I'm planning on restocking a Remington 700 ADL to get rid of the cheap injected molded plastic stock. I found that H-S and B&C offer stocks. The H-S is $100 more than the B&C I imagine due to the aluminum bed? What's your opinion on the two?

Bob257

Ther is now a B & C with aluminum bed as well (which I haven't tried yet), but between the HS and the original B & C's I would take the HS without hesitation. It is a much better made stock. - Dan

Bob,
I have an HS drop in for a 700 that just never shot very well. In its original wood stock it shot little round groups. In the HS it strings then no matter how loose or tight the action screws are. We ended up putting a skim of glass bedding in the proper spots and noow it shoots great.
Maybe they ARE drop ins but mine wasn't. Not a big deal, great stocks, very well made.
I'd go with the HS .

FN in MT

I have found that the combination of 700 and HS to be bad news. The aluminum bedding blocks in the stock are almost never round and you need to either glass bed them or do as I do and lap the aluminum bed just as one would scope rings to ensure round. With those choices, I would go B&C.

Bob,

I have the partial remains of a Bell and Carlson stock finsh stuck to the wall of my shop. It became attached to the wall the very second I hit the stock with my air hose to remove some shavings... I should probably take a rag and wipe it off, but it serves as a reminder of one of the reasons I dislike the Bell and Carlson stock...

H.S. Precision is a good way to go. Just don't fall for the "no need to bed" thinking that accompanies these aluminum block stocks. You may have to do some minor leveling to avoid binding the action as I've seen some of the aluminum blocks in these stocks a little out of whack... No major problem though, just level and bed.

Malm

Bob-

HS Precision.

I have two that shoot great as-is. I'm gonna leave them alone. However, I have begun to skim bed the rest of them as suggested, usually before I even find out how they shoot "naked". Very easy, quick, and they shoot wonderfully when done.

I had a 700 ADL in .270 that I bought a Bell & Carlson "Carbelite" stock for. The gun never shot that well 1-1 1/2" until I put it on the B&C stock. It turned into an honest 1/2" MOA shooter!! I hunted with the gun for almost 10 years on that stock, through canyons , up mountains.I've fallen down, dropped it, and never had a problem or had the gun change zero!!! I'm sold on Bell and Carlson. This is not hust "heresay", but my honest experiences.

bowhuntr

Thanks for all the input. As usual, I'm getting mixed reactions. Not much closer to a decision. Is the H-S worth $100 more? If I have to bed it on top of that would it be wiser to buy the B&C and bed it?

Bob257

The H-S is definitely worth the difference. If you buy the B&C you will probably end up replacing it in a few years. They are just not constructed very well. Get the H-S, bed it, and don't worry about it for the rest of your life.

I have two B&C Carbelites that are very good stocks causing no problems. Both of them are glass-bedded, but all of my bolt actions(Remington 700's)are. I like both B&C and H-S, and I have 3 of one and two of the other.
Sambubba

Check out B&C's Medalist stock. This is the one that has the bedding block, and unlike HS, they made it a little larger so there was adequate room for glass. It is absolutely impossible to get a reciever and an aluminum bedding block to match up accurately, so instead of fighting it, they did the smart thing and allowed for it. B&C has gotten a bad wrap for their carbelite stocks, and rightly so, they suck, but the new medalist are definitely worth considering.

Well, you have some interesting posts here, but I guess I would have to go with the H-S Precision.

I have one Bell and Carlson stock and it is the Carbelite version. It is pillar bedded by a good gunsmith and it just shoots great.

However, I own five H-S stocks now and only one is bedded. I am not sure it needed it, but the gunsmith talked me into a "paint-coat" when he rebarreled the rifle. In fact, I just recently put a new H-S stock on my Remington 700 chambered for 300 Weatherby. Without bedding, it changed that rifle from a ho-hum 1.25 inch rifle to a real shooter. ( The last group I shot with it mesured 0.46 inches with 180 grain Nosler Partitions loaded over RL 22)

However, I do not think you will be dissapointed with either brand. I am sure it was for financial reasons, but Remington switched from H-S to Bell and Carlson for the stocks they put on their varmint rifles.

R F

In the past 8 monthes I have purchased 2 HS stocks, one cracked after 5 rounds were fired in the gun, one other was sent to me cracked. I have heard good things about them but I will never have another one!

birddog,

What did you do, run over a nun? Really, "three's charms" come on give 'em one more chance...

Malm

Malm,

You know, you kinda sound like Brad at HS. HS was very good about fixing the problems, but two factory defects out of two stocks within a year?

Sorry, I think it's McMillian from here on out.