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Forum Index > Rifles general discussion > Picking Out a McMillan Stock

Picking Out a McMillan Stock

15 Nov 2018
@ 06:25 pm (GMT)

Luke Lahdenranta

To All

I am planning on ordering a McMillan stock very soon to upgrade to my Tikka M695 in 30-06 and I'm looking to get some feedback on their wide range of stock choices. I am considering the Hunters Edge/compact model as it looks pretty straight combed and generally good proportioned or possibly the HTG model as something that would also be good and straight recoiling.

This isn't going on a dedicated long range rig or target rifle but just a regular general purpose hunting rifle. While I wait 6 months for the elves at McMillan to build my stock, I am strongly considering having the rifle rebarreled to either 35 Whelen or 9.3x62 mm so I am looking towards a good recoil handling stock shape but also keeping at lighter hunting rifle weight to allow for some flexibility with optics and mounts, I'm thinking of a target of 8.75-9 lb weight for the rifle and scope.

For anyone here that has some of their stocks on hunting rifles care to comment on either of these choices or any other models and how they feel for recoiling.

I will say for myself that the regular Remington SPS stock fits me pretty decent, so I am looking at that basic shape as a starting point. I will be staying away from any Monte Carlo slanted cheekpiece designs because if my M695 factory stock is any indication, they really seem to beat me up.

Once I wade through all the stock shapes and pick one out, then it's on to working through all the colour choices!

Replies

1
17 Nov 2018
@ 01:34 am (GMT)

zane cameron

Re: Picking Out a McMillan Stock
Hi luke
Just thought id share my thoughts/opinion for you on the Mcmillan hunters edge and the company.
Firstly I have one of these on my 308. I have set my rifle up mainly as a general purpose rig as you have. The idea of spending the money on this stock was to have a rifle capable of longer shots (out to my comfort zone of 5-600 yrds ) if need be but mainly as a bush rifle that is both lite sturdy and well balanced.

I would first look at what scope and rings you have to put on top and try to keep them appropriate for what you want it for ie - when i bought the rifle it had a neat little leupold vxr compact on it and although it looked good , felt great to carry and was a great bush set up it wasn't suited to longer range shooting.

I then decided to sacrifice some weight and brought a nightforce compact actar.
This is a lot heavier ,not quite as good (bit bulkier) for bush stuff but great all round scope and a very accurate combo.
though the eye relief isn't the best and now i would probably settle for the NXS 2.5x10x30 which is lighter and would suit bush work better as well as longer shots .

I would'nt bother spending the money on this stock just for a close up bush work rifle in my opinion. As a standard t3 plastic stock with a good scope set up would be accurate and light enough anyway.

But if you want to shoot out also i would recommend this stock. Although i find it accurate and lite I dislike the cheek piece for snap shooting and would rather a monte carlo cheek piece as these i find my eye alignment comes up on the scope more natural and comfortably (my sako L461 comes up primo).
The edge stock i find myself using my chin more than my cheek. Using a strap on cheek cushion seems to defy the point and is extra bulk and crap to add.
Consider a monte Carlo stock keeping in mind we are not shooting high powered magnums. Recoil really isnt that much of an issue especially in the bush when the adrenalin is going (you wont even feel it) .On the range its not to bad and i have found myself liking a bit of a punch but each to their own and a 30-06 has a little more kick.

So what happened to my stock recently was it had been over torqued in the past by another owner and when inspecting the pillars i noticed a crack on both. Tone the torque down with a torque wrench a few pound and you should be right.

The company are great to deal with. They agreed quickly on replacing the stock for me provided i cut the buggered one in half. It felt funny cutting( a $900 stock) in half but they are currently making a replacement - blardy beauty.

So anyway yep they are great.




17 Nov 2018
@ 10:35 am (GMT)

Iain

Re: Picking Out a McMillan Stock
Hi Luke.
You will find much useful info in the FAQ on McMs website. Sometimes the amount of info can be a bit overwhelming, and if if you have found this to be so, the following may help.
Most of the stocks are available in either fibreglass or graphite. The graphite is used in the Hunter's Edge and called "Edge Tech" when it is ordered in other shapes.
The fibreglass stcok made in the Hunters Edge mould is called the "Compact"
If you are aiming for a scoped weight of 8.5/9.00 lbs, you may find that the small weight saving of the graphite option is unnecessary. Fibreglass will be cheaper, slightly more robust, and MAY (I don't know) reduce felt recoil a little.
The full range of colours and finished is available in f'glass, but only painted finishes and a VERY small range of molded in colours are available with graphite.
We are all different shapes and sizes, including our hands and different stocks will feel better to different people. That said, I, like zane, also find the comb on the Hunter's Edge/Compact not very high. With a low mounted 42mm Ob scope it suits me well, but with 2.5mm high mounts I also have zane's issues with the comb.
I have both the stocks you are looking at, and although they are quite different, I like them both. The HTG is better suited to LR than the HE but is quite usable as an all round stock.
The Remington Classic is an option that sits between the HE/Compact and the HTG, but you would need to enquire as to whether or not it can be inlet for your Tikka.
Most US sourced stocks have the front sling stud positioned too far back for bush use, which leads to smacked knuckles. McM will position the studs wherever you like, provided it doesn't effect the integrity of the stock.
As zane said, the company is good to deal with and make a good product.


18 Nov 2018
@ 07:35 am (GMT)

Luke Lahdenranta

Re: Picking Out a McMillan Stock
I thank you for the replies and the feedback they are still very helpful even though stock fit is such an individual thing.

Nathan gave me a bit more info on the ultralight edge stock more from a gunsmithing/bedding perspective. It's not McMillan fault, but there some compromises if you are going ultralight. Since I'm not trying to build a 6lb ultralight wonder rifle it is probably not worth it for me.

I also had a very good chat with my friendly neighborhood gunbuilder and bounced a few things off of him. Between the info he gave me and Nathan, I think I'm going to look in a bit of different direction then McMillan for this Tikka. Since its a Blued/Walnut gun already I am going keep it looking like that and get a Boyds stock for this gun. I just have to choose if I want a laminate or a walnut stock for it. He also has a 9.3x62mm reamer ready to go so it makes it very enticing to maybe rebarrel at the same time, especially since the difference in price between the Boyds and a McMillan would nearly pay for a new Benchmark 9.3mm barrel! :D

Many thanks again for the helpful replies. Sometimes when you get a chance to bounce a few ideas around you can end up better know what you want even if you end up moving in a bit of a different direction.

Luke
25 Nov 2018
@ 06:42 pm (GMT)

Luke Lahdenranta

Re: Picking Out a McMillan Stock
After taking a step back and thinking a little bit more about what I wanted to do with this old Tikka I ended up taking advantage of some Black Friday discounts and I'm putting it in a Boyds stock. And while it was tough to say no a rebarrel since I've been so interested in getting into a medium bore, I decided not to rebarrel my 30-06 to either 35Whelen or 9.3x62 but just leave it as is. I still do want a medium bore someday but darn it I just plain like the 30-06. I put a lot of work into dialing in the 30-06 with 200-208 gr bullets at 2700 fps before the cheapo Chinese made 'long range ' scope died and I got sick of being beat up by a bad stick fit. But now I got the Boyds stock on the way and I used the difference of what I would have spent on a McMillan stock, plus getting a little extra from selling an extra gun, to upgrade the scope to a Sightron siii 3.5-10x44 MD. I'm looking forward to now putting this all together and getting this project back on track. I think the old '06 will hit pretty hard with a 208 gr ELD at 2730 fps! :)
25 Nov 2018
@ 10:07 pm (GMT)

Warwick Marflitt

Re: Picking Out a McMillan Stock
Luke I think you're right on the money there. You can always Ackley Improve the chamber if you wanted too. It'll still shoot factory ammo and reloads might give a bit more depending on barrel length and accuracy nodes..... Enjoy mate.
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