too many cool choices!! need help RE: stocks for Rem 700

[Detritus]

sometime in the next month or so I will finally be able to get a replacement stock for my "project rifle", a .308 Rem 700 SPS-V. (finding work after a 5 year lack, considerably brightens one's outlook btw)

Now i've known since the day i brought it home over a year and a half ago that I was going to scrap the factory POS stock at the first opportunity, So i've been looking at the various options for all of that time. but now that it's time to make the decision as to which one, I find myself both conflicted and in need of oppinions of others.

I DO have the field narrowed down to three, all have bedding blocks, vertical pistol grips and generally of a "target/tactical" design.

1. the Bell & Carlson Tactical Medalist A5 aka "the fancy one" with adjustable cheekpiece & buttplate, plus the anshutz-style forend rail.
2. Bell & Carlson Tactical Medalist A2 the basic upgrade synthetic, without all the adjustability
3. Bobby Hart AccuBlock Long Range Target / Tactical For all intents a B&C A2 in laminate, "the pretty one" because if i went this route i would get one of the gloss finished, bright colored versions.

and lastly just to throw a wrench in my own gears, (and not included above b/c it has neither of the two major shared features of the other three)
The "Ultra Walnut" varmint stock that's in Stocky's bargain barn right now, because somewhere deep inside me lives this little guy jumping up and down screaming "to Heck with function! that one'll make it look like one of the old M40s!!" but there is a strong bias against this one due to lack of a bedding block or pillars in the stock. the lack of such is a major reason for my desire to ditch the factory unit currently on the rifle.

So, i guess my real questions are as follows.

• For a person who's going to shoot this rifle exclusively from a bench and prone, Does the B&C A5 stock offer any REAL advantage over the A2? to be clear for the average joe shooter, IS there nearly $200 worth of utility/value in the adjustable cheekpiece, buttplate etc?? any further data arguing for or against this one is welcome)
• conversely what are any Disadvantages to the plainer and less expensive A2 type? again, arguments both for and against welcome
• Between the synthetic B&C and the "Bobby Hart" Laminate of the same profile. what are the pros/cons/oppinions of each?

Anyone who wants to argue for that bargain barn Walnut one.. go right ahead but that's a somewhat uphill climb right now. If i had the resources to get two stocks, that would be the second. but as is, its lack of Pillars or a bedding block place it at a distant 4th in the race today.

As i said any info or oppinions on the above mentioned stocks is VERY much welcome. I've got about 2 weeks or so before i can make the purchase (dern truck needs new front brakes.:banghead: ) so i have some time to absorb the wisdom of others before i have to make the final decision.

as always thank you for your time and any information you can give me.

 

[Detritus]

BTT,

come on guys i need some outside help deciding here, lol.

this one is a bit of a hard choice in it's own way.

 

[G27RR]

I went through the same questions about six months ago. I was building a pair of rifles - one in .223 and one in .308. I wanted them to be identically setup, and being able to get two A2 stocks for the price of an A5 made me choose the A2s. I *really* thought I wanted the full adjustability, but after using the A2s I haven't missed it at all.

The .223 improved by about 1/2 MOA going from the SPS stock to the B&C. It's around a 3/4 MOA shooter now with the right ammo. The .308 didn't have any trigger time before the swap to the B&C so I can't say what difference it made.

If I had to do it over again, I would make the same choice as I don't think I'd get enough value for the extra money. The A2 has worked great for me and the LOP and cheekweld fit me just about perfectly.

If you need or want more cheek height, you could use a padded stock pack from Tac Ops, Eagle, etc.

 

[blackops]

Get the fully adjustable B&C. I didn't and wish I would have now. You don't understand the difference between a rifle that fits you and one that doesn't until you have the one that does. People underestimate the difference in accuracy from a rifle that fits you perfectly and one that doesn't. Having a fully adjustable stock eliminates this element. Get the fully adjustable B&C and thank me later.

 

[Geno]

I have the Adjustable Tactical B&C. They are fantastic!

Geno

 

[TIMC]

I have been working on an early model Remington 700 ADL in .308.
I ordered a Hogue pillar bed DM stock in Hardswoods camo. I also am converting it to BDL. I have been waiting on the stock for 7 weeks now. I called them today and they said it was ready and should ship out this afternoon so I should have it by the end of next week. Next to decide if I am going to rebarrel it.

 

[Nighthawk0083]

I think i would go with option #2 its not too costly but a definitely an upgrade overstock. I also thought the magazine conversion kit was a nice feature that you could add to that stock later.

 

[huntinggamo]

I have had all of the stocks you listed but then i found manners composites, fell in love. i have a T-5 A it is an adjustable bla bla bla, very ergonomic, i would check them out. the t-5 i currently have is a right hand specific thumb hole stock, but one of my left handed Buddie picked it up and could not even tell, it is usable either hand the t-4 is like the mcmillan a5. anyway they are awesome and they have many styles as well.

 

[Detritus]

but then i found manners composites

I really like the looks of them too, unfortunately, they are outside of my current budget. to tell the truth at $400 the fully adjustable B&C I listed in my Inital post is out of reach budget-wise for the time being.
reality is that $300 + shipping (the cost of the Bobby Hart stock at #3 in the OP) is my realistic limit for a purchase made anytime soon.

I listed the B&C A5 beacuse the adjustability is appealing and it's cost of $407+shipping is the very upper limit of what i can even look at and not put myself on the "Ramen 3x a day" diet. And also to see if someone could give a reason to choose the adjustable model over the fixed one, that justified a near doubling in price.

In addition to the stock purchase being discussed here, I have a pistol on layaway, some desperately needed ammo/reloading purchases, a vehicle repair:banghead: and some other lesser but nessesary items that i have to budget for. Added up a general estimate for the various things i'm hoping to get by january ro February comes to around $2k

if the above sounds a bit like i'm going on a buying spree, well yeah I AM. At the current moment my wife's job is the one that pays the bills, and my income can go more heavily toward hobby/extra stuff. But 32-40hr a week retail gigs aren't known for high pay, so I still have to look carefully for the best bang for my buck, so as to cover all of the things i have been doing without for the past 5 years. and not sink it all on a single item.

I'm leaning strongly toward the B&C A2, partly because I am not yet sure that i will have the opportunity, now that I'm working, to shoot this rifle enough to justify putting a higher end stock on it. If i knew that I was going to have a chance to be able to make every F-class match in driving distance, I'd probably get the B&C A5 or a Manners. But right now the opposite is true, I don't even know If i'll be able to shoot the match my local club is holding in early December (which is part of what i'm trying to gear up for).

Anyway that long ramble Is just me trying my clumsy best explain part of why I'm asking what I am, and why I put up the three choices I did. hope i'm not coming across as dense, stupid or in anyway offensive.

I DO thank you all for your time and input and look forward to any further comments etc you care to share

 

[Strongbad]

I'm currently pulling together all of the pieces for a new custom long range 6.5mm build and my stock of choice is the B&C A5. That's what I'll be ordering when the time comes. The stock shape, for bench work, plus the adjustability is are my main reasons for going with the A-5 above all others. I'd buy the McMillan A-5 but they're expensive enough to put me just over budget, etc. Incredible stock though.

 

[huntinggamo]

i understand where you are coming from, my project set me back hard, now all other projects are on hold for a while. i think adjust-ability is important, but there are other ways of getting it besides spending twice as much, if i were you i would go ahead and get that a2, if you need the cheek comb raised a little bit i would just do some custom foam cutting yourself and do some taping and or shrink wrapping, it works great when you are on a budget...