Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles HS Precision or Bell & Carlson?

Hello. I bought a Remington 700 5R mil-spec .223 with a 20" threaded barrel. It came with a HS Precision stock, green with black webbing, with palm swell. I'm having the metal cerakoted & changing the stock to a Sendero Varmint style without the palm swell. My choice is either HS Precision or Bell & Carlson both premium stocks with aluminum bedding blocks. The HS I would choose is $40.00 more than the B&C I would choose. I will be using it for bench shooting or shooting out of a truck. Which one should I go with? Thanks,
Jim D

I have had both, and really like the B & C stocks. They are the stocks I choose for all of my custom builds. I'm sure some will say HS is better. The HS I had came on a CZ527 varmint heavy barreled .223. Nice stock, but the palm swell it imployed was a bit too much for my taste. I know Mcmillian and Manners are probably stiffer and stronger but for my money the B& C stocks do a nice job. They seem to be bit less expensive as well. I would try to get my hands on a couple to see how they fit etc. I don't think you can go terribly wrong with either.

Many say HS stocks are better made but the double palm swell in the HS varmint stocks are too big for my taste.

The B&C Varmint stocks like the M40 are much smaller in the wrist which I prefer.

^^^ What Him Say (tmTonto)

On a hunting rifle both are heavier, and chunkier than I like. But for that rifle I think they work well. I've had both. Both are use the same construction and are of similar quality. I'd not pay the extra for the HS stock.

HS over BC any day. McMillan over both.

The HS Precision stocks that come on the Rem factory rifles are great stocks. Just re-profile the grip area and repaint. Boom.......Money saved!

And Im the opposite...I like the B&C version better....mainly because of ergos but I sure haven't had any issues with the durability of either.

X 100!!

No one can tell you which one you will prefer since it's all subjective, based on "feel".

Thanks guys for your thoughts. Actually, they both feel good to me when shouldered. I would try to re-construct & paint but the grip & palm swell are so large I'm afraid if I take that much off it would weaken it.
Jim D

Got a brand new HS that came off of a 700 Police 223 I'd trade for a B&C Varmint stock

OK How much heavier? I know the McMillan is the lightest but between the two B&C or HR in hunting trim which is the lightest. For the Model 700? In hunting trim.

Yeah, if you feel like sanding barrel channels, drilling out crooked pillars, nip here, tuck there, f'ed inlet, and voids in materials.

$450, $350, $250

Buy once, cry once.

I have a bunch of hs precisions and a bunch of bell and carlsons and honestly I think they both work fine for what I want them for. Some of the guns are standard contours and some are heavy barrels but I don't see a huge qc difference in either of them.

I also have a couple of bansner stocks which are ultralights and require some finish work but once fitted and bedded are superb.

I prefer the HS stock texture over B&C. The HS's I've had in sporter configuration were also smaller in the grip which I liked.

Depends on the stock...the one that came on the old rem varmint it one of my favorite...no palm swells....I have one I added a palm swell on the right side with bonds and repainted....feels great that way...

I am interested in this feedback myself. Building a 6.5 saum model 7 and am debating between these two stocks as well.

I think HS is a much better stock but they feel like a 2x4 to me. The few B/C I've had felt better and weren't bad stocks, but they sure weren't McMillan.

If you're that far in, go McMillan.