I would like to get a benchrest stock for my rifle. I have looked around and the most reasonably priced stocks are from Richards Microfit Stocks. I have read the comments on this forum that are not very favorable to Richards. The posts are from '05 and I'm wondering if their business practices have changed in the past 10-11 years. If anyone has done any business with Richards in the past couple of years please tell me, positive or negative, what your experience was. I don't have a Savage so that might eliminate some of the previous problems but delivery and fit are still something I need to think about.
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Need some advice
- Thread starter Silcom45
- Start date
Blindstitch
New member
What rifle?
Silcom45,
"benchrest" and "reasonably priced" are two things that seldom go together...
My experience with Richards is that they do need final inletting and are not "drop in" ready. I knew that going into the project and was more than happy to do the finish inletting and bedding myself. If you have plenty of time and are doing the work yourself, I don't see why anyone would complain.
Jimro
"benchrest" and "reasonably priced" are two things that seldom go together...
My experience with Richards is that they do need final inletting and are not "drop in" ready. I knew that going into the project and was more than happy to do the finish inletting and bedding myself. If you have plenty of time and are doing the work yourself, I don't see why anyone would complain.
Jimro
Let me clarify .. benchrest for me is for personal enjoyment, not competition. I have a S & W 1500 in .222 that if I do my part can put 5 rounds into a very small group. I was looking at Richards benchrest stocks as they would ride the bags better than the factory stock. As this project is not for competition I don't want to spend $400. - 600. on a stock. As I said, I've read some very negative comments about Richards on this forum and I'm trying to see if they have changed their business practices in the last couple of years. Having to do some work on the stock to make everything fit properly is not a problem. Having to wait months, then getting a stock that isn't even close to fitting (when they list a stock for my action that is a 99% drop in fit) or not being able to contact them is not good business. So the major question is .. have they cleaned up their act in the last couple of years or is buying a stock from them still a crap shoot?
Richard's bread and butter stocks are the ones on their Inventory List, anything else is a crap shoot to get in a reasonable amount of time. If you are willing to wait, Richard's will eventually get you the rifle stock. Last one I ordered that wasn't on their inventory or bargain list took over a year to get and it was for a commercial Mauser 98 action. I'd think that action was a fairly common inlet same as your Howa, but I think they run the other stock styles in batches when they get enough orders to make it worth their while.
An S&W M1500 is the same rifle as an Howa M1500 and Weatherby Vanguard. Not a bad thing in any way. Means there's aftermarket stuff available. Stocks included. All aftermarket stocks will require fitting. '99% drop in fit' is not.
A varmint stock usually has the same wide forend a BR stock does. Widens your options.
Richards Micro fit Stocks says 6 to 8 weeks for delivery.
Boyds Gunstock Industries will sell you basically the same thing(laminate varmint) for $129 in 1 or 2 days for "In stock orders". 1-2 weeks for "Built to Order gunstocks".
A varmint stock usually has the same wide forend a BR stock does. Widens your options.
Richards Micro fit Stocks says 6 to 8 weeks for delivery.
Boyds Gunstock Industries will sell you basically the same thing(laminate varmint) for $129 in 1 or 2 days for "In stock orders". 1-2 weeks for "Built to Order gunstocks".
For that application I'd go with a B&C.
https://www.stockysstocks.com/stocks-by-brand/bell-carlson/varmint-tactical.html
They make good stocks for the money. Every bit as good as HS Precision and roughly $100 less. They tend to be heavy, even the ones marketed as lightweight, I think there are better options on a hunting rifle. But for a heavy varmint or target rifle they are a great choice.
https://www.stockysstocks.com/stocks-by-brand/bell-carlson/varmint-tactical.html
They make good stocks for the money. Every bit as good as HS Precision and roughly $100 less. They tend to be heavy, even the ones marketed as lightweight, I think there are better options on a hunting rifle. But for a heavy varmint or target rifle they are a great choice.
I do stock work for a living, and I use a number of suppliers for stock blanks. You have to understand that a Richards Microfit stock is not really a stock, it is a pre-carved stock blank, and there is a lot of work required to get it from there to finished. It typically takes me about 15 hours to take a stock from a pre-carved blank to anything resembling finished. That includes inletting, shaping, sanding, and ready for finish. If I have to glass bed, add 2 hours. Contrast that to buying a drop-in stock: this takes about 2 hours for glass bedding and assembling. Then compare the prices and decide if you want to take on a project. If you want your rifle to look just like anyone else's rifle, go with the drop-in. If you want distinctive or personalized, go with the pre-carved blank.