I currently have a factory Rem 700 in 25-06 and will likely be switching to a Pac-Nor #3 or fluted #4 down the road. Is it possible to alter a McMillan stock to fit a different barrel contour without compromising the functionality/feel of the stock?? The reason I ask is that if this is common place, I will likely get a McMillan for the gun now and then alter it when I'm ready for a new barrel. If there are any drawbacks to this, I'd just as soon wait and get the McMillan when I send the gun in to Pac-Nor for the new barrel and action work.

Depends on the McMillan stock. If you think you will be adding a heavy barrel down the road, then purchase one with sufficient forend mass to accept a heavier barrel. The key to decision making when shelling out bucks for a custom gun is to always think the project through, think ahead and plan for possible future changes.

Malm

Absolutely. It sounds like you already have the stock. If not, realize that McMillan can inlet exactly for your barrel profile. Also, when you give them the barrel dimensions, make sure to increase them to get whatever clearance you desire around the barrel. They will inlet for whatever dimension you give them and if you are floating the barrel and gave them the exact dimensions of the tube [assuming a straight taper, no compound curves] you'll not have any clearance for barrel float.

Also, if your barrel is not a straight taper or straight tube [viz., if it is a sporter contour], it may not match perfectly the contour McMillan programs with. I think it is better to give them a barrel size larger than you actually have for plenty of float [if you believe in floated tubes].

If you already own the stock, here's what you can do to enlarge the barrel channel yourself. Get a dremel tool with some coarse sanding drums and a couple of steel cutter heads. Hog out the channel to the dimensions you desire. I have also used the slender foam sanding pads, folded over to make a U-shaped sanding block.

The stuff McMillan uses as filler does not always come out precisely. It is not like grinding on wood. So it may not hog out as smoothly, or uniformly as you like. I have gone so far as to hog it all out, all the way down to the glass cloth on the inside of the stock---bottom and sides and then replaced the original McMillan fill material with liquid expanding foam. The advantage of the foam is that you can sand it to a much more exacting contour for purposes of rebedding your barrel channel.

Once you get enough clearance in the channel, contour the channel as smooth as possible [whether the original fill material or foam]. There are a number of light weight, epoxy fillers out there to help you fil the think you've sanded too deep. What you want to end up with is a channel of smooth, uniform dimensions with lots of clearance for your barrel. So, drop the barreled action in there from time to time to be sure you have at least a 1/4 clearance.

Once you have the interior channel surface of proper dimensions and properly prepped [smooth], lay in at least five layers of bidirectional 9 oz. S or E glass cloth [or something similar---it does not have to be 9 oz per se, also S glass is alot stronger than E]. You can also use bidirectional carbonfiber matting for more stiffness. Soak the cloth in epoxy resin [Tap Plastic resin/hardener wets out nicely]. Note, lay the cloth in one layer at a time, soak in resin, then lay in the next layer.

Let cure and trim the edges flush with top edge of stock. [Be sure and tape-off stock with masking tape before starting all this----forgot to mention that!!!]

Your starting channel dimension should have been large enough so that once you have the barrel channel glassed with cloth, you still have at least 1/8" clearance around the barrel---maybe even a little more.

Lay lengthwise along your barrel, 3-4 layers of 10 mil adhesive black plumbers tape [on layer on top of another]. Start the tape in relation to front of the reciever depending on how much barrel shank you want to actually have contact with bedding material.

Coat the whole mary anne with Brownell's mold release spray [or whatever you use]. Mix up your favorite bedding compound, fill the channel and then screw the barreled action down in there.

Use modelying clay dams as necessary to keep bedding compound out of stock action mortise. Note: my assumption here is that you have not altered the action bedding surfaces so that, regardless of what you have done to the barrel channel forward of the receiver, the action will bolt in at the exact same location each time.

Follow standard bedding techniques from here on out [i.e., scrape excess bedding compound off of top edge of barrel channel and next to barrel with plastic edged scraper so you get a nice, clean line.

Done right, you'll have a barrel channel that is a perfect reverse image of your barrel, but with 30-40 mil clearance provided by the plumbers tape.

Makes for a fun project---and there are a million ways to skin this cat.

Jordan

Thanks for the info!!

I just did what your asking. The new barrel was only a little larger than the original. I used the same tool I use on wood stocks for barrel channels and it worked well. It's a handle with a series or cutting discs, your probably familiar with it. Mine is a gray stock and gray testers model paint was almost a exact match to re-paint the barrel channel.