I have heard some bad things about the quality of the inletting on McMillan stocks and things such as bolt handle cut outs etc being in the wrong place.

I have been toying with the idea of a plastic stocked rifle for a while but it must not have any unsightly gaps etc. People suggest a 'no inlet version' for my gunsmith to inlet and bed himself. Alternatively I could send the barreled action in the white to McMillan to bed.

Any comments?

In truth, McMillan makes what is probably the most highly regarded synthetic stock in the world. I have them on several of my rifles, and I've used them with perfect results on many hunts in just about every sort of environment you can think of.

People expect too much from so-called "drop-in" synthetic stocks. All too often, someone will send for a stock and expect it to fit their barreled action perfectly as soon as they screw the metal to the stock, but things seldom work out that way.

If you want to get the most out of a McMillan stock, send your finished metalwork (complete) to McMillan and have them custom-fit a stock for you. They do the best installation/pillar-bedding job in the industry, and several leading custom riflemakers actually have McMillan perform the stock installation procedure for them - McMillan's that good.

I currently have a half-dozen custom hunting rifles in my battery which wear McMillan stocks that were installed, bedded (with machined aluminum pillars), and finished by McMillan. Inletting and finish is perfect, without exception, and nonoe of those rifles have ever changed its point of impact.

AD

They are excellent quality. I use them most of the time if the customer wants to pay for them. As far as the notch for the bolt handle is concerned I always order my stocks with the notch left uncut so i can custom cut the notch myself. A custom bolt handle is never at exactly the same sweep, angle size, etc. from gun to gun. So if you ask for the bolt handle notch to be cut when you order the stock plan on there being considerable clearence around the handle.

P.S. NEVER NEVER cut on a glass stock with any power tool such as a dremel or even a barrel channel rasp without wearing breathing protection from the glass dust! & do it it a well venilated area! Gunsmiths don't grow old being careless.

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NRA Life member

[This message has been edited by Bear Claw (edited 11-21-2001).]

I like the Rimrock (the old Pacific Co.) the best, it just has the feel, but mighty expensive....

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Ray

The Rimrocks are cheap compared to the fancy wood handles you like!

Jason

Whatever you get, bed it. Any advantages gained from a synthetic would be lost if it isn't bedded properly. Endura works pretty good for a finish. Tough, too.

Jason,
No doubt about that, my gripcaps cost more than a fiberglass stock.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com