After Market Stocks and Chassis Systems

[Big_Sloppy75]

Recently, I have been pondering a new rifle. I am planning to buy a factory rifle, and turn it into a paper puncher that doesn't kill me to pack around either, if I wanted to take it hunting big game. Any opinions on calibers are welcome, but I am most interested in hearing what everyone thinks about after market stocks and chassis systems, mainly what is your favorite, and which are all around desirable stocks? (In terms of weight, feel, looks, etc.)

 

[jmr40]

Most of the aftermarket stocks with built in aluminum blocks are heavier than those without them. Those made by Bell & Carlson and HS-Precision tend to weigh 36-42 oz. B&C makes a few for some rifles such as Winchester that will be around 30 oz which is about the same weight as most wood stocks. Everything else such as the Hogues can weigh 44-48 oz, which is considerably heavier than wood.

On a target or varmint gun that isn't carried a lot most of them work pretty well. All can be very accurate. The lighter versions made by B&C are tolerable on a general purpose hunting rifle. The others are heavier than I'd want to carry.

If you really want to get light you need to go with a Kevlar stock. Even the high end fiberglass stocks are in the 30-32 oz range. You can get Kevlar as light as 16 oz., but most are going to be around 22 oz, about 1/2 lb lighter than a typical wood stock.

I have 4 rifles in McMillan Edge stocks. A Remington 700 in 30-06 and 3 Winchesters 70's in 30-06, 308, and 300 WSM. They are all between 7-7.5 lbs including optics and mounts. Of course they ain't cheap at around $600 retail. I kept my eyes open and bought all 4 used off of various gun forum classified ads. I paid around $75 more for each of these than a B&C stock would cost new.

 

[Big_Sloppy75]

Everyone seems to be Macmillan fans. Not had many complaints

 

[COLOSHOOTR]

Bell & Carlson stocks and HS Precision with aluminum V bedding blocks are decent low priced options but as jmr40 mentioned they are fairly heavy. I hadva 700 in a B&C A3 Medalist and it was nearly as heavy as my Accuracy International. The only other down side besides weight is I've seen them have misaligned bedding blocks where the barrel touched one of the edges on the front of the stock but they always will take care of it and send you a new one. They usually help with accuracy over factory stocks.

The next popular option is the AICS (Accuracy International Chassis System). It's one of the best chassis systems on the market and adds a magazine system to your rifle. The only con is the weight as they are heavy as well. They do make your rifle look like one of the greatest sniper rifles in the world though!

The best options for you would probably be a McMillan or Manners stock. I won't tell you what model as I'm a practical / tactical long range shooter and my wants and needs may not be what you'd want or need. You can get very lightweight composite stocks from them and they have models to fit everyone. The only real down side is unlike the chassis stocks with the v blocks you'll have to have your action bedded, mist likely requiring a good smith. Manners does have a chassis system but it will increase weight. It may still be lighter than the others with the right stock though. Take a look at both and see if you find something you like.

 

[Whiskey11]

I loved the AICS on my R700 in .308. Absolutely amazing stock and really shrank groups down on an otherwise mundane R700 SPS.

The tradeoff with these chassis systems will always be weight. A conventional bedding setup using some form of epoxy is going to be difficult for the average gun enthusiast to setup and gunsmiths can charge an arm and a leg to bed a rifle. Bedding also has a finite life. Aluminum bedding blocks give you more rigidity and lockdown of the action over traditional bedding and don't wear out. You will "pay" for that in weight over traditional bedding though. Bedding blocks are also user friendly as they rely on "science" vs "voodoo" to bed the action tight into the stock. No need for conventional bedding if you don't want it, although you certainly can if it helps you sleep at night.

I personally don't have issues with heavier rifles. My M1A is 16lbs loaded but it shoots really nicely. I wouldn't mind lugging it around in the woods with a decent sling setup. I can certainly appreciate a lighter setup, but for the average hunter, a little extra weight isn't going to be completely unbearable.

 

[Driftertank]

Heavy is subjective.

My Rem 700 LongRange in 7mm RM. weighs about 12.5 pounds with bipod and 4-16x50 Viper PST. I don't find it unduly heavy, particularly as it's primary intended use is as a long range target rifle, and a medium/large game rifle for the low rolling hills of central and eastern Washington state. It would be a bit long and heavy to hump trough the denser forests of the Cascade and Olympic mountains on the western side, though.

My AR carbine weighs in at about 10lbs with light and 1-4x24 PST in a 1 piece ADM Recon mount. I find it comfortable to carry for extended periods, and handy to use from 0 to about 400yds.

The reasons i find both of these rifles a dawdle to cart around are, 1. I work on cars for a living; i do a lot of lifting, pulling, prying, etc. And 2. They all get compared to my PTR-91F, which with bipod, 2.5-10x32 PST, and Magpul PRS stock, weighs in at a solid 16lbs with magazine. I like to joke that I'm just a belt-box short of a SAW lugging THAT thing around.

So, how light you need?

 

[COLOSHOOTR]

Heavy is subjective.

My Rem 700 LongRange in 7mm RM. weighs about 12.5 pounds with bipod and 4-16x50 Viper PST. I don't find it unduly heavy, particularly as it's primary intended use is as a long range target rifle, and a medium/large game rifle for the low rolling hills of central and eastern Washington state. It would be a bit long and heavy to hump trough the denser forests of the Cascade and Olympic mountains on the western side, though.

My AR carbine weighs in at about 10lbs with light and 1-4x24 PST in a 1 piece ADM Recon mount. I find it comfortable to carry for extended periods, and handy to use from 0 to about 400yds.

The reasons i find both of these rifles a dawdle to cart around are, 1. I work on cars for a living; i do a lot of lifting, pulling, prying, etc. And 2. They all get compared to my PTR-91F, which with bipod, 2.5-10x32 PST, and Magpul PRS stock, weighs in at a solid 16lbs with magazine. I like to joke that I'm just a belt-box short of a SAW lugging THAT thing around.

So, how light you need?

Your rifles are light!!!!!!!!!! I wish I were running 12lbs or even 16lbs.... This is with the short barrel and no sling attached.

 

[farmerboy78]

I have an xlr industries element chassis on a custom 700 LA. It's all aluminum and it fits me very well and seems like a very stable platform.

 

[Big_Sloppy75]

I love the XLR look. Really I'd like to keep the rifle lighter than 13 if that's even possible. I haven't even bought my next gun, but it will be a Savage or Tikka, so if I hate the stock or how it shoots, I just want a few options I guess

 

[Robert]

I am one day going to put my hunting rifle in a McMillan stock. Though my 375H&H already tips the scale at 10lbs I am more I interested in the toughness of the stock and the immunity to swelling or shrinking than making it uber light.

 

[Sav .250]

Never had one................But they have been sold for years.

 

[farmerboy78]

My 6.5-06 sitting in the xlr element chassis with a 26" sendero contour barrel and a 6-24 50 vortex viper pst weighs exactly 13lbs