Following with interest myself. All my McMillans are bedded too.
Rifle Building...do we have to bed a McMillan stock?
Gents,
McMillan offers a "sniper" fill with their stocks. Supposedly, you don't have to bed the action to the stock to get it to shoot. I question that...
My safes have over ten rifles with McMillan stocks on them and ALL are bedded...and shoot great. I wouldn't think of building a Mac stock without bedding it. To me, it's all part of "the build".
However, there is the camp that will shoot the stock unbedded. I would be interested in the results obtained by that group...
Inquiring minds...and all that.
In my mind the build isn't done until bedded properly.
Wes
McMillan offers a "sniper" fill with their stocks. Supposedly, you don't have to bed the action to the stock to get it to shoot. I question that...
My safes have over ten rifles with McMillan stocks on them and ALL are bedded...and shoot great. I wouldn't think of building a Mac stock without bedding it. To me, it's all part of "the build".
However, there is the camp that will shoot the stock unbedded. I would be interested in the results obtained by that group...
Inquiring minds...and all that.
In my mind the build isn't done until bedded properly.
Wes
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If Mac offers it, it must work.
What is sniper fill? Some kind of clay bedding that self form fills and hardens up?
I wonder how they get draw pressure?
What is sniper fill? Some kind of clay bedding that self form fills and hardens up?
I wonder how they get draw pressure?
Isn’t sniper fill just a stiffening of the fiberglass mix? I didn’t think it meant the actual action didn’t need bedding as usual.
Gents,
I was referring to bolt actions in particular...
Don't know what the "sniper fill" is, as it's proprietary to McMillan, but the stocks come machined to fit just like the standard McMillan stock. Supposedly, the fill is "tougher" to take the rigors of hard use...
Don't have a clue about how they get draw pressure on an unbedded M1A stock...
Wes
I was referring to bolt actions in particular...
Don't know what the "sniper fill" is, as it's proprietary to McMillan, but the stocks come machined to fit just like the standard McMillan stock. Supposedly, the fill is "tougher" to take the rigors of hard use...
Don't have a clue about how they get draw pressure on an unbedded M1A stock...
Wes
I've always assumed you still bed the rifle..... following
Wes, I’ve not heard of this camp of people. Who/where are they?
This definitely has my curiosity.
This definitely has my curiosity.
I've never heard of a McMillan stock that didn't need to be bedded.
Tony.
Tony.
Their "Sniper Fill" is some sort of heavier fiberglass/resin mix. It usually pertains to the buttstock, and adds weight to the rifle. That's all.
From McMillan's FAQ page:
Do I need to bed the receiver?
McMillan offers drop-in ready and custom fitted stocks that do not require bedding to provide accurate results. However, we recommend that you talk to your gunsmith or rifle builder and get their recommendation based on your rifle build.
What are your fills?
Edge Tech – is our ultra light stock. It is made out of carbon fiber cloth, not fiberglass. Edge Tech is the lightest we can make a stock pattern.
Standard – The majority of our stocks are filled with standard fill, also called sporter fill. It is composed of solid fiberglass throughout the forearm and action area. A dense 2 part foam is used in the butt stock. This fill is used for all calibers up to and including .300 win mag.
Magnum – This fill is used for heavy recoil calibers and magnum caliber rifles, mainly on hunting stocks. It is constructed the same as standard fill except heavier and thicker fiberglass is used in the recoil lug and action area to withstand recoil and be easier on the shooter. It will be used for anything above a .300 win mag caliber.
Sniper – This fill is mainly used on magnum calibers on our tactical stocks. It is the same as magnum fill except there is lightweight fiberglass in the butt stock, not foam. This is so hardware can be installed into the butt stock if so desired. With the fiberglass being in the butt, it also helps to balance out rifles with large barrel contours.
Do I need to bed the receiver?
McMillan offers drop-in ready and custom fitted stocks that do not require bedding to provide accurate results. However, we recommend that you talk to your gunsmith or rifle builder and get their recommendation based on your rifle build.
What are your fills?
Edge Tech – is our ultra light stock. It is made out of carbon fiber cloth, not fiberglass. Edge Tech is the lightest we can make a stock pattern.
Standard – The majority of our stocks are filled with standard fill, also called sporter fill. It is composed of solid fiberglass throughout the forearm and action area. A dense 2 part foam is used in the butt stock. This fill is used for all calibers up to and including .300 win mag.
Magnum – This fill is used for heavy recoil calibers and magnum caliber rifles, mainly on hunting stocks. It is constructed the same as standard fill except heavier and thicker fiberglass is used in the recoil lug and action area to withstand recoil and be easier on the shooter. It will be used for anything above a .300 win mag caliber.
Sniper – This fill is mainly used on magnum calibers on our tactical stocks. It is the same as magnum fill except there is lightweight fiberglass in the butt stock, not foam. This is so hardware can be installed into the butt stock if so desired. With the fiberglass being in the butt, it also helps to balance out rifles with large barrel contours.
Not a Mac stock, but an HS Precision stock for a Rem. 700 SA in 308 and that stock has an aluminum bedding system in it. Shot fine just as it came but did bed it later on and shoots the same as without the bedding, very accurate I would add in either bedded or not bedded.
Wes under normal circumstances I don’t disagree, however according too Lynn at McMillan the stocks are CNC machine inletted and this puts a for lack of a better description a micro surface profile in the stocks material that bites into the receiver under recoil so it doesn’t shift. Pillars are still present, and the action screws still get torqued as is the norm.Gents,
McMillan offers a "sniper" fill with their stocks. Supposedly, you don't have to bed the action to the stock to get it to shoot. I question that...
My safes have over ten rifles with McMillan stocks on them and ALL are bedded...and shoot great. I wouldn't think of building a Mac stock without bedding it. To me, it's all part of "the build".
However, there is the camp that will shoot the stock unbedded. I would be interested in the results obtained by that group...
Inquiring minds...and all that.
In my mind the build isn't done until bedded properly.
Wes
So for the time being we shall see if it works, fear not weather it does or doesn’t eventually it will get sent off too Tony for some of his magic mud.
Are we talking about a M1A stock or a bolt action stock,never heard or seen a M1A mac stock that didnt need bedding.The sniper fill is nothing more than a fiberglass mix added to the buttstock areas,has nothing to do with the bedding.
On the bolt gun stocks if the barreled action fits ok you can shoot it with no bedding but you will be better off bedding it and being done with it. No bedding and accuracy will be the issue. Have had plenty of guys over the years bring in the rifle and complain it doesn’t shoot and guess what. Not bedded.
Even the HS stocks. I’ll give you a 50/50 chance that you don’t need to do it. Recoil lug recess is off, action screw holes don’t line up etc… it’s all about the proper fit.
Later, Frank
Even the HS stocks. I’ll give you a 50/50 chance that you don’t need to do it. Recoil lug recess is off, action screw holes don’t line up etc… it’s all about the proper fit.
Later, Frank
To me, once you spend all that money on a McMillan stock for a bolt action rifle, it seems that getting it propely bedded would only make sense - to maximize accuracy given one’s investment in the stock itself.
One of the craziest M1A rifles that I saw in gun broker was an M1A from the mid-90s with an unbedded McMillan M3A stock probably from the same era. The seller said it belonged to his father and that he would practice with his police SWAT buddies back in the 1990-200xs. The M1A receiver would have a very loose fit without any bedding, and I was amazed that it was supposedly used that way….anyhow, all my McMillans are bedded via MarineTex.
One of the craziest M1A rifles that I saw in gun broker was an M1A from the mid-90s with an unbedded McMillan M3A stock probably from the same era. The seller said it belonged to his father and that he would practice with his police SWAT buddies back in the 1990-200xs. The M1A receiver would have a very loose fit without any bedding, and I was amazed that it was supposedly used that way….anyhow, all my McMillans are bedded via MarineTex.
We are discussing bolt actions
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