Project Savage: Choate Tactical Stock
One of the most common upgrades for Savage 10/110 rifles is an upgraded stock. The original “Tupperware” stock is very lightweight and is easy to handle however, in some situations the OEM Savage stock is too light. If this was a dedicated hunting rig that would see miles on foot in the back country it might be a good stock however, it would need to be “enhanced” to overcome some of the weaknesses.
One of the biggest weaknesses with the OEM “Tupperware” stock is the flex from the forearm. With a bipod installed, on the bench, if there is any pressure on the rifle, the barrel can make contact with the forearm which might affect the accuracy of the shot. To fix this would require a metal rod bedded from the front of the forearm to around the recoil lug.
Secondly, this Savage stock is pillar bedded which is nice however, to get the most out of this rifle, it would require glass bedding. Glass bedding can be a DIY job or can be done by a gunsmith. Gunsmith or DIY there is some investment in materials and/or labor. The owner of this rifle opted to not invest any additional money into the OEM stock and upgrade. In this case it was decided long before the rifle was ever delivered that the owner wanted the Hog Hunter to be dressed in a Choate Tactical Stock.
The owner cited a few reasons for deciding on the Choate Tactical stock. First he likes the look and feel of the Choate stock as well as the price point. The Choate stock also offers features that will aid in accuracy such as a full length aluminum bedding block, adjustable length of pull or LOP (spacers or Choate’s adjustable butt plate), and the stock free floats the barrel. Lastly, the owner had hoped to build this rifle himself so he wanted a “out-of-the-box drop in” fit. Unfortunately, he ran out of time before heading overseas.
As mentioned before this rifle will be used as a training platform. This rifle will not be used for hunting so weight is not a concern. The Choate Tactical stock weighs in at 3.7 lbs. which is heavier than the OEM stock by almost 1.5 lbs. The added weight of the Choate is due the textured Rynite polymer construction which is injected molded around the CNC machined full length aluminium bedding block. This makes the stock a very stable platform with little to no flex. One note on the texture, the texture is very mild and feels good however if the stock is to be painted with stencils it might be very difficult to get clean edges and there may be some of “bleeding” of paint. It is suggested to sand the entire stock and smooth out the texture before painting with stencils.
The aluminum bedding block is “V” cut to center the action and help improve equal surface contact to the action. Many manufactures who offer stocks with full length bedding blocks state that it is not necessary to glass bed the rifle. This again, is a reason the owner purchased the Choate Tactical Stock, out-of -the box, drop in fit. However even with a bedding block glass bedding is recommended when accuracy is the goal.
The grip is much more “vertical” than the OEM Savage stock giving the shooter more control over the rifle and the trigger. The grip/palm swell is a little on the larger side and may not be the best choice for smaller hands. The grip is solid and has a good feel to it even though it’s hollow. The cavity can be used to add weight or for storage of small parts. As an option, Choate offers a mono pod or an “elevation adjusting knob” that can be installed at the base of the grip.
The length of pull is adjustable by either adding/subtracting spacers in 1/4″ and 1/2″ increments. The included spacers will increase the LOP from 12 1/2″ to 13 1/4″. More spacers can be added but are not shipped with the stock. Choate also offers a fully adjustable aluminium butt plate that adjusts the LOP 1 1/4″ as well as 1″ up and down.
To free float the barrel and to accommodate larger barrel contours, the barrel channel of the Choate Tactical stock is 1 1/4″.
The bottom side of the forearm 2 & 1/2″ wide and flat for stable shooting when using a bag and not a bipod. The underneath of the forearm also has a 10 & 1/2″ Anschutz type “T” rail for accessories.
The stock ships with a bipod mount and an optional mount is available that is longer and has a T-nut for a tighter mount. Neither mount will be used for this build, more to come later…
The flush mounted sling swivel studs are side mounted vs. the traditional bottom mount. Both front and rear sling swivel studs install through a cored hole in the stock and thread into a solid aluminium studs. The ambidextrous side mounting sling swivel studs gives the shooter options when installing a sling. Because the sling studs are recessed into the stock some sling hardware may not fit. For some this is an issue for others its simply not. For this project there will be modifications to the sling mounting system. More to come on this later.
Overall the Choate Tactical Stock offers a lot of features for the spend. As with anything there will be some that praise it and others will bash it.