Hello

I have a Model 70 XTR Sporter in .338 Win Mag and I'm looking to buy a sythetic stock. In you're opinions which make do you think is the best for accuracy and value? Accuracy comes first!

Thanks
Steve

Most bang for your buck is the Bell and Carlson Medalist. I have one on my Weatherby Super Big Game Master and the fit and finish is realy good.

I realy like the H-S Precision stocks for my Remington ADL projects and wish Bell and Carlson made a Medalist stock for the ADL.

Color options abound for both of these companies and they both boast "drop in fit"

There used to be a great stock company called Rimrock but I think they are gone now.

A lot of custom gun makers use McMillan. That says something about their stocks. I own a Bell & Carlson stock and would not buy another one.

quote:

Originally posted by 338zmag:
A lot of custom gun makers use McMillan. That says something about their stocks. I own a Bell & Carlson stock and would not buy another one.

Is your Bell and Carlson stock the Carbelite Classic or the Medalist they are apples to oranges.

The Medalist has no checkering and a full alluminum block construction.

The Classic is checkerd and has no beding system.

McMillan. I think you'll get that reply from most of the custom 'smiths.

I asked Roger Ferrell, who built my 22-250 what his preference was. Before I got it out of my mouth, he said McMillan. He said he'd build whatever I wanted, I could supply or he would. But the difference in price for the McMillan would be made up in fitting and bedding for any of the others.

So for me, it's McMillan. Now if we're talking about a budget build, or a truck gun, I'd go with a B&C, but definitely the Medalist. I have a Vanguard Sub-MOA with the Carbelite, and it's very much lacking in stiffness. I actually put the pressure point under the barrel to stabilize the stock, not the barrel. It's needing a McMillan as well.

David

I own or have owned:

Clifton Arms

Brown Precision

Pacific Research and Borden-Rimrock

McMillan

I have shot rifles with Bansner and MPI plus a couple others.

I have several of each of the above, from .264WM to .375H&H and over a dozen highend rifles with synthetics on hand.

The BEST is McMillan, no question, then Rimrock, now discontinued and then Brown. I won't buy anything other than McMillan now, after 25 years of using the stocks I listed.

I have a 35 Whelen custom rifle with a Bansner Hi-Tech Specialties stock on it and I like it. However, it was fitted/finished by Mark himself so maybe I got a better job than you could get from the average gunsmith. To me, the McMillan stocks are heavier and defeat the purpose of a lightweight rifle, if thats what you want. Some don't mind the extra weight.

quote:

Originally posted by Woodrow S:
I have a 35 Whelen custom rifle with a Bansner Hi-Tech Specialties stock on it and I like it. However, it was fitted/finished by Mark himself so maybe I got a better job than you could get from the average gunsmith. To me, the McMillan stocks are heavier and defeat the purpose of a lightweight rifle, if thats what you want. Some don't mind the extra weight.

I too like the Hi Tech stocks and have two of them 270 Win & 340 Wby, also had a 7 STW. I also have a synthetic stocked 300 Win by Charlie Sisk. I don't know what stock manufacturer he used. For all I know it may be a McMillan, but it does not have the ghetto-cheap looking checkering that I have seen on McMillans. I've only handled one McMillan in Alaska a 375 H&H- I didn't like how it felt at all compared to my Hi Tech 340 Wby. Now some of the "feel" may be in the type of paint used. But as I said earlier I find the McMillan "checkering" to be ghetto.

quote:

Originally posted by ted thorn:

quote:

Originally posted by 338zmag:
A lot of custom gun makers use McMillan. That says something about their stocks. I own a Bell & Carlson stock and would not buy another one.

Is your Bell and Carlson stock the Carbelite Classic or the Medalist they are apples to oranges.

The Medalist has no checkering and a full alluminum block construction.

The Classic is checkerd and has no beding system.

I bought a Medalist and it was defective. One of the pressure points on the end of the stock was deformed. It also had pits in the stock. I sent it back and they sent me a new one. I could barley get the second one to fit my R-700. It also had pits in the stock. I got a refund, but had to send both stocks back at my expense. They gave me the run around for a long time. I asked if I could speak with a manager and was told that ain't happening. The carbelite isn't even a real stock in my opinion. It might be good for toy guns. I bought a synthetic stock from Remington, which is a Bell & Carlson stock. It is made to different specs. It's not the same as the medalists you buy from their distributors. However, the next time I am in the market for a synthetic stock, it will be a McMillan.

For a lightweight, look to the McMillan Edge stocks. They'll actually make most any of their stocks with Edge material, with a caliber limit of .338, I think. I would think they'd do a .35 Whelen as that'd be less recoil, IMO, than a .338WM. The Edge runs around 21-22oz. The Bansner may be an ounce or 2 lighter, but it'll be raw when you get it and need to be fitted, bedded and finished. The McMillans, generally, can simply be bolted on, but most recommed at least skim bedding. Not to mention, that the McMillan is a truly custom stock. They don't make just one shaper, with one or three colors. You specify action, barrel, caliber, cylinder length, etc... colors, blended/solid, camo... swivels and how many... some choices in fill weight... and then all the different stock patterns they have. So many choices from McMillan it can get tough to pick out the one you want. I spent weeks looking at pics, asking questions, etc.. trying to pick out the one for my 22-250.