Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Hogue stock on Howa 1500

Thinking of picking up a Howa in 6.5 CM with the Hogue stock. I’ve seen some negative posts on other forums, but I’ve never had a bad Hogue product personally. I’ve used their grips on several revolvers and the buttstock/forend on a Mossberg 500 with happy results.

In this rifle all I’m looking for is solid performance, I don’t want to invest a lot right now on upgrades. More or less, I just want to try out the caliber.

Am I going to hate the stock or is it pretty decent? How is the bedding if any?

It's a serviceable stock. IMO they are a bit heavy, a little thick, and the comb is a bit low

I have one on a Howa 1500 338 WM, SockPuppet pretty much nailed it. It's not a bad stock for a hunting rifle. I tend to free float my barrels, and the Howa stock is a bit flimsy on the forearm if you use a bipod. I like the rubbery texture, easy to grip in the wet.

I absolutely hate the Hogue stocks. I cannot understand why Howa doesn't put their rifles in a nicer looking stock. They are too heavy, too thick, and from what I've seen, the LOP is longer than any other factory stock that I've seen. A good example of what I'm saying.......Howa has what they call a Lighweight, yet it is in that same awful stock that the rest of their rifles come in, and ruins what might have been a real light weight rifle.

Now, having said that, my last 2 Howa's in the Hogue stocks have all been accurate shooting rifles, so there's nothing wrong with the stock from that aspect. But, if you're wanting a sleek looking rifle, and that's how I like one, the Hogue stocked Howa's are not for you.

I have a Howa 1500 6.5x55 swede with the Hogue stock and I really like the stock.

The gun shoots little tiny groups with either a sling or a Harris bipod on it.

There is good relief in the channel for the barrel to freefloat, and even though you can detect/see fractional movement in the forearm when you really tug-or-push on it, it does NOT hit the barrel and effect accuracy.

The two action bolts are bedded into the Hogue aluminum pillars, and it seems to do an excellent job of stabilizing the rifle...cannot complain about the performance.

The stock is heavier than some, but I like a heavier rifle, so it hits me just fine on weight and comes to my eye just fine when I bring the rifle up.

When I bought the rifle, I intended to put a new stock on it, if need-be, but have determined, for my use, it would be money wasted.

I have over 500 rounds through the rifle with partitions, eld-x's, and game-changers, and they are all sub-MOA. (when I do my job)

Stocks are a very personal thing on feel for the user, and you either like em' or you don't.

Good luck!

Yeah, that stock is the main reason I've never picked up a Howa rifle. Keep thinking I'll get one of the barreled actions and put a different stock on it, but the safe is overflowing now.

If you hate it, a stock from a Weatherby Vanguard will fit it.. and although I like the Hogue Stocks, ( as long as they are not the ugly black ones)... I love the Vanguard stock so much more....

That's what I did on the last Howa I had. Now, the Weatherby stock fit me much better, and didn't have that chunky feel to it, but I'm not crazy about the way they look.

I bought another Howa not long ago and tried to find an after-market stock for it, something in a Classic design, such as a B&C Alaskan, or one of the Howa Alpine stocks. Gave up and sold the rifle still NIB. The only thing I could find was an unfinished one that I'd have had a lot of money in after I got through finishing it up.

I think Howa would sell more rifles than they do if they gave you a better stock option.

Thanks guys. I’ll give it a shot before I fret about it.

The rubbery Hogue I had on a .308 had a pop-out insert in the barrel channel to allow use on heavy barreled models, which means it was thicker than really needed. Still wasn't very stiff. Buy a barreled action from Brownells, or a discounted 1500 from Whittaker, whichever is cheaper, and then get the Vanguard stock. Or, just buy a Vanguard, which unlike the Howas, is available in SS and other interesting variations. Those are good deals as-is IMHO. My $249 Walmart bargain is slicker than snot on a doorknob, and so far, a better shooter than the pretty Ruger Number 1 it replaced.

I like the ergos of the Hogue stock, but don't like the rubbery feel. The Howa Lightning had the same stock but without the rubbery texture. I just bed them at the lug and rear action screw and float the barrel and they are good to go. I have never had one set up like this that was not accurate.

If you want a 6.5 that weighs around 11 pounds by the time it is all up, it sounds like a great way to go.

Just showing off.