I don't like the flexibility in the HS precision forends both in torque and bending. I have one remingtion left with an HS precision stock. The others were sold or modified or traded. I do love the spider weave finish on them. I will bake a composite stock to make sure its cured after removing the hardware and buttplate. I have had HS stocks where I milled 80% of the aluminum block out including adding carbon and s glass reinforcement to make the rifle shoot acceptably. With moderate pressure I can make the barrel contact the forend on my HS precision stock. McMillan is much better in that regard and so are the wood laminates. On my competition silhouette rifle I wound up with a laminated wood stock hollowed in the right areas to reduce weight and its the lightest/stiffest stock I have and sealed with automotive clearcoat its stable. When looking for a composite stock look at the reinforcement in the barrel channel and action inletting. Most composite stocks including Mcmillan and HS precision have reinforcement on the outside and the rest of the stock filled with filler. When I build my composite stocks I use a sandwich core construction. basically I start from the inside out with filler and reinforcement shape and inlet like a wood stock blank then wrap the outside with reinforcement including the inletted areas and gelcoat and finish. Its alot of work but you end up with a much better product than available off the shelf including wood laminate. Running a close second and much less work is a wood laminate stock thats been routed in non critical areas to reduce weight and sealed with an automotive type finish. Why automotive finish simply durability, impermeability and chemical resistance. As far as Kevlar is concerned it offers nothing in the way of stiffnes or strength but enhances puncture resistance or protection when the carbon composite fails or breaks. I would not use Kevlar in a stock I think it has more to do with marketing since bullet proof vests are made from it.

quote:

Originally posted by DemoSam:
I don't like the flexibility in the HS precision forends both in torque and bending. I have one remingtion left with an HS precision stock.
I will bake a composite stock to make sure its cured after removing the hardware and buttplate.
I have had HS stocks where I milled 80% of the aluminum block out including adding carbon and s glass reinforcement to make the rifle shoot acceptably.
With moderate pressure I can make the barrel contact the forend on my HS precision stock. McMillan is much better in that regard and so are the wood laminates.
When looking for a composite stock look at the reinforcement in the barrel channel and action inletting. Most composite stocks including Mcmillan and HS precision have reinforcement on the outside and the rest of the stock filled with filler.

I would not use Kevlar in a stock I think it has more to do with marketing since bullet proof vests are made from it.

Sam, I can make any stock contact the barrel with moderate pressure, do you apply pressure when you're shooting?

Mill 80% of the bedding block out? And I was under the impression that ABB was added for stiffness. Adding carbon and glass reinforcement to make the rifle shoot acceptable? Maybe if it was added in the receiver area, I know carbon is stiffer, stronger than Aluminum. Highly doubt doing this is going to increase accuracy, though. Skim bed may help, in some instances.
What do you consider to be unacceptable accuracy with a plain jane H-S stock?
All these things you do to H-S stocks seem rather ANAL to me. My Remington S/S 708 doesn't have anything done to it, and it shoots great. Same for my 6mmRem. Both H-S stocks.

Are we talking about the same H-S stocks that I've got on my rifles? Jay

A McMillan or laminated wood stock is considerably stiffer than HS precision in a similar configuration with the same barrel channel clearance. Don't take my word for it grab two and compare with the same barreled action bolted in. In the quest for the Strongest Stock as you have asked its not going to be an HS precision, of the likes I have had experience with by a long margin. Forearm stiffness comes into play based on several factors two of the most significant are weight of the barrel and how your shooting/holding the rifle. Are you slinging into it for prone, benchrest, bipod, sitting, off hand. With an aluminum bedding block expanding at a condiderably higher rate than the composite materials around it, its difficult to make the rifle barrel system consistant and repeatable. My experience has proven to me HS precision doesn't have it figured out yet but thats my opinion. Since its a quest/debate for the strongest may I suggest a test. Support your HS precision stock on the forearm tip and the butstock about 10" off the ground and stand in the middle on top of the stock, let us know how it goes. Note your weight and deflection along with a pic and maybe others will do the same with their stocks.

quote:

Support your HS precision stock on the forearm tip and the butstock about 10" off the ground and stand in the middle on top of the stock, let us know how it goes.

Now that's the best idea I've heard for a plastic stock yet! You all 'ought to try it, especialy Allen!
Sooner or later, they are all going to need restocking anyway.

I remember years ago that A-Square chose MPI stocks as their synthetic choice for their rifles as their testing showed it to be the strongest. I bought one in '88 for a 300 Win Mag that I had built. I like it fine and it's a very strong stock, but we had sort through several blanks to get a good one. I wouldn't buy another one. I think if I was buying one today I'd choose a Darcy Echols McMillan, that stock just fits better than any other I've shouldered.

quote:

Originally posted by brianbo:
I think if I was buying one today I'd choose a Darcy Echols McMillan, that stock just fits better than any other I've shouldered.

Finally someone said the magic word, "FIT" along with recoil management is the #1 reason in my opinion to get a custom stock and the reason I go thru all the trouble to make modifications and make my own stocks. What 98% of rifleman would accept in gunfit would have a shotgunner cursing. I only make that statement to reflect that a shotgunner relies more on the stock to make the shotgun shoot where he looks. How many rifleman at the range have you seen with 56mm objective scopes and their chin on the cheekpiece?

Since only toy rifles are made of plastic and laminates are held together with glue I would have to say Cherry.

Well, as a matter of fact, our guarantee is 100% and we have never replaced or fixed a broken stock as per our guarantee. Do some research on Robertson Composites Inc. We started out building Palma stocks, and still do. We build stocks for many quality gun builders. References on request!
http://www.robertsoncomposites.com

quote:

Support your HS precision stock on the forearm tip and the butstock about 10" off the ground and stand in the middle on top of the stock, let us know how it goes.

Sam, Just tell me where it's going to break, cuz I know I won't break that Bedding Block that runs the entire length of the stock from tang to couple inches of the forend. So you say the wrist area? Possible. I'll have to call Dave back and ask him if he'll warranty it if I try it and break it. Jay

Jay do you know if HS changed the length of the aluminum block in the last few years?

Ian Robertson,
Are your molds machined aluminum or fibreglass. If they are machined who's CAD software are you modeling your stocks in? Have you ever done a stock with a round forend which gets up to about the top of the barrel?

Sam, I've got a catalog from last year and it actually shows the ABB going into the grip area, and way out on the forend, same as I always have seen them. Suppose I could give them a call, but I think they're going to tell me the ABB hasn't changed in years. Jay

BTW, How long do you figure the ABB is?

Been well under MOA at 1000yds in an HS Precision supporting a 30" tube at 1" at the muzzle. No flexability issues I can see. It was skin bedded though