Need Opinion on McMillan MC3 Stock

[Survivalkraft]

Hello, gentlemen!

I am new to the art of long range shooting and need the guidance of experienced opinions.

I purchased a reasonably priced Remington 700 SPS Tactical chambered in .223 that was already mounted in a McMillan MC3 Legend Tactical (note: not the carbon fiber version/without bottom metal). Even though the MC3 seems solid, I'm a little skeptical of a polymer stock, and my research on the platform has turned up little useful information.

Here is where I need help: In your opinion, is this a stock worth keeping and spending the money to upgrade with bottom metal and proper bedding? Or should I sell it and use the money toward purchasing a fiberglass stock, an aluminum chassis, etc.? This rifle will primarily be used to learn the fundamentals of long range shooting out to about 600-800 yards, and may occasionally be used for hunting small game.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you and God bless!

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Hello, gentlemen!

I am new to the art of long range shooting and need the guidance of experienced opinions.

I purchased a reasonably priced Remington 700 SPS Tactical chambered in .223 that was already mounted in a McMillan MC3 Legend Tactical (note: not the carbon fiber version/without bottom metal). Even though the MC3 seems solid, I'm a little skeptical of a polymer stock, and my research on the platform has turned up little useful information.

Here is where I need help: In your opinion, is this a stock worth keeping and spending the money to upgrade with bottom metal and proper bedding? Or should I sell it and use the money toward purchasing a fiberglass stock, an aluminum chassis, etc.? This rifle will primarily be used to learn the fundamentals of long range shooting out to about 600-800 yards, and may occasionally be used for hunting small game.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thank you and God bless!

I’ve been around one and like it. torque the actions screws down and see how it shoots.

 

[jepp2]

I purchased a reasonably priced Remington 700 SPS Tactical chambered in .223 that was already mounted in a McMillan MC3 Legend Tactical (note: not the carbon fiber version/without bottom metal). Even though the MC3 seems solid, I'm a little skeptical of a polymer stock, and my research on the platform has turned up little useful information.

Put on your fire suit if you are sensitive.

I bought a new McMillan MC3 stock with the carbon fiber and bottom metal. Not a bad stock, but I sold it.

I think the stock will not limit you nearly as much as the rifle you purchased. I don't compete, so feel free to discount everything I say. But I do shoot longer range 600+ as practice for my hunting. So after load development it gives me the opportunity to verify my ballistic calculator and windage adjustments. Always hope to get things closer but I feel very confident on deer and antelope out to 800 yards (with decent conditions), and know my group size and adjustments.

I have owned and shot many Remington rifles. And I'm not bashing them. But a factory Remington barrel can't hold a candle to a single point cut hand lapped barrel on accuracy. And you might have a good 700 action, or maybe one with issues.

So I would recommend you shoot what you have to learn a lot of what is ahead. And after a while you might decide you want to shoot something else sitting in a different stock.

A few years back I read where one of the members stated he had sold all his factory rifles and now shoots customs exclusively. It took me a few years, but I am following those same footsteps. As expensive as components are, the enjoyment of shooting better equipment is so much more satisfying.

 

[xswanted]

I had one for 1 day and sold it.

I think for the money the Stockys Long Ramge Composite is a nicer stock. I have one of those and side by side with the MC3 it’s a nicer setup.

The downfall with the Stockys is you have to modify it to accept a bottom metal that takes an AI type mag. I guess there are bottmo metals that supposedly fit in the standard BDL opening that will work but I believe you’re still going to modify the stock.

Side by side the Stockys is a nicer setup.

 

[Survivalkraft]

I’ve been around one and like it. torque the actions screws down and see how it shoots.

Okay. I have checked the torque at 45 lbs, which is what McCubed recommended. I'll get it to the range this next weekend. Thank you!

 

[Survivalkraft]

Put on your fire suit if you are sensitive.

I bought a new McMillan MC3 stock with the carbon fiber and bottom metal. Not a bad stock, but I sold it.

I think the stock will not limit you nearly as much as the rifle you purchased. I don't compete, so feel free to discount everything I say. But I do shoot longer range 600+ as practice for my hunting. So after load development it gives me the opportunity to verify my ballistic calculator and windage adjustments. Always hope to get things closer but I feel very confident on deer and antelope out to 800 yards (with decent conditions), and know my group size and adjustments.

I have owned and shot many Remington rifles. And I'm not bashing them. But a factory Remington barrel can't hold a candle to a single point cut hand lapped barrel on accuracy. And you might have a good 700 action, or maybe one with issues.

So I would recommend you shoot what you have to learn a lot of what is ahead. And after a while you might decide you want to shoot something else sitting in a different stock.

A few years back I read where one of the members stated he had sold all his factory rifles and now shoots customs exclusively. It took me a few years, but I am following those same footsteps. As expensive as components are, the enjoyment of shooting better equipment is so much more satisfying.

Yeah. I understand that a factory/off-the-shelf setup is far, far from ideal. But I doubt for a bit that I will shoot well enough to notice. Once my skills have caught up, then I can contemplate spending the money on nicer equipment. Goodness, I don't even know enough right now to know what "nicer equipment" truly is! It's all part of the journey! Thank you for your informative response.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Okay. I have checked the torque at 45 lbs, which is what McCubed recommended. I'll get it to the range this next weekend. Thank you!

Good, just enjoy it and tell us how it shoots!
Do as jepp2 suggested, save your investment money for good barrels and chambering jobs.

 

[Survivalkraft]

I had one for 1 day and sold it.

I think for the money the Stockys Long Ramge Composite is a nicer stock. I have one of those and side by side with the MC3 it’s a nicer setup.

The downfall with the Stockys is you have to modify it to accept a bottom metal that takes an AI type mag. I guess there are bottmo metals that supposedly fit in the standard BDL opening that will work but I believe you’re still going to modify the stock.

Side by side the Stockys is a nicer setup.

I have heard of Stocky's. I will check them out. Thank you for the heads up!

 

[jepp2]

Just a reference. I bought a new 700 ADL a while back and played with it some. Different trigger (tuned Walker) and stock (H S Precision) and decent scope. This is how it shot at 100m. For a $300 rifle that came with a scope and mounts new, I thought it was pretty good.

 

[Survivalkraft]

Just a reference. I bought a new 700 ADL a while back and played with it some. Different trigger (tuned Walker) and stock (H S Precision) and decent scope. This is how it shot at 100m. For a $300 rifle that came with a scope and mounts new, I thought it was pretty good.

View attachment 1270465

Those are certainly good groups! I would be very proud of those.

 

[Survivalkraft]

Just a reference. I bought a new 700 ADL a while back and played with it some. Different trigger (tuned Walker) and stock (H S Precision) and decent scope. This is how it shot at 100m. For a $300 rifle that came with a scope and mounts new, I thought it was pretty good.

View attachment 1270465

Speaking of HS Precision, would you recommend their stocks? Their Pro-Series 2000 M24 A1 stock looks particularly appealing to me.

 

[10XSHOOTER]

Look at the Bell & Carslon Rem 700 BDL Target/ Competition stock. Aluminum bedding block, Adj Check piece.
You can also order it inletted for M5 Detachable Mag. $435.00 ready to go. Torque action to 60 in/lb/ and go shoot it. Barrel channel is for Remington varmint barrel.

 

[Survivalkraft]

Look at the Bell & Carslon Rem 700 BDL Target/ Competition stock. Aluminum bedding block, Adj Check piece.
You can also order it inletted for M5 Detachable Mag. $435.00 ready to go. Torque action to 60 in/lb/ and go shoot it. Barrel channel is for Remington varmint barrel.

I'm going to go check it out now! Thank you

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Just a reference. I bought a new 700 ADL a while back and played with it some. Different trigger (tuned Walker) and stock (H S Precision) and decent scope. This is how it shot at 100m. For a $300 rifle that came with a scope and mounts new, I thought it was pretty good.

View attachment 1270465

Those are decent groups - I would be reshooting them to see if the flyers really exist, or it was an "off" shot. I always found 25.x to be the load - in my rifle, and in my experience, tighten up the verticals with match primers

 

[ebb]

Fix the worst part of your setup first, the part that is causing your groups to open up most. I am guessing but since you didn't mention ammo, you probably don't hand load and tailor your ammo to your rifle. With a factory barrel I think this is most important. Different bullets and powders can make a factory barrel come alive. A scope is probably next. I have not seem a M3 stock but I have a hard time thinking that they would make some thing substandard. Learn proper shooting technique.

 

[BoydAllen]

Just a reference. I bought a new 700 ADL a while back and played with it some. Different trigger (tuned Walker) and stock (H S Precision) and decent scope. This is how it shot at 100m. For a $300 rifle that came with a scope and mounts new, I thought it was pretty good.

View attachment 1270465

How did you come up with that seating depth? The reason that I ask is that I have always gotten my best accuracy with bullets seated slightly into the rifling. Back in the day when all that I had or could afford were factory rifles, with skim bedding, and careful load workups, I was able to get my sporter weight barrel Remingtons (.222-& 223) to group around 3/8 on a day when the wind was easy. The reason that I eventually invested in my first top grade barrel was that the factory barrels would pick up jacket fouling to the point where I had to clean them to maintain accuracy more often than I liked. After cleaning, several rounds were required to get them to settle down, and the good accuracy zone, was too few shots after that. That first custom barrel was a Hart that did exactly what I had hoped. It would shoot good more shots after cleaning, was easier to clean, and required minimal fouling to settle down.

 

[jepp2]

How did you come up with that seating depth?

My normal starting point is the 0.020" off the lands. Funny thing is I have tried "jam" on many rifles and it has never provided the best accuracy. I do realize lots of folks have much better experience as you do. I even shoot quite a few Berger VLD and VLD-H which are known for sometimes having their best accuracy with a jam.

I did a lot of things different on that target. I don't normally go with that large of increments on the powder charges, but when I am loading a new bullet/powder combination I go with bigger steps. That way when I run the results in QuickLoad I have a much better idea for my powder burn rate (Ba) adjustment. The next step will normally be 0.2 gr steps above and below the node velocity.

The bullets I was using (Montana Gold 50 gr hollowpoints) have provided some better accuracy than expected. Of course they are no longer available.

 

[BoydAllen]

My normal starting point is the 0.020" off the lands. Funny thing is I have tried "jam" on many rifles and it has never provided the best accuracy. I do realize lots of folks have much better experience as you do. I even shoot quite a few Berger VLD and VLD-H which are known for sometimes having their best accuracy with a jam.

I did a lot of things different on that target. I don't normally go with that large of increments on the powder charges, but when I am loading a new bullet/powder combination I go with bigger steps. That way when I run the results in QuickLoad I have a much better idea for my powder burn rate (Ba) adjustment. The next step will normally be 0.2 gr steps above and below the node velocity.

The bullets I was using (Montana Gold 50 gr hollowpoints) have provided some better accuracy than expected. Of course they are no longer available.

Thanks for getting back to me. When you say jam it is hard for me to know exactly what you mean. Are you talking about seating a specific amount into the rifling? Generally, for .22 cal. varmint bullets, and my PPC, my go to starting seating depth is about .006 into the rifling. This gives light marks. It has been good for my factory rifles as well as custom chambers in .222 and 6PPC. Of course having a decent trigger and really steady rest setup and bench are also important, and it has been a long time since I shot at the range without at least a couple of wind flags in front of me. With a suitably light trigger, my setups show absolutely no reticle movement on target as I am firing the rifle (obviously before ignition). I have no way of knowing, but I would guess that many shooters are dealing with benches that have a little (or more) wobble, rests that do not do a good job, and triggers that are too heavy for really fine work.

 

[jepp2]

When you say jam it is hard for me to know exactly what you mean. Are you talking about seating a specific amount into the rifling?

To me, jam is just a couple of thousandths into the lands. Enough the bullet will lightly stick, but not leave land marks on it. Hard Jam is enough into the lands that it is getting close or at the point of seating the bullet deeper IF you run light neck tension. And at this point extracting an unfired cartridge will probably leave the bullet in the barrel.

Hope we haven't taken the thread too far off the OP intent.

 

[DirtySteve]

I like the KRB Bravo chassis stocks. I have three of them and they shoot great...
But a good barrel and trigger gets you the most improvement in accuracy for every dollar spent.