Looking at getting a Choate Tactical stock for my savage. Has full length bedding block, vertical grip, and adjustable length of pull.

Never laid eyes on one, no sure where I could find one to do so, but from just looking on the interweb seems to be a good bang for your $.

I would appreciate any other information or experiences or opinions you have had with them.

Not sure which model you're looking at, but I had one of their super sniper stocks on a an old savage a couple years ago and it was extremely heavy. The gun was a 20" 308 heavy barrel, but with that stock on it, it seemed to weigh 20 pounds. Just my experience with their stock. This has been probably 10 years ago and I don't know what their new offerings are like.

Thanks KRoyal, I hadn't seen how much they weigh and it isn't advertised on the websight I was looking on, but all the reviews did note it was heavy. Googled it and looks like 3.7 lbs. Doesn't seem too bad, im not to concerned about the weight, I would like it a little heavier than lighter.

Comical

Where do people even find these things anymore? What a bunch of fake TAF garbage

Im sorry BIL im slow, could you explain.

25 year old kool aid. So many better choices now that don’t suck or look stupid

If you plan on carrying one around, get a dolly. I had one of them and they are extremely heavy. They are good solid inexpensive stocks but heavy. Did I say that they were heavy?

Be happy to hear other suggestions as well, but im not willing to spend $500 on a stock so yes that is part of why I was looking at this one.

What is your price range? Wood, synthetic or chassis?

There's nothing wrong with the stocks other than weight. BIL just wants to pay 3-4 times as much for something with a famous name so he can feel good about himself.

If best or most expensive is in the name it probably isn't for me.

I'd say max would be less than $400 hopefully less than $300. Only options I have considered to this point were a factory takeoff synthetic savage stock with a varmint barrel channel ( I would need to bed) a Boyds laminate I would also need to bed and then the choate.

Not interested in a chassis, but open to synthetic/composite, wood, or laminate.

I was in the same boat several years ago. Even went as far making sure I was able to feel in person each stock I considered. Ultimately I bought a hs precision for my home build BUT I would highly prefer the Bell and Carlson ones over the Choate based purely on feel and zero usage. I just didn't like the Choate one.

I also agree, I'm surprised because these seemed to have fallen out of favor years ago.

I really like vertical grips but they make a standard too in the same.
https://www.stockysstocks.com/stock...tical-grip-2092-2096-2997-2998-2999.html

if you want the built in adjustable one. Honestly a stock bag, and maybe some ingenuity, will take of the comb height problem for cheaper than the price difference.
https://www.stockysstocks.com/stock...on-remington-700-short-action-stock.html

I have this and love it. Add a karsten adjust cheek piece to mine.
https://www.stockysstocks.com/stock...10-dm-12-bbc-stocks-pst-101-114-129.html

I had one and it wasn't as heavy as some make it out to be. 4lbs is on the heavy side but compared to similar stocks is not night and day difference. I sold it because it could not be inlet for bottom metal. That was the Varmint Stock. They used to have a Tactical version but I don't see it anymore. If I didn't want that detachable mag I would have kept mine.

Bell & Carlson $271 @ Stocky's

H & S Precision $390 @ Stocky's


Careful on backorder items though. Can we a very lengthy wait

OP hasn't said what the primary usage will be, but these are two good all-around choices. I have one of the B&C Medalist stocks on a target rifle and it works for me.

It will be used as a combination hunting/target rifle. Ill never shoot comps, just my own enjoyment of shooting a plate or target down a sendero.

May have missed something but I don't believe any of these would be ready to go without other inletting etc. for my factory bottom metal and detachable magazine.

Pick one of these that meets your requirements, then look around for best price
---> Bell & Carlson

Still some of the very best stocks available without the crazy prices & wait times.

Never say never, my good man! Wait till you see the shenanigans from the rifle match. You may want to join in next time.

Now I need to know exactly what model, every number and letter designation?
I know there are some compatibility issues with certain aftermarket stock. I had a much older model 12 with a blind mag and i shot it inside my blind hs stock (NO bottom inletting). So now I have one of those aftermarket bottom metals with an AICS mag. Btw, got my from CDI directly and for the price of shipping back and forth, he inletted my stock for free. Just food for thought.

That website stocky stocks has a little tool in the home page that canhelp you as well.

Final thought, i think laminate stocks are totally in play for me in the future because you can home gunsmith it into a great shooting rifle too. I used to hate laminate but now I have tools and learned more about their benefits if you take the time to accurize it. I hear someone is thinking about doing a gunsmithing class on here.

Totally. I'm, hooked completely. From just plain ole shooting at paper/steel to reloading to amateur gunsmithing, I love the whole bit. I used to not undersand people with multiple calibers on very similar platforms. I get it now.

If shooting from a stand don't let the weight bother you because it really doesn't matter that much.

I predominately hunt from stands or ground on fed senderos. I have done limited spot and stalk hunting in the past with a Remington sendero and it doesn't bother me to do my kind of hunting with that gun at 10+ pounds scoped and loaded.

The rifle started life as a Savage Model 14 American Classic. Wood stock, bottom bolt release, detachable magazine with the release on the bottom metal. Its currently a 243 but I have a varmint contour 7mm08 barrel due to arrive any day now.

I have one (Choate Tactical) on my Savage 12 FV 223 Rem, Criterion 26" barrel. Its a heavy rigid stock. I didn't bed mine and it regularly shoots 5 shot groups in the .3s and have a occasional groups in the high .1s You're welcome to check it out if you want if your in the DFW area.

Sounds like the major draw back to the Choate is weight. I am also going to be using a 26" Criterion. Do you happen to know what yours weighs in at all said and done?

Well, I don't know where you are are even what you do with your free time but it seems to me like you have the answer in your hand already if "it were me." If that factory stock is not of much value to you then I'd install pillar and partially bed the action. It will certainly be cheaper but it will require alot of work and trails (and failures) through the learning process. Some wood working tools, nut wrenches, torque wrench, etc.

I use the quotes because now I've caught the bug and started messing with home gunsmithing. I bought some tools, like a very specific piloted bore bit and barrel but wrench. But also things like a work space, bench vice, torque wrench, etc. were all general purpose tools I had before.

Keep in touch as I might me able to help you save some costs if you choose to go this route of home gunsmithing. I freely lend people in my personal life tools all the time. Maybe we can work something out.

now that i think about it, would yo ube willing to sell that stock if you choose to go another direction?

Thanks for the help. I am in San Antonio, so a ways apart. I have already bedded the factory stock and it helped a lot. I looked into opening up the barrel channel on my factory stock, but I don't think there is enough material left to accommodate the varmit contour barrel and still stay rigid. Additionally I plan to keep the 243 sporter weight barrel and stock in case I ever want to use it again.

I'll see if I can weigh it this afternoon when I get home and get back to you. Its pretty heavy, I think the barrel is a Light Varmint contour but may be a regular Varmint contour. It has a pretty heavy scope as well, Sightron Siii 8-32X56mm. I don't hunt with it just use it to shoot paper and steel. It really likes 77 gr TMK over 24.1 gr Varget in Lapua brass.

Many thanks BigDad, I'd be interested to look at it, but its quite a drive from SA.

I'll take some pictures and send them to you.

I think my setup weighed 13 plus pounds, assembled rifle with scope. Barrel was 26" bull barrel.

Contacted Bell & Carlson, looks like I overlooked one of their models that will accommodate my configuration.

I have 3 of the Choate stocks, 1 tactical and 2 ultimate varmint. They are heavy, a little wide on the forearm end but they are built solid. I wouldn't carry one around for hunting but they work well for bench shooting.

Yep, I provided a link to B&C website / Savage stocks earlier.

What color are you thinking about?

Yeah the Choate stocks are heavy but they are tough as nails.

You will probably find Jimmy Hoffa before you break a Choate stock.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

It weighs 12.79 lbs per my digital scale. I measured the barrel diameter and it is a regular varmint contour.

Its a "fake TAF garbage" stock on a "ugly Savage".

Yes you did, thank you. I missed the model that will work for me but did send and email to them and they got back with me within the hour. Appears to be good service and I like the look of it in tan with black web or olive with black web. Probably go olive. Thanks again.

BigDad, Thanks for taking the time out of your day to share your experiences with it and the pictures. I do appreciate it.

Beautiful gun Bigdad. Digging that grey granite as well