Is anyone familiar with Bansner's http://www.bansnersrifle.com/prices.htm work in general and specifically this semi-custom version of a Howa 1500?

Also are how are Bansner's stocks in comparison to a McMillian or an HS Precision?

Has anyone used one of his rifles in the field?

Thanks for the input,
HBB

[ 12-31-2002, 02:58: Message edited by: hillbillybear ]

I have a custom Rem 700 chambered in 450 Marlin being re-stocked by Bansner's at the present time.
Their stocks run about 10-12 ounces lighter than McMillan and appear to be of high quality. I have several friends who have used his stocks and they are very happy with them....they are all on Rem 700s.

I've not seen any of the work he does on Howa's but I have seen some of his custom rifles at various shows and they certainly have that quality feel to them. I do know that John Lazzeroni likes his work and recommends him to those who want a rifle chambered in one of the Lazzeroni cartridges but don't want to pay the $5000.00+ for one of his.

I handled a rifle with one of his stocks on it once. It's SWEEEET I wish I could afford such luxuries, but $650 for a stock is just a little out of my price range. I read an artical in magazine once written by Jon R Sondra. He liked the rifles a lot and ordered one for himself with the Winchester action. I bet it's a nice rifle.

Mark Bansner is a great guy with good products!!

Those stocks sure look good to me!

Mark started out by installing extra full choke tubes in turkey shotguns. He cut 7" from my Browning 10ga Stalker barrel and stuck in the tightest constriction choke possible. It's 23" now and handles like a dream. I love it! You aim it like a rifle not point it like a normal shotgun. Very tight pattern even at 50 yards.
That was back in the mid eighties when he was the only game in town, so to speak. He had to find another niche when every manufacturer of shotguns came out with their own specialized turkey extra full models.

I also had him free float the barrel and rebed the action on my Colt-Sauer 25-06. Good work, although he had my rifle a very long time. I think that was about the time when he started making his synthetic stocks.
The writers in Rifle magazine seem partial to his products, too. For what that's worth. His light weight rifles are way too dear for my budget. I'd buy one if I could afford it, just to make sure an East Coast guy stayed in business.

DB Bill - so you are getting rid of the MPI on the 450?? what did you not like about it? are you seeking lighter weight? please advise - KMule

I have one of their stocks on a .270 Mauser -- it looks and feels wonderful, my only complaint is that it's noisy if anything hits it, like a sling swivel or coat button. Even operating the bolt vigorously makes quite a racket. I understand they do a "solid fill" option that may help, but that is not the model Brownell's has in stock.

I do need to play with the bedding also, since this rifle seemed to shoot a lot better in its old Butler Creek stock. (But it hurt like hell.) I suspect the forend pressure in the old one helped.

Thanks for all the input. I was wondering how hard it is to fit these stocks? Is it a viable do -it -yourself project or is it a gunsmith only proposition?

HBB

I have one of Mark's stocks on my Pre 64, and it has worked great for years.

I have also been to his shop in PA, and met him at shows.

I would not hesitate to put down the money for one of his guns, were I to choose to do so.

There was just an article in either Rifle or Handloader regarding rifle stocks. The Bansner stocks were discussed and the author really liked them. John Barsness was the author, he hangs around at the 24 hour canpfire forums. His handle is "mule deer".

John also speaks highly of Marks gunsmithing too.

FN in MT

Back in 1993 Mark built a custom .223 with a Winchester action and one of his stocks for a prairie dog hunt for me. This hunt was with the Burris Optics company up near Morcroft, WY. I liked the gun so much I wrote it up in Varmint Master and then bought it from him. Since then I have put hundreds if not thousands of rounds through it and it is still the tack driver it was when he first put it together. This is the rifle that both of my son, daughter, 3 nephews and 2 nieces learned to hunt with. I now use it for varmints and to teach kids how to hunt and shoot in my youth shooting/hunting programs. This rifle has acconted for more does and exotic rams than I can remember on our youth hunts. I have also use Marks rifles in .7mm Rem Mag and .300 Win mag. Both of these were excellent rifles and I would have bought them but did not have the funds.