Howlett Custom Stocks

As a rabid competition shooter, I’ve spent much of my life in pursuit of ultimate accuracy. Irrespective of discipline, the shooting sports demand the same from any prospective shot- namely to hit the target. Accurate shot placement is basically what it all comes down to, and much time, money and energy is invested, in a bid to achieve this goal. Whether hunting in the field then, or competing in Field Target or HFT, the demands are the same.

So what determines ultimate accuracy? Well a high quality barrel, predictable trigger, and consistent power plant, all have to be in place, if the gun stands a chance of producing good down-range groupings. But this can all stand for little, if the stock in which the action sits, is less than satisfactory. Standard factory designs are all well and good, but with many made down to a price, it’s an area where obvious savings can be made on manufacturing costs. Offering a ‘one size fits all’ design will always be a compromise and that’s where specialized, custom manufacturers come into play!

MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE

Making alterations to a standard stock can make a big difference, but going the whole hog, and fitting a full blown custom unit is the only way to go for many, to maximize control, and make the rifle fit the shooter. Howlett Custom Stocks is a relatively new name on the scene, but they’ve already hit the ground running with some stunning creations. All aimed with one thing in mind - to allow the shooter to extract maximum performance from any given rifle combination.

Michael Howlett lies at the heart of the operation and is understandably proud of the finished product. A joiner by trade, he decided a while back to combine his hobby for shooting, with his skills as a craftsmen and the result is what we see here. Michaels’s stocks are fashioned from laminated birch, which is wholly practical, and visually striking. Alternatives can be looked at, although these will be priced accordingly.

LAMINATE

Why laminate? Well as many shooters are well aware it represents the most stable form of wood i.e. it’s impervious to the elements. Where extreme temperatures change can actually warp many one-piece wooden gunstocks (causing the dreaded zero shift as the action is pulled slightly out of alignment), laminate remains stable and true. The secret lies in its construction- being formed from many thin sheets of wood, bonded together, layer upon layer under pressure. The stock making process itself is intriguing. Michael starts by making drawings of the customer’s rifle and after looking at various designs with the client, further features are added, and modifications made as discussed. A template is then made up, which shows where the fixings will be, and the blank is then cut to the rough outer pattern. Michael makes all his own stock blanks incidentally, by bonding five sheets of Birch plywood. Each sheet is formed from nine layers, so the final bonded blank is incredibly strong and stable.

The action recess (void) is milled out using a router with the rest of the operation entirely finished by hand. The configuration is fashioned to a tried and tested formula in many cases after initial measuring up, but if a full fitting session is required, for a bespoke design, then an additional fee is charged.

Fine sanding precedes the dyeing process, and at this stage the choice of colours is impressive. Some may admittedly seem garish to some, yet consider many modern match air rifles, and bright red or blue laminate is actually ultra trendy. For the more conservative among us, myself included, the subtle green hue is rather pleasing to the eye, especially as it accentuates the attractive grain on show. Whilst laminate may lack the mouth watering swirling grain and colour of a tasty piece of walnut, for example, there’s no doubting the attraction, not to mention technical advantage, of the finished product. Again, personal choice of colour can be discussed, and mixed as required. Several coats of the dyeing process await.

FEATURES

Michael’s stocks offer many advanced features, which, whilst of interest to the competition shooter, can be equally useful for the hunter. Indeed, the demands of hunting, to be pin accurate for the sake of a clean kill, should be born in mind. Custom stocks can therefore be of great benefit to all.

Take a close look at the butt end, and design and function clearly lead the way. A high quality rubber butt pad is fitted on an adjustable plate, so the shooter can experiment until the setting is just right. Likewise, a fully adjustable cheek piece can be set to give perfect eye scope alignment. Socket heads and brass inserts are used throughout, adding a further quality feel to the finish. In addition, the design incorporates a full 90°, drop-down target grip, including both thumb shelf and palm rest, so fine handling is most definitely on the cards.

Throw a deep forend and adjustable hamster rail into the mix and standing, kneeling and sitting shots, can all suddenly be taken with confidence. Full support is the key, meaning the shooter is no longer straining to get their head down in the right position, as the design cossets and guides the body. Custom woodwork wont magic a hit every time; but what it will do is allow the shooter to fine tune the rifles dimensions, to suit - and for comfort and proper support, read more consistent shooting.

EXPANSION

The stocks are milled out with clearance for the expansion of PCP cylinders too, and with small pads inside the forend, to gently support the front of the cylinder, attention to detail can be taken as read. Michael has already produced stocks for the Weihrauch HW100, and the ubiquitous Air Arms s400. If the latter is to be the donor rifle, then he normally fits the trigger plate from Rowan Engineering, to tidy up this area.

So if you possess a rifle that shoots straight, but could benefit from better handling, Howlett Custom Stocks could well be the answer! Prices start at around £300, with an additional £50 charged if special fitting is required.