the action screws so when fired the free floated barrel can vibrate consistently, enhancing accuracy.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[A-FIXER]

If I'm not mistaken that the barrel doesn't rest on the stock and should be freefloating. you'll enjoy that howa great action.

 

[adelbridge]

There are a lot of good stocks for the Howa 1500/Weatherby Vanguard/Smith 1500/Mossberg 1500. I had the Weatherby clone and it came with a stock that had a pressure point that touched the barrel. I do not doubt Howa's R&D and my gun shot well. I replaced my stock with a Axiom recoil reducing stock and it was 100% free floated and the gun shot as well or better.