Choate Savage stock opinions

[dexter]

I've been thinking about a short range stock that I can attach a bipod to. I have benchrest(3in forend) stocks, but want something less dependent on a front rest to shoot for fun @ 100-300yds.
The three I'm looking at are all Choate budget stocks: Tacticle, Varmint & Ultimate Sniper models. What would you recommend.

 

[1885Winman4590]

I liked my tactical. They have the aluminum bedding block and the rail for mounting the bipod, and good price, I would recommend that one. Bob

 

[DogBuster]

I'll vote for the Varminter.......

Its an either love or hate with these stocks...

They are big/heavy/clunky to some

I use em on all my Savage dog gun set ups....

Pick one up.....(18#) it will feel like the next one.......

this pic...20 Vartarg...prob 16#....doesn't budge when ya pull the trigger

PS.....I have a spare camo painted 4.27 Savage if you're needin one

 

[Siko12]

I had one on a savage 10. it felt awesome was pretty heavy but for just shooting was very comfortable, however it did not match up with the action very well at all, in fact it was horrific. There was a 1/4" between the stock and rear tang. and all along the side of the action/stock there was a pretty big gap. I wouldn't buy another unless i saw some good reviews for their stocks for another make. But never again for savage.

 

[Tom Jones]

I have had two over the years. They served me well but were ultimately replaced with a chassis system. Mine fit the action fine. The problem I had was the highest cheekpiece was still not high enough for my setup. Both of mine were black which was the varmint I recall. Think I still have them in the closet.

 

[snert]

I had one and hated it for being too heavy for what it was, and terrible fit to action. It was back twenty years ago though. I couldn't get rid of it fast enough

 

[JSH]

I have six of them. Three different styles.
Nope they won’t win a beauty contest. Or, are they anything I would want to pack very far. So I won’t try to make them something they are not, nor designed to do.
For the money you will have to look a fair bit and come up with a deal of the year to beat them for what you get.
Hollow but stocks and grips, I added #9 shot and got even more weight. Now I can see my hits and get by with out a spotter if need be.
Gent above commented that his was high in the stock and he went to a chassis. My experience, the exact opposite. Optics sit fine with rings and bases to keep the scope as low as possible.
My chassis rifle, the thing sets so low I had to go with the tallest base I could find AND xtra high rings. It has an adjustable check piece, why I will never know.

 

[Randall Hardy]

I have one in a 700 sa it worked very well for prone shooting. Mine was the sniper version. If I had a Remington I would use it without question. IMO I don’t think they will ride a bag very well with the taper, but honestly never tried.

 

[nicholst55]

I have an Ultimate Sniper for a Rem 700. I glassed it to my action, and it shot well. It is HEAVY, ugly, and somewhat awkward. Definitely better suited for stationary use than a walking varmint rig, for example. I would not buy another.

 

[bsekf]

I have all Savage Long Actions and bought a Choate Tactial, the one with the slopping forend with the plate for a bi-pod. I use it for load development and find most of my action/barrels shoot best in it. I wacked it off in front of the hand hold to cut weight. I did have to drill out the action screw holes to keep it from binding. Built a rear rest that screws into the 1/4 hole in the butt. I am looking for the Varminter for a Savage LA stagger feed.

 

[DogBuster]

yes...I paint them

along with fill grip cavity with lead shot

 

[dexter]

Thanks for all the insight. Had the opportunity to try a tacticle version a while back & it fit my hand / shooting style quite well. I think that might be the route I'll take. Again, thanks for posting your experiences.

 

[bsekf]

Correction, mine is a "Sniper", have a 6x47L 20 inch bull McGowan in it. Shot a one hole , 4 shot group at 200 yards this morning. Probably the best 200 yard group ever for me. 3/8 inch. 95 Berger VDL and RL16.

Do they make the Varminter for a Savage LA stagger feed?

Bill

 

[DogBuster]

I'm sure they do......

Call Choate

 

[mauser284]

I know this is a old thread. It is 8/14/2023 I just purchased a Choate Tactical Stock with the full length bedding block. This is for a Savage Model 12SA Center feed and top bolt release.

I can not find anything at all wrong with this stock there is nothing not to like. It is solid, decent texture, fantastic recoil pad and ambi swivel studs on each side. that go through the stock.

It just arrived today and I have not put the action in it yet. I needed something that would fit a 1.25 inch barrel profile and free float it and I needed it now!

Not going to put where I got it at since they are not sponsors and might be polarizing.

It was $255 and with tax and shipping I think it came to $283 and some change.

This is a new build and the first time I have used a choate stock.

I have not taken a knife to it and probably wont but it feels like fiber reinforced nylon like Dupont 33 or something similar. I could not find anything online about the material.

 

[markT]

E Arthur Brown I have found has the best prices...
E Arthur Brown should be able to provide material composition, call them
If not, send Choate an email, they will respond.

 

[6MMsteve]

they will get the job done, I have a couple varmint and tactickle you can add a lot of shot wt in the rear, they have shot some small groups
for me

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I have an Ultimate Varmint stock on my Savage 10. The only issue I have, is getting low enough scope rings to get really comfortable when shooting prone. I looked at changing the scope for a 34mm model, finding that low rings were not available (without getting overpriced European rings)...Otherwise, I like the stock and the rifle

 

[K9TXS]

KRG Bravo

 

[Fast14riot]

Biggest improvement I have found for the varmint stocks has been making rear bag riders for them. My dad uses them because he has bad wrists and the check all the boxes. I make the bag rider from 1" thick delrin, 2" tall, 1/2" wide on the bottom. Notch goes to rear and a 3/8-16 bolt attaches into the monopod hole, I drill a small hole for a 1/4-28 screw from inside the butt and tapped into the delrin.