Thread: Howa 1500 S/A lightweight stock options

The Alpine stock is so light because it is a thin shell over foam filler or shaper. I know this as I took to the bedding area and start of the barrel channel to add bedding material to mine. A couple of over-enthusiastic moments with the metal burr cutter on the Dremel and I found the foam on the inside. I sanded the barrel channel back to free float the light #1 profile barrel - once past the paint and primer there's not a lot of fibreglass there. I would be hesitant even to try to fit the standard #2 profile barrel.

I bedded the action in Terminal Ballistics bedding compound, making sure to squoosh (that's the technical term) into the holes I created. It's only a 223 so I'm not too concerned it will fall to bits. If I bought another one I wouldn't be so eager with removing material to bed the action.

The pros for the stock are many - it's a lovely trim shape for a hunting rifle, thin through the wrist. The shape puts my thumb straight up the centre of the stock rather than wanting to wrap it over the top of the grip. Perhaps the nicest part is how much thinner and rounder it is around the magazine floor-plate area. Sits so much nicer in the hand than a chunky Hogue.

Originally Posted by Steelisreal

The Alpine stock is so light because it is a thin shell over foam filler or shaper. I know this as I took to the bedding area and start of the barrel channel to add bedding material to mine. A couple of over-enthusiastic moments with the metal burr cutter on the Dremel and I found the foam on the inside. I sanded the barrel channel back to free float the light #1 profile barrel - once past the paint and primer there's not a lot of fibreglass there. I would be hesitant even to try to fit the standard #2 profile barrel.

I bedded the action in Terminal Ballistics bedding compound, making sure to squoosh (that's the technical term) into the holes I created. It's only a 223 so I'm not too concerned it will fall to bits. If I bought another one I wouldn't be so eager with removing material to bed the action.

The pros for the stock are many - it's a lovely trim shape for a hunting rifle, thin through the wrist. The shape puts my thumb straight up the centre of the stock rather than wanting to wrap it over the top of the grip. Perhaps the nicest part is how much thinner and rounder it is around the magazine floor-plate area. Sits so much nicer in the hand than a chunky Hogue.

Do you think it would be possible to take enough out of the channel to fit my carbon barrell ?

@dannyb - not a chance. I'll bust it out tomorrow and take pictures in the daylight. I suspect it's just not the right candidate to fit a fat barrel to.

If you know someone who does composites work you might be able to do a modification to it, though I suspect it may end up looking like those stocks carved out for fully suppressed barrels.

The length of pull might also be on the short side for someone as lanky as yourself.

I was about to post a similar thread!

Been thinking of buying the lightweight barreled action in 223 below, which I suspect is a #1 contour.
https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Fir...+Threaded.html

Wonder if it can be dropped straight into the alpine stock and be a perfect fit?

Like this perhaps? ��

Originally Posted by Synthetic

I was about to post a similar thread!

Been thinking of buying the lightweight barreled action in 223 below, which I suspect is a #1 contour.
https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Fir...+Threaded.html

Wonder if it can be dropped straight into the alpine stock and be a perfect fit?

You're correct, it is the #1 profile on the 20" lightweight. The Alpine was designed around this action and barrel profile.

The stock I got had a fair bit of excess paint on the action bedding blocks (aluminium machined and bonded into the stock). There was even more in the underside where the bottom metal fits. Once this was tidied up it fitted okay, but certainly wasn't perfect. I shot it and it went okay bolted straight to the metal bedding inserts.

I took it hunting just the once set up like this. A bit of time pushing through gorse and various other rubbish led to the rifle being very odd the next time I had it down the range trying to find out what sort of diet it liked. I pulled the stock off and a whole load of shit fell out of the area around the action - too much space for crap to wiggle in. So it got a bedding job as I knew it inevitably would and it's been great since.

Originally Posted by Steelisreal

You're correct, it is the #1 profile on the 20" lightweight. The Alpine was designed around this action and barrel profile.

The stock I got had a fair bit of excess paint on the action bedding blocks (aluminium machined and bonded into the stock). There was even more in the underside where the bottom metal fits. Once this was tidied up it fitted okay, but certainly wasn't perfect. I shot it and it went okay bolted straight to the metal bedding inserts.

I took it hunting just the once set up like this. A bit of time pushing through gorse and various other rubbish led to the rifle being very odd the next time I had it down the range trying to find out what sort of diet it liked. I pulled the stock off and a whole load of shit fell out of the area around the action - too much space for crap to wiggle in. So it got a bedding job as I knew it inevitably would and it's been great since.

Thanks alot. This is exactly what I was wanting to find out for a long time.

@dannyb

https://www.pse-composites.com/produ...r-howa-1500-sa

Having delt with PSE composites I can say they make some of the best aftermarket carbon stocks to be had.

Your barrel will fit no problem in this rigid and lightweight stock, however, I suspect price wise they will be hefty once landed in NZ.

If it's any consolation, I bought a secondhand Howa Alpine in .243 for £500 with a moderator too.

The Bansner stocks are good, but not great. Crooked barrel channel, OK factory bedding and mine didn't have a blended loading/ejection port cutout.

All the above can be rectified, but don't throw good money after bad.

Howa have bought out their own carbon shell stocks, so maybe look at that?

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

you will have to lug me 22-250 around for a day......you will think your rifle is a matchstick afterwards.

He picked mine up and nearly had a hernia

Originally Posted by Happy Jack

He picked mine up and nearly had a hernia

No wonder your so fit lugging that around

Trust me the howa is a pig, will go weigh it now

Originally Posted by Joe_90

Hey Danny, this is my bastardised howa mini action stock. I took 60mm off the forend then put the factory end back on with epoxy.
Attacked with belt sander and angle grinder to get rid of the stupid fat shape.

I started building the first half of a mould this morning. When that's done it'll be carbon fibre layup time.

Ultimately I want to get my 300blk mini action to 3kg carry weight (empty mag)

Attachment 175354
watch this space....

Just weighed my mini .223 this morning and with a DPT and 3x9 swro and it's bang on 3kg it has a High tech carbon stock on it.

Sent from my CPH1903 using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by dannyb

No wonder your so fit lugging that around

Trust me the howa is a pig, will go weigh it now

Just shy of 4.8kg but it is also quite cumbersome massive fore, the laminate stock is really more suited to prone shooting.

Might weigh my 22-250 tomorrow, but despite what @dannyb says I reckon its a flyweight

Must be a whack of weight in that carbon barrel. A standard profile howa in a boyds stock will be 3.5ish kg.

The boyds thumb hole stocks weigh about 1.1-1.2 kg
If you can get the barrel to work you will have a stock that is about 400g lighter than now.

At 4.4 kg it's still pretty heavy for a carry rifle.

Not a great return for $$ in. The lighter carbon stocks will save you another 150g on that weight so still pretty heavy.

For another hu dred bucks you can probably find a second hand howa mini or Ruger American etc that is way lighter and doesn't require faffing

Originally Posted by Nick-D

Must be a whack of weight in that carbon barrel. A standard profile howa in a boyds stock will be 3.5ish kg.

The boyds thumb hole stocks weigh about 1.1-1.2 kg
If you can get the barrel to work you will have a stock that is about 400g lighter than now.

At 4.4 kg it's still pretty heavy for a carry rifle.

Not a great return for $$ in. The lighter carbon stocks will save you another 150g on that weight so still pretty heavy.

For another hu dred bucks you can probably find a second hand howa mini or Ruger American etc that is way lighter and doesn't require faffing

Sorry that is including a harris bipod I should also point out, rifle is a known good shooter. Under moa with cheap as chips fiocchi soft points at 100 yards