Alternative stock options for Howa short action varmint barrel

[treeman]

PM sent Theron

[Bauermn]

Can you also tell me how to strengthen the stock with epoxy, i see there is cavities in the forend part of the stock. Can i fill them with epoxy?

[Gidsie]

I filled the cavity with steenvas Epoxy one of the best epoxies available to us here in SA other than Devcon..

[treeman]

Can you also tell me how to strengthen the stock with epoxy, i see there is cavities in the forend part of the stock. Can i fill them with epoxy?

I tried mailing you box fullor ?. Phone me 0024141818 its easier to talk your options

[Gustav Howa]

I see this topic has not been revisited in a while...
I have just received my Howa 308 bull barrel, came with the pillar bedded Hogue stock.
And with a bipod was way too flexible.
The following is what I came up with, it did improve the stiffness quite a lot.
Still haven't shot with the rifle....

IMG_20171119_105936.jpg
IMG_20171119_105955.jpg
IMG_20171119_124238.jpg
IMG_20171119_125152.jpg
IMG_20171120_211646.jpg

[Gustav Howa]

And the remainder of the images..
IMG_20171121_135700.jpg

Ok, will post the rest later, seems I exceeded my quota for the day....

[BBCT]

Hi Gustav

Would you mind posting a description of what you have done & perhaps your reasoning?

I can't work out what those cylindrical camo-looking things are and don't understand what the plywood (?) has to do with it.

[Gustav Howa]

Ok, the plywood looking part is actually PC board material, "Glass Reinforced Plastic", and I figured that somehow attaching it on top of the internal structure would sort of function as a second "spine".
The camo thingies are sections of carbon fiber arrows, mainly to act as light weight fillers in the cavities, since this rifle is already flippen heavy.
The cavities was then filled with slow set hobby epoxy, to just under the level of the ribs.
Once the epoxy had cured, I put a thick layer of Wurth Bond&Seal on top, and pressed the GRP spine onto the ribs, letting the sealant push through the holes, and then smoothed the lot down.
Very messy process, but until the sealant cures, you can get your hands mostly clean with methylated spirits :-)
I can't post the last images, seems I used up my quota.....

[Gustav Howa]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lqhxvlim2...8Fs4y5oMa?dl=0

All the pictures I could and could not post....
This setup is seriously unbalanced weight wise, so I removed the recoil pad, and filled the hollow butt with what remained of the Wurth.
There was still space left, that I filled with black automotive silicon, and a handfull of lead shot I had from some previous project.
From banging down the stock, to settle the Wurth, I did some cosmetic damage to the front of the stock :-(
As it was, the barrel was too close to the front edge, so I used a Dremel to mostly fix all that.
Balance is much better, but with the bipod and Vortex scope, this now is one heavy mother....

[Gustav Howa]

Well, I am disappointed.
Now had two shooting days, the first was mainly to shoot in the barrel, shoot one shot, clean, repeat, again, and again......
Last 5 shots put the Vortex on, aimed at a 24" gong exactly 200 yards away, no spotter...
All of them missed, somewhere.....
Also had my trusty old iron sight 303 with, and 17 rounds I needed to shoot out, to properly anneal the cases afterwards.
First seven to dial in the wind, next ten on the gong.

I realised afterwards that although I zeroed the scope in azimuth, my elevation was way off.
So, trusty green laser on house 75 yards away, zero through barrel, zero on scope.
Last weekend, three shots to get onto the gong, hit another 4 or so, afterwards all misses....
Took out the 303, first shot on the gong, followed by a bunch more, with switching winds.
I don't like this Hogue stock, it is too long to shoot off a bench with my scope, and it still has some movement.
Although, a lot less than another person with an unmodified Hoque stock, that also was there.

Giving up, getting a GunWarrior Gen4, to hell with my retirement money