Inlet a stock

[skeetlee]

I have a customers McMillan A5 stock here in my shop. This stock is a flat top and needs inletting. Customer says McMillan isn’t doing inletting any longer. I find this hard to believe but it’s what he says.
So if this is the case who can I send it to for inletting. It would take me a ton of time to attemp this job on my manual machines so I’m just not interested.
Thanks
Lee Gardner Precision

 

[padom]

I have a customers McMillan A5 stock here in my shop. This stock is a flat top and needs inletting. Customer says McMillan isn’t doing inletting any longer. I find this hard to believe but it’s what he says.
So if this is the case who can I send it to for inletting. It would take me a ton of time to attemp this job on my manual machines so I’m just not interested.
Thanks
Lee Gardner Precision

Chad Dixon at LRI

 

[jimmymac]

Tom Meredith is perfect for a flattop. He did a laminated tracker for me that turned out really great.

 

[jimmymac]

Here is a picture of the one he just did for me. He is easy to work with, the craftsmanship is great and he did a quick turnaround. Tom puts in the hours. 100% satisfied. It shoots good too.

 

[WSnyder]

I have a customers McMillan A5 stock here in my shop. This stock is a flat top and needs inletting. Customer says McMillan isn’t doing inletting any longer. I find this hard to believe but it’s what he says.
So if this is the case who can I send it to for inletting. It would take me a ton of time to attemp this job on my manual machines so I’m just not interested.
Thanks
Lee Gardner Precision

Once the buyout happened they cut way back on models and what they will inlet for. An ex McMillan employee that has his own shop will inlet. Doug at St Arbor Customs. They inlet stock models on a rotating schedule and don't do one offs anymore. Contact them to see when they will be inletting that model next.

I believe you can order McMillan stocks inletted from him as well. Also I believe the Wheeler LRB is ordered direct from them too.

Homepage

saintarborcustoms.com

 

[LVLAaron]

Alex Sitman (masterclass stocks)

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Every bench gun I have built (99.9% at least) I have inletted as flat tops on a manual mill. Did one yesterday and one today. If you can chamber a barrel inletting is simple work. Now I didnt say profitable, lol. Used to do all the mag fed stuff too. But not anymore.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Once the buyout happened they cut way back on models and what they will inlet for. An ex McMillan employee that has his own shop will inlet. Doug at St Arbor Customs. They inlet stock models on a rotating schedule and don't do one offs anymore. Contact them to see when they will be inletting that model next.

I believe you can order McMillan stocks inletted from him as well. Also I believe the Wheeler LRB is ordered direct from them too.

Homepage

saintarborcustoms.com

Not anymore. It didnt work out.

 

[WSnyder]

Not anymore. It didnt work out.

Is the source back to you then? Flat tops available?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Is the source back to you then? Flat tops available?

Yes

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Time to expand your services Lee! Stocks and stock work is in high demand. Kelbly's stopped making stocks, altogether and the short range game, in particular, has been left high and dry, for the most part for stocks, unless you want to wait a long while and pay a steep price for the very nice work of the few carbon fiber stock makers left to do it. Looks like it's a thing now that I didn't want to get into either but I'm set up to do inlets for several actions now. I won't do bedding on them but I can inlet for most actions. It'll leave a little work for the smith that does the bedding but not bad.

 

[AlNyhus]

The 3D printed action bodies that Greg Taylor at GT Accuracy sells are worth their weight in gold for inletting a flat top. .-Al

 

[LVLAaron]

Anyone have a good video/blog of how a fiberglass stock gets laid up? I can't picture how it happens

 

[skeetlee]

I have inletted a few stocks and it isn’t hard work. It’s just time consuming. I still work full time for the city here at home. My hours in the shop need to be profitable or it just doesn’t make sense for me. You just can’t charge your customer for the hours it will take. They are better off paying someone who is proficient at the task.
Lee

 

[WSnyder]

Anyone have a good video/blog of how a fiberglass stock gets laid up? I can't picture how it happens

Here’s a YouTube of Sako’s carbon layup. They are using a sock of carbon instead of sheets for the layup. I’d bet Stocky’s, Alterra and others are very similar processes. Stocky’s and others use similar two piece machined molds. In the past I’ve seen some of the stocks made using an inflatable bladder inside to press the carbon out into the mold instead of the foam core that Sako shows. Stocky’s uses a very rigid non-compressible fiber insert in the action area and mby the same in the forend. The butts are hollow so I assume they use an inflatable bladder there. There was an old McMillan YouTube shop tour video that showed a lot of their old processes but I can’t find it anymore. If I recall they used a more primitive looking fiberglass two piece mold and layed up each side separately and then sandwiched them together. They hand stuffed the hollow stocks by hand varying the filler depending on use.