Manners, McMillan, H-S Precision, Bell and Carlson just to name a few. The Micky's and Manners are twice as costly and the H-S and B&C. Are they that much better? I know they offer more choices in style and colors but are they actually a "Better" stock? If you say yes, give your reasons why. Just curious as to what people think and their reason for thinking that way. Might be interesting.
Opinions on different stocks
- Thread starter pyscodog
- Start date
I know you generally ignore me, but I'm going to try and help anyway.
Short answer, yes the high end stocks are better. I'll get to that in a minute.
Between the two mid-range competitiors, HS and B/C, I'd take B/C every time both dollar for dollar and for the two simple facts that HS can't get a bedding block in straight to save their lives and they have the rudest bunch of customer service reps I have ever encountered.
McMillan makes a great stock. They also have excellent customer service. Manners makes a fantastic stock and has equally good service, although my smith and a couple of friends have said their orders have been wrong or imperfect on more than one occasion. I just saw one a couple of days ago that had a short action inlet with a recoil lug located for a long action. Crazy.... that being said, I just ordered another one....
HS and B/C are made of some sort of compressed chipped material, like fiberglass and foam or something. I don't know what it is but chips tend to grow in holes. I've had a lot of both of them
McMillan and Manners both offer stocks that are injected with some sort of magical foam that's tough as nails and for the most part machineable. Both offer a carbon shell as far as I know and McMillan uses a fiberglass shell also I believe. Not sure but they're about bulletproof.
So basically it boils down to do you want chipped glass covered in epoxy or a solid molded shell injected with something about as tough as dried chupacabra slobber.
Your pick, hope this helps, although clearly I'm not an expert.
Short answer, yes the high end stocks are better. I'll get to that in a minute.
Between the two mid-range competitiors, HS and B/C, I'd take B/C every time both dollar for dollar and for the two simple facts that HS can't get a bedding block in straight to save their lives and they have the rudest bunch of customer service reps I have ever encountered.
McMillan makes a great stock. They also have excellent customer service. Manners makes a fantastic stock and has equally good service, although my smith and a couple of friends have said their orders have been wrong or imperfect on more than one occasion. I just saw one a couple of days ago that had a short action inlet with a recoil lug located for a long action. Crazy.... that being said, I just ordered another one....
HS and B/C are made of some sort of compressed chipped material, like fiberglass and foam or something. I don't know what it is but chips tend to grow in holes. I've had a lot of both of them
McMillan and Manners both offer stocks that are injected with some sort of magical foam that's tough as nails and for the most part machineable. Both offer a carbon shell as far as I know and McMillan uses a fiberglass shell also I believe. Not sure but they're about bulletproof.
So basically it boils down to do you want chipped glass covered in epoxy or a solid molded shell injected with something about as tough as dried chupacabra slobber.
Your pick, hope this helps, although clearly I'm not an expert.
CZ527, I never meant to ignore you or anyone else for that matter and do appreciate yours and everyone else's input. That being said, I have owned all four and like you, actually prefer the B&C over the H-S Precision. They are so much alike except in price its almost a toss up. I really like the Manners that I had but it was sold with a rifle as well as the McMillan. I was browsing the Hide and noticed someone stated the Manners was far better over the Micky. I'm just curious as to which "most" shooters prefer and their reason why. Thanks for the input!!
You bet. I think for me it comes down to something that's not quantifiable, and that's feel.
I'm in love with my gamescout, but I think I'll be buying manners from here out just for the finishes they offer and the fact that they make some nice stocks with high combs. . Although, I'd like to have a hunters edge at some point, which has neither a high comb nor a finish I like available.
I'm in love with my gamescout, but I think I'll be buying manners from here out just for the finishes they offer and the fact that they make some nice stocks with high combs. . Although, I'd like to have a hunters edge at some point, which has neither a high comb nor a finish I like available.
I have owned them all and I like certain ones from just about all of them for different reasons. There are some things I don't like too. I probably shoot the A-2 and A-5 McMillan's best because I like the feel and the way they hold. I also like the way they have the grip shaped to lay my thumb on my trigger hand parallel with the barrel. I don't like having to glue on a buttplate or pad vs. paying a ridiculous price for them to do it. They are expensive. I like the hunter with the palm swell for a hunting rifle.
I like the HS Precision' double palm swell and they are a Kevlar stock. I don't really care too much for the aluminum bedding block thing and I find they shoot best when glass bedded anyway.
B&C are kind of heavy to me and a little big in the grip area. I like the Boyd's Prairie hunter stock as laminates go...it is a nice cost effective stock that you cant go wrong with.
is any one brand "better" than another...I don't know, stocks are really subjective to the guy pulling the trigger...if some fly by night outfit made the A-5 I would still use it.
I like the HS Precision' double palm swell and they are a Kevlar stock. I don't really care too much for the aluminum bedding block thing and I find they shoot best when glass bedded anyway.
B&C are kind of heavy to me and a little big in the grip area. I like the Boyd's Prairie hunter stock as laminates go...it is a nice cost effective stock that you cant go wrong with.
is any one brand "better" than another...I don't know, stocks are really subjective to the guy pulling the trigger...if some fly by night outfit made the A-5 I would still use it.
Comes down to fitment and comfort for me and prefer Manners, never owned a McMillan and the HS and B&C have been on factory rifles. Aside from stockey's sale price the manners isn't to far apart going with a MCS-T or T3 when you start adding options is when the gap really spreads.
ksduckhntr
Active member
With manners and mcmillian if they are so strong per se, does pillar bedding them make that much of a difference for a hunting rig?
450 Dakota
Member
I don't care for HS at all. Have 1 B&C and it is just ok. Fit is ok, had to send the first one back because it didn't fit right. Have several McMillans and that is all I get anymore. Have looked at Manners but still go back to McMillan. I like the checkering on the McMillan stocks I use. All have been ordered with longer length of pull and all have been spot on. On the McMillans, bedding a factory barrel may or may not help, I bed all my custom barreled actions not that they won't shoot without it but figure it isn't going to hurt. McMillan has numerous molded in colors and several painted finishes. Easy to get repainted if it gets beat up. Really like the 3 new camo paint finishes they have. Customer service has been outstanding from McMillan. Plus McMillan is only 20 minutes from my house.
5194
Member
My first choice is McMillan. Their variety and offerings for the left handed is probably the best around. They can also custom tailor a lot of things if you want. Plus for me, I can drive down to the shop and drool on a few things without pissing off too many of the front office help. I don't own any of Manners stocks....just not the variety for a lefty.
Now, for the upgrades from standard stocks I've always gone with HS, because I like their flat magazines. In some states, you aren't allowed to travel with a loaded magazine in the rifle. To me its much easier to drop a mag and put it in my pocket versus drop the bottom and carry individual rounds in my pocket when traveling between stands. Their stocks seem extremely stiff and are easy to work on when fitting Jewell triggers. They've been pretty good when I called them. They sent a small supply of stud swivels that have proprietary threads to me for free,
In all fairness, I just picked up my first B&C stock at a yard sale for 10 bucks. My first observation was it looked like a little stiffer stock than the tupperware stuff Remington fits on their guns. I like the rubber like coating and am hoping the aluminum pillars will provide a much better platform for mounting. It fits me pretty nice and is very comfortable. We will see if pillars in plastic will make a difference.
Kevin
Now, for the upgrades from standard stocks I've always gone with HS, because I like their flat magazines. In some states, you aren't allowed to travel with a loaded magazine in the rifle. To me its much easier to drop a mag and put it in my pocket versus drop the bottom and carry individual rounds in my pocket when traveling between stands. Their stocks seem extremely stiff and are easy to work on when fitting Jewell triggers. They've been pretty good when I called them. They sent a small supply of stud swivels that have proprietary threads to me for free,
In all fairness, I just picked up my first B&C stock at a yard sale for 10 bucks. My first observation was it looked like a little stiffer stock than the tupperware stuff Remington fits on their guns. I like the rubber like coating and am hoping the aluminum pillars will provide a much better platform for mounting. It fits me pretty nice and is very comfortable. We will see if pillars in plastic will make a difference.
Kevin
Originally Posted By: 5194
In all fairness, I just picked up my first B&C stock at a yard sale for 10 bucks. My first observation was it looked like a little stiffer stock than the tupperware stuff Remington fits on their guns. I like the rubber like coating and am hoping the aluminum pillars will provide a much better platform for mounting. It fits me pretty nice and is very comfortable. We will see if pillars in plastic will make a difference.
Kevin
What Bell and Carlson stock is this? The way you described it sure makes it sound like a Hogue overmold. All of the B&C I know of are fiberglass stocks.
In all fairness, I just picked up my first B&C stock at a yard sale for 10 bucks. My first observation was it looked like a little stiffer stock than the tupperware stuff Remington fits on their guns. I like the rubber like coating and am hoping the aluminum pillars will provide a much better platform for mounting. It fits me pretty nice and is very comfortable. We will see if pillars in plastic will make a difference.
Kevin
What Bell and Carlson stock is this? The way you described it sure makes it sound like a Hogue overmold. All of the B&C I know of are fiberglass stocks.
Originally Posted By: pyscodogSeveral companies offer the aluminum frame in their stocks. Do you feel its unnecessary for added strength?
Yes, because so many companies make stocks that work just fine without it. Not sure if you are referring to a particular stock, but the ones I am familiar with use that as a "bedding block" and it is supposed to alleviate the need for glass bedding. I always found that the ones I had shot more accurate if they were bedded anyway.
Yes, because so many companies make stocks that work just fine without it. Not sure if you are referring to a particular stock, but the ones I am familiar with use that as a "bedding block" and it is supposed to alleviate the need for glass bedding. I always found that the ones I had shot more accurate if they were bedded anyway.
Originally Posted By: ksduckhntrWith manners and mcmillian if they are so strong per se, does pillar bedding them make that much of a difference for a hunting rig?
Not sure what "difference" you are referring to...a glass bedded stock is a glass bedded stock and the addition or lack of pillars doesn't necessarily make it any more accurate or stronger. What the pillars do is prevent you from over tightening and crushing the stock material between the action and bottom metal and eventually loosening the bedding job. If you don't over tighten and don't continuously remove the action from the stock then you will be a good while wallowing out the bedding. A good fresh bedded rifle is as accurate as a pillar bedded one, but the pillar job should last longer.
Not sure what "difference" you are referring to...a glass bedded stock is a glass bedded stock and the addition or lack of pillars doesn't necessarily make it any more accurate or stronger. What the pillars do is prevent you from over tightening and crushing the stock material between the action and bottom metal and eventually loosening the bedding job. If you don't over tighten and don't continuously remove the action from the stock then you will be a good while wallowing out the bedding. A good fresh bedded rifle is as accurate as a pillar bedded one, but the pillar job should last longer.
BCD 45
Member
Wish I hadn't read this thread. Thought I was doing great putting my heavy varmint rifles in HS stocks with the full bedding block. Now I read were most consider HS's to be POS. All my varmint/bench rigs have Jewell or Calvin Elite triggers and I don't like to have to work on a new stock like a BC to make them fit. Plus HS's feel better than BC's to me. I've just never been able to pull the trigger & buy one of the big "M" stocks.
Jim D
Jim D