Sako action, Howa stock

[Grizzly Adams]

So, I've got a Sako AV that I want to put a nicer stock on, now that it has a Ron Smith barrel. Boyd doesn't make a stock to fit the Sako, but they do make one for the Howa 1500, which I've been told will work. Claims out there that he Howa action was basically copied from the Sako. Anybody do this switch ? Thanks

Grizz

 

[sgt.rock]

Never did it, but own a couple of Howa guns, and I have heard the same thing, on many occasions. I think it will work, but , like you, would like to hear first before dropping the coin and time to do it.

 

[sunray]

A Howa 1500 is exactly the same rifle as a Weatherby Vanguard. HowaThere was a guy on .longrangehunting.com's forum who claims the early Sako L and AV series receivers were "almost identical' to Vanguards. Said he used one for his demo video for his bedding compound. This one, I think. In any case, it'll require a bit of fiddling, but it's supposedly doable with little fuss. Boyd's stocks require fitting anyway.
http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/Bedding+a+Rifle+With+MatchGrade+Bedding+Compound.html

 

[Neilm]

Not sure that I would lay out money for a Howa stock on the hopes that it would fit. It may have been the same contour as the old finnbear action but Sako has changed the profile of their action over the years and some used the old Tikka style recoil lug. Western Gun Parts may have a stock but you need the model number.

 

[Dosing]

I would take a look at various manufacturers and see if they class them together, or just call them. (Bell and Carlson, McMillian etc)

 

[David Henry]

Stock fitting

Many years ago I put a Howa 7mm mag barreled action into a Sako L61R deluxe stock, there was a difference in the length of the trigger guard and at the rear of the tang which left a gap in those areas the barrel channels didn't match up but glass bedding solved most of the cosmetic differences. You are planning to do the opposite with a howa stock to a Sako Barreled action so I think that you will find with a little fitting time you should make out alright. Good luck, David.