Thread: Lightweight chassis/stock for Howa 1500 223?

at that price it better carry itself up the hills!!!!

That Deltamike carbon stock looks good, and weight is good, but at $1099 its exactly the cost of a whole new Howa Mini 223. Cost/benefit disappearing there..

@Bill999 can you explain further yr experience with the Howa lightweight stock. You mention "they are pretty janky and shit (xcel lite)" - think I get it but can you detail reasons for me. Something tooo flimsy and plasticky would not suit me. A Howa mini lite in Xcel lite stock just popped up on sale here now..

Thanks

@mudgripz the Excl Lite Chassis was never as Lite as it was supposed to be, and the polymer forend is not stiff. It twists quite happily.

However, having used it since it finally made it to NZ, after my initial disapointment, I have absolutely loved it.

It is crap and janky on initial handling, but it is by no means a crap stock.

The twistable foreend actually comes in bloody handy when shooting off a bipod.
There is more than enough clearance between foreend and barrel, that it has never been an issue.

Originally Posted by AR7

Hi after fitting Wingmans light weight chassis to the mini .223 every other brand of Howa mini stock just feels far toooo HEAVY
Mind you i rather like pistol grips after owning the AR15 .i shoot left hand and recycle the bolt with my right , leaving my trigger hand on the grip close to the trigger .. Hope you find what youre looking for Cheers to all

Interestingly, my Howa Mini 223 in EXCL Lite chassis with a Leupold VX-R Scope & DPT Suppressor weighs the same as my Howa Mini 6.5G in Elude Chassis with Leupold VX3 & DPT Suppressor...

Guess I need to know with Excel Lite is how absolutely stable chassis/bedding is, how much flex/rigidity in butt section, and any possibility forestock touching barrel.

And is it still a typical Howa - a genuine consistent sub MOA shooter?

the butt is a collapsable ar15 type if that gives you any ideas
Iv already added packers to mine so its wobbles less
they are great value for what they cost but I would much prefer the wingman version that didnt exist when I got the xcel

the front can twist rotate 30 degrees each way

Id much prefer a jeffferson floor plate and carbon fibre stock but the cost of those combined is more than a second hand kimber

I do like mine and probably wont go to the effort of replacing it due to costs/hassle but I wouldnt buy one in your position
Id say if you handeled someones complete howa mini in one of these stocks you would know within a minute whether the money was well spent or not for you

my mini will do an inch at 100m with hornady 55gr sp

Thanks guys.. and Bill that's exactly the info I'm looking for.

I'm going to pop into GC here next day or two. They have a number of Howa Minis including in EXcel Lite stocks so will be good to play with one.

Originally Posted by mudgripz

That Deltamike carbon stock looks good, and weight is good, but at $1099 its exactly the cost of a whole new Howa Mini 223. Cost/benefit disappearing there..

@Bill999 can you explain further yr experience with the Howa lightweight stock. You mention "they are pretty janky and shit (xcel lite)" - think I get it but can you detail reasons for me. Something tooo flimsy and plasticky would not suit me. A Howa mini lite in Xcel lite stock just popped up on sale here now..

Thanks

2/3rds a new tikka price,must have self guided bullets in it.

Alright... I learned yesterday that GC has the Howa Mini 223 in Excel Lite stock on the shelf here, so this morning went in to have a play with it. Interesting. In 2 minutes I found it was not for me. May suit others very well but the lightness, movement in stock etc just aren't my cup of tea. Then had good look at the Howa Mini again - they're in the Black Friday sale (includes saturday and sunday) - and again not so impressed. Basically the earlier Howa 1500 like mine is better made, better action..

I think I'm stuck with my heavier 1500 setup - don't laugh too hard Micky - though may explore a carbon stock if one pops up at reasonable price. And just might look at the 10 shot magazine conversion for mine - available from Delta Mike for $170. Box mag very handy in truck at night when you're bombing bunnies or wallabies in big numbers.

Lambing/tailing finishing in Tekapo/McKenzie in couple of weeks so we'll be back shooting there shortly. Great place to visit. Will give this present 1500 another blast or two and see then what mods I might make to it.

Many thanks to all for some helpful advice. Mudz.

Yeah Id say i could cure you of all this chop and change ideas just by loaning you mine to hunt with for a day but yeah bit far for that

the mags also suck (double stack but single feed), fully plastic, noisy and poke out way too far, spongy spring and the mag drop latch is wildly oversized and realistically dont feed that well at best
they mostly dont help me in any way as I tend to shoot 2 shots at most per walk so your milage may vary

Ouch!! No such mag probs with the model 1500. Saving me alot of money Bill...

There are tons of mtd options that aren’t bad and give better magizine options but they are quite pricy and tend to be over 1.1 kg at a minimum from memory, if one of the early alpine stocks or stockies stocks pops up I’d say that would be the best you could hope for that cost less than say a whole new skinny barrel 223


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