I do not have a Howa, but have had several factory issue Hogues on Rugers. I currently still have a Hogue on a 10/22 and a Mini-14. These will likely remain in place.
I personally don’t care for the semi-beaver tail / fat forends of the Hogue. I will say, I have never noticed much grouping differences between the factory pillar bedded Hogue and replacement McMillans that were bedded.
I now have several Bell & Carlson stocks on Winchester M70’s.
Overall, I like them. No they ain’t - a - McMillan. They are not the lightest either, but several ounces lighter than the H-S Precision’s that I have.
As mainer_in_Alaska stated, the paint is not grippy. But, I find the same with McMillan’s moulded-in-color stocks, slick even with the checkering. The B&C paint slickness can be remedied, if troublesome. It seems to me, after the initial runs of BACO M70’s the grips were slimmed down. I have a take-off factory one that seems fatter than the ones that I have purchased from B&C later on.
Thus far, I am pretty satisfied with the B&C’s. I have certainly not had any greater fitment issues with a B&C than I have had with any others, which includes McMillan’s.
A Ruger B&C stock and 3ea M70’s arrived a few days ago. To me, definitely an improvement over the factory Hogue and plastic M70 stocks.
