Hello all I need some advice. I am building half assed scout style rifle on a CZ 550 medium action chambered in 9.3x62. I am considering an MPI stock but I have heard they have their issues. Please keep in mind that I plan on sending them a barreled action and getting back a finished rifle. I have no intention of doing any finish or bedding work. Are they a decent stock of you have MPI do all the work?

First, welcome and second, what is a half assed scout styled rifle? The action is good the caliber is good. Many have reported problems with MPI in the past when they had to do work on the stock but for the $800 or so they charge for a full workup I would expect a correctly done stock.

I can say I really like my MPI. Its on a Ruger 77MkII 300 Win Mag. It was properly bedded, lite weight,fits me well. Its been on a lot of tough hunts. Dosent have that "Hollow" sound when its bumped. I'd get another if I needed it with out hesitation.

quote:

Originally posted by bluefish:
First, welcome and second, what is a half assed scout styled rifle? The action is good the caliber is good. Many have reported problems with MPI in the past when they had to do work on the stock but for the $800 or so they charge for a full workup I would expect a correctly done stock.

In answer to your question Bluefish I am having the barrel of my CZ550 cut back to 21 inches and a Ruger No1 quarter rib installed so that a scout scope can be mounted. My gunsmith will install a N.E.C.G. front sight ramp with a gold bead and a barrel band sling swivel. My plan is to use quick detach scope mounts for both the conventional and scout scope. My thought was by using the CZ fitted with a quarter rib it gave me the option of any sight system I might want. Conventional scope mounts,scout mount or irons.p

I would think so and don't forget the nice NECG peep you can get too.

As luck would have it the N.E.C.G. Peep is already in my parts box. I have opened it up a bit and I think it will be a splendid ghost ring.

If memory serves you may want to contact fellow forum member, waterrat, who has displayed a mannlicher synthetic stock from MPI in 358 Norma Magnum. Given your 21 inch barrel it may be another option to consider.

Thank you Bluefish I had not given thought to a Mannlicher carbine. I like the model 70 featherweight style that MPI offers. My plan was to stock it in Black Walnut in the classic European style. The more I think about it the more I am inclined to go with a synthetic stock.

quote:

Originally posted by leemar28:
I can say I really like my MPI. Its on a Ruger 77MkII 300 Win Mag. It was properly bedded, lite weight,fits me well. Its been on a lot of tough hunts. Dosent have that "Hollow" sound when its bumped. I'd get another if I needed it with out hesitation.

Thank you for the answer leemar28 glad to hear from someone who owns one. How was their service and turn around time?

Its been a good wile back. As I recall their service was great and they got it back PDQ.
Give them a call. They will be strait foreward !

quote:

Originally posted by CHIPKING3220:
Hello all I need some advice. I am building half assed scout style rifle on a CZ 550 medium action chambered in 9.3x62. I am considering an MPI stock but I have heard they have their issues. Please keep in mind that I plan on sending them a barreled action and getting back a finished rifle. I have no intention of doing any finish or bedding work. Are they a decent stock of you have MPI do all the work?

They make a very sound stock. I have several of them, including a Mannlicher carbine in .458 Win.

There is no way I would recommend that anyone other than a very skilled composite worker buy an MPI composite blank and complete it himself. They are far from a drop-in, in the applications where I have used them.

on the other hand, I would only have them build a stock for me IF I had all the metal work including sightsexactly as I wanted it to be (other than final bluing or other metal surface finish.) They do not do their own metal work,and though the fellow they use is competent, communication sometimes doesn't always seem to be clear when there is the customer, the metal-smith, and MPI all talking to each other.

I also suggest you not have them build and fit a Mannlicher stock for any modern cartridge operating with bullets heavier than 200 grains, at velocities over maybe 2,300 FPS. The buttplate area of their Mannlicher stock and the weight of the completed stock have not been large enough or heavy enough to make mine comfortable to shoot. A 7 lb. .458 Winchester is just not my cup of tea. I had asked in writing that it be finished at a weight of about 9.5 pounds (or more), but somewhere along the way that request fell by the wayside.

Anyway, if you want a very, very nice Mannlicher carbine in something like 7m/m-08, or .308, or .284 Win, .338 Federal, anything like that, I will highly recommend them.

And if you don't want the Mannlicher stock, I would recommend them for just about any other type rifle.

I have MPI composite stocks on a "regular weight" original Newton action rifle in .30 Belted Newton which is a very nice and accurate gun, and on a .243 Winchester (in a M600 Remington) which is an absolute joy. They fitted and finished the stocks on both of those.

I had them build a stock for a Dakota 375. It looks great and the entire transaction was fast and very positive. I would use MPI again.

Thank you all for the replies I am up in the air on how I want to stock this project. When I started this build I had planned on having a pseudo scout/safari rife stocked in the classic European style. The problem is the more I think about the more I am inclined to go with a synthetic stock. The MPI Nitro style stock would seem to be appropriate but damn I hate a plastic stock on a rifle.

MPI stocks are not plastic, there's a big difference.

I have an MPI stock on my benchrest gun (6mmBR). No complaints at all.
Peter.

As has been said the MPI is synthetic and far from plastic. I have several and they make excellent light mountain rifles.

They would work great on a light scout set up.

As mentioned already, there is a difference between "Tupperware" injection molded plastic stocks and Fiberglass shell "synthetic" stocks such as MPI, Brown, High Tech, and Composite synthetic stocks like McMillan, HS, and others. Each has it's plus side and each has minus side, but than so does wood. If weight is a driving factor stock construction like or similar to a MPI stock is a good choice and with a proper finish can be pleasing to the eye.

I had doc,
Put a stock on JC higgins fn 30,06.
Its extreemly nice. The only thing i would change is to go with a 1 inch pad.
The half incher i put on with the real light weight stock and rifle , makes 180 grain loads a bit stiff ! ...tj3006

I have used a few MPI stocks. While I like them they required the most work out of any stock I have ever used. The Asquare style stock I have on my 404 was terrible when I got it. It requires a lot of sanding and filling to make it look right. Overall if that's the style you want then go with MPI... If you can find an McMillan that will work it's a lot easier.

Ed

Just out of curiosity do the A-square stocks tame recoil as advertised or is it advertising hype.

Yes they do... I like mine. They seem to fit me, they look like a 2 x 4 but work real well

Ed