Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Stocky's carbon fiber Howa stock (blem)

Maybe I should start a new thread, but I wanted to provide some info on this rifle's 'little brother,' a Howa Mini in 6.5 Grendel that I dropped into another blemished Stocky's CF stock purchased on the classifieds here.

I bought the 22" sporter barreled action from Brownell's, which came with the usual factory extended plastic magazine and plastic bottom metal (much to my chagrin--the Q&A on the website had me convinced it was going to come with the aluminum BDL-style bottom metal that comes on the non-Mini 1500s).

All together and including several coats of paint, the rifle comes in at 5 lbs 1.75 oz. That's significantly less than the plastic-stocked Mini with the same barrel, and only a couple ounces heavier than the listed weight of the Carbon Stalker version that sells for around $900 street price. I put it together for $675 including the paint.

The stock feels good to me. It has a more slender fore-end than the LA stock on the PRC, which fits my gracile, knowledge-worker hands pretty well. Barrel is free floated and centered acceptably, if not perfectly. I'll post some photos when I get a chance.

Or cracking a nice wood stock

Factory injection molded Vanguard stock:



Stocky’s Carbon Fiber. I honestly did not expect a full pound difference but the factory stock does have a heft to it!



Unloaded at 7 lbs 5 oz seems about perfect!!





I can see in the wrist area the seams between the fiber cloth and why it would be considered a “blem”. Not a deal breaker as I’ll most likely paint it anyway.

I finally put together my 6.5 CM with a Stocky's blemished stock and gave the stock a sponge camo paint job. I also bedded the stock (my first time) using Marine-Tex since Stocky's recommends bedding. I really like the solid feeling of the stock, and the Howa action and trigger are both good.

Unfortunately, I'm struggling in the accuracy department. I've tried Hornady Precision Hunter (143 gr ELD-X), Barnes VOR-TX LR (127 gr LRX), and Nosler Ballistic Tip (140 gr) with groups averaging 1.5+ MOA. I'm wondering if I either a) screwed up the bedding, b) need to increase action screw torque, or c) this barrel may be particularly temp sensitive because I've noticed that I usually have two close shots and a flyer. Any ideas?

No offense, but that bedding looks terrible. As I imagine most of our first bedding jobs do...

Hard saying whether the bedding job is at fault, but I wouldn't rule it out when it looks like that. If it were me, I'd dig all that epoxy out with a Dremel, watch a few more YouTube videos, and try again. Don't be shy with the epoxy, either. It looks like you could almost double what you used last time. That'll take care of the big voids along the edges.

I highly doubt it's a barrel issue. And if the bedding is right, screw torque shouldn't be all that critical.

No offense taken. I was definitely more concerned about using too much than too little. I'll give it another go to see if that helps. For clarity, when you mention voids along the edges, are you saying that it should come further up the stock/action near the recoil lug?

The way I’ve always done it, it comes all the way up and oozes out. Mask off the stock well and be prepared to clean up with some squared off tongue depressors/popsicle sticks.

I’m generally bedding the full length of the action, though.

Did you bed forward of the recoil lug at all?

About an inch, yes. I don't try to "dam" the bedding compound anymore, I just let it flow under the pressure of the barrel, so the exact distance varies.

I've read this is more important on actions with the forward action screw in the recoil lug, like Howas, but I have no experience doing it any other way.

Based on the OP's post, I bought one of the Stocky's 2nds for my Cerakoted Howa 1500 in 6.5 CM. The blemish on my stock is on the pistol grip and is so minor that you'd have to look very closely to see it. The barrel channel wasn't as wide/loose as the OP's and while it is one sheet of printer paper free floated, I opened it up just a fraction more. I bedded the action and the first two inches of the barrel with Acra-Glass Gel.

This rifle came with a Hogue stock, so the change in weight, balance, and feel jumped off the chart for me, as the Stocky's stock is so much lighter that it feels like a totally different rifle. The change is definitely for the better.

The stock, with shipping and sales tax, ended up costing just shy of $300, so if I was going to buy a new Howa 1500 and pay full retail, I don't know if I would feel that having $800 +/- into this rifle would be a good value when compared to a basic Kimber Hunter. The Howa would have the stiffer carbon fiber stock, compared to the Kimber's injection molded stock, but how much actual difference is that stiffness going make for most people in most hunting situations?

As with any objective analysis, YMMV.

I have one of the carbon fiber blems. I need to take a 1/2" off the stock to shorten the LOP. Are there any precautions I need to know before cutting carbon fiber?

Sorry to resurrect an older thread, but I was hoping some people could chime in now that these stocks have been offered for quite awhile. I’m considering ordering one, but have never seen one in the flesh.


How are they holding up? Overall thoughts on them? Cheap junk? Good value?

“Good value” camp here.

Got one for my Mini Grendel and really like it.

While I don't have a mini Howa, I do have two Tikkas in this stock.

I'm in the "good value" camp. 👍