I've a Howa in 6.5X55 that is a good shooter, but the OEM stock is a bit heavy and 'tacky' feeling, I believe it is made by Hogue? Has anyone found a good aftermarket stock for the Howa? I notice that B&C make one, but not sure if anyone else does?

Thanks for the help,

Tim

McMillan Sako Classic in the fill of your choice.

McMillan Edge.

Howa's are the heaviest actions you can buy and even with McMillan's lightest stock on it it'll be a heavy rifle. But the Hogue's are about the heaviest stock so when you combine the 2 you get a boat anchor.

If you don't want to spend $600 a B&C Medalist is $300ish and a decent stock. They are still heavier than I like (about 32 oz compared to 22-24 oz for an Edge), but much lighter than the Hogue. Some of those I've weighed were over 3 lbs.

How much do you want to spend?

I think that the Weatherby Vanguard2 stocks are a huge improvement over the factory Hogues and they can be regularly found on eBay for under $100.

$300+/- will buy you a B&C Medalist, which is a nice stock, but, at least IMO, not enough better than the V2 stock to spend another $200+/- on.

$550+/- will buy you a standard McMillan, not an Edge, which is probably the best buy if you plan to keep this rifle for a long time and shoot it a lot.

I have a Howa 1500 in 6.5x55 and went through a couple of different stocks before I decided that I liked the V2 stock better than the others that I'd tried, including an old style of B&C. I don't like it enough to justify buying a McMillan for it, so it will probably stay as it is until it goes to a new home.

Thanks for all the info. I really do like the way the rifle shoots and the 6.5 Swede is one of my very favorites.
Therefore, I think it might be worth it to invest in a McMillan .

Awhile back I put a McM McM Hunter style on a short action V2 in 6.5 Creedmoor and it made a good rifle great.

Don't overlook the Bansner/High-Tech/LAW stocks.

They have them on the Howa Alpine's and can be had for (usually 300 unfinished, or $300-400 finished/used) the Howa and can come in around 24-26oz and would do you well.

On the cheap a used weatherby vanguard stock off eBay will fit. Not the lightest but solid stocks.

TDN,
I will give those stock brands you mention a look also. Bangeye, I am looking for something considerably lighter than the Hogue that the rifle is fitted with now.
Thanks for the input, guys!

I’ll 2nd what tdn said those stocks are awesome and totally change the feeling of the howa.

Howa Lightweight in .308, Sako Classic 50/50 orange/black McSwirley.

Neat looking rifle. Especially in authentic Halloween camo... Homesteader

Beat me to it!

I absolutely hate the stock on my Howa Lightning. It's too bulky, and the LOP is longer than I like. I've thought about changing it out, but honestly hate to spend more for a stock than I did for the rifle. I know.....I'm being a cheapskate. But.......have looked at the stocks on Ebay that are Vanguard takeoffs. Are those stocks really any better than what's on the Howa now? I don't want to buy another piece of firewood.

The Vanguard stocks changed over the years and the style that I like is from the current production Vanguard2. These stocks are gray with "Griptonite" inserts on the pistol grip and forearm.

GPC has a couple of different short action styles of new, old stock, walnut stocks that were leftover from when Smith & Wesson was selling bolt action rifles built on the Howa 1500 actions that they are selling in the $140 to $170 range.

I've looked on Ebay, and there are a ton of stocks for the Howa/Vanguard rifles.....but most are either advertised as being made by Hogue, or else they look like a Hogue. Which is exactly what I do not want. I know it's a matter of pricing, but it appears to me that Howa would wake up and realize that those stocks are probably costing them some sales.

Vic,
I like the looks of that! What does it weigh, all up?

You can buy a new current production Weatherby Vanguard2 "Griptonite" stock directly from Weatherby for $139 plus shipping.

www.weatherby.com

Yeah, this, definitely. The Hogue is a boat anchor. My Alpine rifle had a Bansner stock that was a complete game-changer in terms of handling. They're also among the best-looking stocks I've ever seen. A Howa will never be a true lightweight, but that's not always a bad thing. A Bansner stock will shift the balance well forward, which will make it hang very nicely for offhand shooting.


Okie John

I had to make a quick trip to Owensboro, KY yesterday, and made short stop at Whitakers. They had several of the Howa Alpine rifles in stock, and the stock on them is among the best looking and fitting stocks I've seen. If Howa can put a stock like that on their top end rifle, surely they could find something of an improvement for the stocks on their other rifles.

Thanks, I'll look that up.

My Daughter called it "The Pumpkin" the first time she saw it, right after I put it together.

The name has stuck. I don't normally name rifles, but everyone in my hunting circle calls it that.

It's the rifle I carry the most, so it sees a fair amount of use.

It weighs seven pounds nekkid. Sling and 4 cartridges aren't real heavy.

Howa's definition of Lightweight is a little different than others, and I don't like them too much lighter.

I took a Howa Lightning 308 with a fixed 6 weaver and 3 shells and a sling bedded into a high tech specialties stock and on a postage scale the gun weighed just a touch under 7 lbs. The whole gun felt a lot better after the stock change and was worth the expense.

That sounds like a good weight, for carrying and shooting, both.

All hail the Pumpkin!!

Yes. Hogue overmolded stocks need to go away forever.


Okie John

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to posting to this forum, but have been reading and getting helpful info from here for awhile... Does anyone have an idea on the weight of the Vanguard 2 "griptonite" stock? I was pleased to find out that these are available to purchase directly from weatherby. I have a Howa 1500 6.5 creed that I bought a few months ago. Great rifle. Shoots the barnes 127 gr LRX into nice little groups. However, as everyone has already said, the hogue stock sucks. I bought the rifle with the plan of replacing the stock but haven't yet. If the "griptonite" would save me 6+ ozs. it might be just what I'm looking for. If not, I'll probably go B and C.

As an aside, the Howa I got was the Kuiu version, which is available with the light contour 20" barrel, and the milled out bolt knob and receiver. This makes the usually portly Howa action a little more svelte. And it comes from the factory with cerakote. Also, the hogue stock is dipped in a Kuiu camo, which I could care less about, and I'll probably be selling once the new stock is determined. Cool thing is, this is exactly the Howa Alpine Mountain rifle, just without the nice light Banser/LAW stock... But for $499 from sportsmans warehouse... Worth checking out if anyone is in the market.

Thanks,
Andrew

HS precision has a few options available for the 1500. Might be worth checking out.

340,

I have two Sako Classics in standard fill and one Sako Hunter in EDGE. I much prefer the feel and weight of the Sako Hunter EDGE to the other two. But the Classic looks more better. Either way you won't end up with a horribly light gun though.

That being said, the Basner/Do It Yourself thing would be pretty tempting. irfubar has a couple and they're nice.

Even more tempting would be to trip your current rig and buy an Alpine in the 6.5 Creed.




Travis

I fight that impulse every day.

I handled one at Whitakers the other day, and it almost went home with me.

Travis,
Thanks much for the info. Lots of options out there, more than I would have thought.
As far as my Howa 6.5 Swede goes, I love the caliber, and the rifle, other than that blasted stock, is very impressive. However, I might just buy a 6.5 Creed at some point anyway?

Then I would order a McMillan or hope to find a used one.

I take it you need a LA?




Travis

I have a 1500 in that dang Hogue stock. It's like carrying a heavy 4x4 post around. But the damn thing just is an incredible shooter. I am scared to mess with anything, sure as hell if I so much as pull it out of the stock once it'll be an ordinary MOA rifle and I just cannot make myself mess with it. The damn thing will almost produce round hole groups when I have a good day.

Yessir, though I still always have a hard time thinking of the 6.5X55 as a 'long' action cartridge? I mean, when I think 'Long Action'' I think something on an ought-six case and the Swede is sort of a 'inbetweener' that way.