On a Howa I don't tape the action at all anymore. I use to if Inwas going to paint it myself after bedding. I just fill in any hole that I don't want epoxy in with clay and use Kiwi neutral shoe polish as a release. After 2 to 3 coats of that I buff and then spray with the slide mild release for a little extra insurance. I let that dry (gas off) before I let the Devon touch it. That normally gets me the fit I want. The Howa front lug is about perfectly shaped to give you a positive exact position in the stock. If it is a solid stock and its bedded properly, you should be able to take it in and out of stock and be very close to zero.