I guess I have to make a least some comment on this thread.
Someone you might try is Bruce Baer:
http://www.baercustomrifles.com/stocks.html
For those who have complained vociferously including the Forum Boss on the other thread quoted, I suggest that they could have simply sent the stock back if it did not meet their needs or desires. Richards has a 100% money back guarantee which they will honor if you are unhappy. Yes you have to pay for the return shipping. I had to send one back because they used the wrong inlet but they took it back then made me the correct one.
I have ordered and used over a dozen of the laminated stocks from Richards. Are they perfect drop-in ready to bed? Nope. But it certainly didn't take me anywhere near 'days' to finish sand the outside to my satisfaction. Since most of the inlets I require are simple tubes, rarely is there anything wrong with those as long as they get the line straight.
i think I have 4 of the Benchrest/Thumbhole/Cheekpiece stocks currently, all for F-Class and long range benchrest. The thumbhole had to be expanded on all of these since I seem to have bigger thumbs than the average shooter.
Three of the 4 have been clear coated while the fourth was sent off for hydrographics. I'd post photos but everything is in storage until I get resettled in my house from this last move.
You will not find anything less expensive unless you find something by chance at Stockys. I have ordered 4 stocks from Stockys and returned all four. They are always close but not quite right for some odd reason. I'm paying for a finished stock from them so I shouldn't have to do any work unless I know from the start that the barrel channel needs to be opened.
Other than Boyds, you will be stuck with rapidly escalating prices especially from the custom guys. Extreme popularity allow one to continually raise prices until the orders start to slow down. Supply and demand. However, this is still plywood and I think that deserves some consideration. I won't be paying $900 for some plywood but I can machine my own from an inexpensive blank by investing my labor. It won't have their name on it but it will be mine or a client's.
One of the best investments I made for F-Class was a Carbon Fiber stock from Tom Manners. His F-Class stock is superb and has a longer forearm to balance out the longer barrels we sometimes stick on these rifles. Expensive? Yes. Long wait? Yes, unless you get in on the run in progress. The McMillan F-Class is a fine stock also.
There are chassis which I enjoy shooting also but they are all out of your price range. Gary Elisio makes one of the finest. He is a member here.
