Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Howa Bell and Carlson

I would really like to see photos of Howa or Weatherby Vanguard rifles with B&C stocks or other aftermarket stocks. I’m not too impressed with the Hogue stock on the Howas I’ve seen.

I've never been impressed with Bell and Carlson

If you can find one, the Bansner stock that came on the Alpine models seem to be pretty well liked.

Bansner is the way to go

I bought a B&C for my Howa and ended up sending it back because it was bent like a banana and the recoil pad was very poorly fitted. Ordered an H.S. Precision instead and it's MUCH better. Particularly so because the H.S. is built to your specs as to length of pull, number and location of swivel studs, recoil pad and colors.

+1 and there is no one even close.

+2 My daughter loves her Alpine stocked .308.

I just took a McMillan Edge off of a Howa 6.5x55 that I just sold. It completely transformed the feel of the gun. I am going to post it up on the classifieds when I get un lazy. Gonna go cheap too.

Butler Creek used to make a black synthetic classic-style stock for the Howa action.

You can buy a Bell & Carlson Medalist in what they call a "Weatherby style" for under $300 from Stockey's or you can buy a Vanguard2 stock from Weatherby for $130 or on eBay for about $70. Both stocks are superior to the stocks that Howa puts on the lower priced 1500s.

GPC is still selling new, old stock, walnut stocks that were made for the S&W 1500 and 1700LS.

I am well satisfied with the Weatherby style B&Cs on a couple of my short action Howa 1500s and the V2 take-off on my 1500 in 6.5x55.

The B&C with the aluminum block is heavy. Look around for an Alpine stock, buy one from L.A.W., or wait for Bansner to get tooled back up. The last two will take some fitting, I believe.

The Weatherby Griptonite is one of the best Tupperware stocks I've used, much prefer it over the standard Howa, especially the rubberized Hogues.

I put a Boyd's laminate on a .308. It was heavy, with a lot of extra wood, and the thin section at the root of the bolt handle was chipped out, leaving a gap. If I ever get another, it's going to get shaved down, a lot.

Brownells sells walnut stocks that look close to drop-ins. Might need finishing. About $215.

Boyd's Laminate

Both my weatherby vanguard and howa heavy barrel 308s wear B&C full alum bedded medalist stocks. No complaints, drop in fit, and no recoil. Both were accurate guns before the change and that hasn't changed....the bedding gives me confidence in consistent torque for action screws.