Chassis or Stock: Know the Difference

When you’re ready to customize your rifle, you need to find the right parts that will give you the greatest payoff downrange. Speed, accuracy and comfort are some of the greatest considerations. Does your current rifle bring out the strengths in your shooting style? Or do you need something a little more special to help you get the best results?

Along with the optics and trigger, the chassis or stock of your rifle is one of the most important pieces of gear you will acquire on your journey to find the best rifle for you. So, should you choose a stock or a chassis system? They both have advantages and disadvantages and knowing the differences will save you a lot of time and hassle when making your purchase and when pulling the trigger.

So, what are the differences? First, it is important to understand the role the stock of chassis plays in the rifle. While the optics allows for the shooter to aim accurately and the trigger is the mechanism that fires the weapon, the stock or chassis is the interface by which the shooter accesses the weapons. In other words, the stock or chassis is the “body” of the weapon. Stocks are typically one piece carbon fiber, Kevlar or fiberglass pieces that house the trigger and allow for the attachments of accessories, like bipods or night vision systems. The stock is critical because its design can make or break a rifle. A stock with a great weight and feel can produce dramatically increased results in a shooter when properly set up and maintained. A great stock will allow for stress-free mounting of the sight and allow for greater accuracy. But the main disadvantage in using a stock versus a chassis is the bedding. Stocks use bedding to maintain a stress-free action as well as bottom metal to secure the trigger. Because of this, many owners of rifles with stocks use floor plate magazine systems but many also upgrade to a more detachable variety. The main disadvantage is that the bedding process requires a fair amount of skill on the part of the user and this can be a deterrent for some shooters and a headache.

With a chassis system such as the Howa 1500 Chassis, you get an ease of installation. Detachable magazines are the standard for such rifles and assembly can be as simple as turning a few screws. With this in mind, rifle owners can rest easy and avoid the stress of wondering whether different manufacturers’ parts will line up correctly. With a modular system, it can be easy to customize your rifle in a fast and easy process that makes swapping out parts stress-free.

The 180-Xray chassis is perfect for shooters who want upgrade their Howa 1500 or CZ455. With the right amount of bells and whistles, this CZ455 and Howa 1500 chassis is perfect for shooters who want the most bang for their buck. At Kinetic Research Group, our experts are here to help you find the perfect rifles, parts, and accessories to give you the best shooting experience you can get. Whether you are new at the range or a seasoned veteran, our passion is connecting people with the right systems that will build their speed and accuracy for competition or simply have more fun downrange. Whatever your goals are, our knowledgeable and experienced pros are here to help you achieve them. Pick up a factory rifle or get started on your journey towards a custom build with KRG today!