Any decent bolt action should group better than 4 inches at 100 yards. Fliers are often shooter error. You have to be really steady and consistant to get those 1 inch groups everyone likes to see.
Scoped, I assume? Check all the scope mounting screws, make sure they are tight. If you have another scope available, it wouldn't hurt to try it so as to eliminate the original scope being the issue.
Buy a can of Outers Foamy Foul Out, and use it to clean the bore. Copper fouling can make a big difference in accuracy, and is sometimes hard to spot.
Make sure the action screws are tight. Run a piece of paper under the barrel, and slide it from the front to the rear. Check for spots where the stock is pushing against the barrel, creating uneven pressure. Eliminate these with a fine scraper, or by sanding.
Free floating a barrel is not hard. Some guns like total free float, some like a little upwards pressure on the barrel near the forend. Experiment. Forend pressure on the barrel can be created with a business card or two, and made permanent with a little bedding epoxy.
Try several different factory loads to see what the rifle likes.
Shoot from a bench rest, using sand bags, with the forend and butt of the gun supported. If you see movement of the cross hairs while you are shooting, the gun is not properly supported. Wait a minute or two between shots to keep barrel temp. consistent.
Most bolt actions can be made to shoot with these basic techniques. Howa made rifles are known for their good quality and accuracy.
Larry