One of the small differences in the Vanguard (Howa) actions that I've noted before can occasionally cause problems if people aren't aware of it.
The Howa/Vanguard action is one of the relatively few designed since World War II that have the front action screw going directly into the recoil lug, instead of behind it. The screw going into the lug was common on pre-WWII actions, especially the influential 98 Mauser, which is probably why so many earlier bolt-actions featured it, including the 1903 Springfield, Arisaka, etc. But the front screw in the lug can result in a bedding problem, which also resulted in one common misconception about bedding bolt rifles, back when epoxy bedding became common.
If the front action screw is REALLY tightened on such actions, it can actually bend the front of the action downward slightly, since the stock support is behind the recoil lug. Since the locking lugs on 2-lug bolt orient vertically when the bolt's closed, this can result in slightly uneven lug contact--and accuracy problems. This is probably why Weatherby advises 35 inch-pounds to tighten the action screws, which isn't all that much considering that 50-80 are often suggested for the front screw on actions with the screw behind the lug.
This is the real reason many people started epoxy-bedding not only the action itself but the rear of the barrel, back when zillions of "war surplus" 98s and 1903s were sold after the war. Bedding the rear of the barrel allowed the front action screw to be tightened hard WITHOUT bending the action--a particular problem with 98s, due to the thumb-slot in the left sidewall.
A lot of people, even today, think that bedding the rear of the barrel helps "support" it, the reason they do it even on actions with the front screw behind the recoil lug--when these do NOT bend the action when tightened hard. The Model 70 was probably the first major commercial action with the screw behind the lug, but Remington used the same placement about a decade later when they introduced the 721/722 bolt-actions, which eventually morphed into the 700.
The front action-screw placement is probably a large part of the reason both the 70 and 700 both acquired such good reputations for accuracy: The barrel on does NOT need any extra bedding support on either action, the reason they both usually shoot very well even with long, heavy free-floated barrels.
Instead, bedding the rear of the barrel on actions like the 98, 1903 and Howa Vanguard supports the ACTION, to keep it from bending slightly when the screws are tightened hard.
