Rant on! B&C stock

[TheOtherZilla]

So I was in Denver the fourth of July. Cabelas had a nice Savage 12 FV in 22-250 on sale. I bought one [that's another story and Cabelas Colorado fiasco]. Worked up decent loads, but the tupperware stock and recoil lug block left a bit to be desired. Tried to get an HS precision stock for it, but according to Stocky's they do not make one for this model and screw spacing. So they suggested a Bell and Carleson Tactical Medalist style 2. So it arrives.. B&C should be ashamed. Where the HS Precision I installed on my 222 was a drop in affair, the B&C needed further work. First I knew the trigger guard screw wasn't there. But the space where the guard set was not finished. There was some material left on one side that would not allow the guard to set down in the hole. Ended up using a roto zip bit and dremel to finish the hole. Second fly in the ointment was getting the internal magazine to stay in place.. More engineering had to be done. Finally I got it all together.. Obligatory pics attached..This will be the last B&C I use. Rant OFF

Shooting in the AM
Edit: Loopy VXIII 4.5-14

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Welcome to fitting stocks Even the most expensive stocks for factory rifles will require some inletting work sometimes. Not every HS is drop in. I bet if you bought 2 more HS stocks and 2 more Savage 12 rifles, youd find that you had to work on some of them.

NEVER expect a new stock to be 100% drop in ready or you will be writing a new rant topic nearly every time you put a new stock on a rifle. Some require a lot of work, some very minor. If you are going to do a full action bedding job, pretty much every stock out there will need some in letting work to make room for the bedding material.

When you buy a new stock, always expect you will be putting in work to make it fit. Then if the rifle drops in perfectly with a free floating barrel channel, consider it a bonus. That's how I keep myself from getting pissed off when fitting a new stock

 

[jonbearman]

I bought one of those stocks and it dropped in but I skim bedded the recoil lug area and the vee block but it shot fairly good before all the work. They really are not terrible stocks but in the end the Hs Precision is a stiffer stock hands down.

 

[Sniper338]

I agree with the above, how ever I had a b&c tactical medalist stock once, and HATED IT, IT WAS JUNK TO ME. I will never again own one. Got rid of it as soon as I could as it had to place in my man cave.

I had a buddy that had one, he loved it though..

Toss up, but Im with you for the most part, poor quality.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I expect a higher standard of QC. I am 70 years old and have been doing this a long time.. BUT, things like no screw hole and unfinished inletting leave me wondering.. Yes I expect to maybe have to skim bed, etc. But to finish what should have been previously done?

 

[Dgd6mm]

Send it back, get your money back. I like mine, it's my McMillan A2 I don't care for.


Don Dunlap

 

[300_whisper]

Bell and Carlson in my opinion are the best stocks for the money. Ive had Mcmillans and HS precisions that needed fitting. It stinks not being 100% drop in, but at least you get a nice clean fit with a little bit of work. If you called BC they probably would've replaced it for you for free. Their customer service has always been top notch to me.

 

[butchlambert]

I expect a higher standard of QC. I am 70 years old and have been doing this a long time.. BUT, things like no screw hole and unfinished inletting leave me wondering.. Yes I expect to maybe have to skim bed, etc. But to finish what should have been previously done?

I guess you contacted Stockys and B&C before your rant on the internet. I guess they told you to shove it and now your on the internet.
Is this true?

 

[K22]

I have two B&C Metalists stocks, one for a Rem 700 short action and one for a Rem Model 7. Both stocks fit like a glove without any modification. My only complaint is they are bulkly especially in the pistol grip area. Perhaps the problem you had is due to the Savage Rifles, perhaps they don't have the same standards for dimenional tolerances as the Rems - I don't know just suggesting that this MIGHT be the cause.

I also have two McMillian stock, both for Model 700's which are more streamline and fit me better. I opted for the B&C's since they were considerably cheaper than McMillians.

Also Savage makes their ACCUSTOCK with improved bedding. That might be anothe option. I don't know if they are any good because I don't own a Savage, at least not yet.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

I have two B&C Metalists stocks, one for a Rem 700 short action and one for a Rem Model 7. Both stocks fit like a glove without any modification. My only complaint is they are bulkly especially in the pistol grip area. Perhaps the problem you had is due to the Savage Rifles, perhaps they don't have the same standards for dimenional tolerances as the Rems - I don't know just suggesting that this MIGHT be the cause.

I also have two McMillian stock, both for Model 700's which are more streamline and fit me better. I opted for the B&C's since they were considerably cheaper than McMillians.

Also Savage makes their ACCUSTOCK with improved bedding. That might be anothe option. I don't know if they are any good because I don't own a Savage, at least not yet.

The last B&C A2 Tactical Medalist I installed on a Rem 700 LA fit perfectly for me as well minus having to do some inletting for the recoil lug, but that was expected since my lug is so thick. Totally agree on the bulk. Very heavy and big palm swells. The rifle now wears a 22 oz. carbon fiber stock.

Do I like B&C stocks? Not particulary. There are better stocks, but for more money as well.
Do I think that B&C gives a person a lot of stock for the money? You bet. Full aluminum skeleton and bedding block with nice paint jobs and quality recoil pads for under $300 is hard to find with any other brand.

 

[bsekf]

There is a pretty good article on tweaking the BC stock on the Savage site in the archives. Did you make sure the pillars actually touched the action....... sometimes they don't and you have to remove material. I've had good luck with Boyd's, but you have to install pillars. I like the one BC stock I have, but I did skim bed it.

Bill

 

[tflorman]

My brother bought that same gun in 22-250 and yes, the cheap plastic stock seems flimsy... but the gun shoots 1/2 MOA out of the box with my 62 grain hand loads. My brother wanted to buy another stock at first until I showed him what that $265 rifle after rebates and sale could do. I ended up rattle can painting it for him and it looks like the cats pajamas.

 

[tflorman]

Oops Necro post... that's what I get for following a link at the bottom of the page.

 

[Bill Norris]

Never owned a Metalist B & C stock but own several of their M-40 stocks for long and short action Rem 700s. All of them were true drop in with no work at all and honestly the M-40 seems like a much more solid stock than the H & S Precision stocks that I took off of the rifles. Have two custom built Rem 700s currently wearing the M-40s with over sized recoil lugs and they both fit like a glove with no work at all and both shoot great. Cosmetics are also a plus over the H & S Precision stocks that I have owned.

 

[Adam in WI]

Bell and Carlson in my opinion are the best stocks for the money.

YES! I've also had good luck with Boyd's, but by the time you add a checkering pattern to one you're 2/3rds of the way to a B&C. If Grayboe inletted for Winchester I'd probably give one a shot but for now Bell and Carlson does great work for the price point!

 

[group therapy]

Oops Necro post... that's what I get for following a link at the bottom of the page.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Ill take a 2x6 with an action duct taped to it over the lon horiuchi signature series stocks.

 

[300_whisper]

Ill take a 2x6 with an action duct taped to it over the lon horiuchi signature series stocks.

Not a fan of trigger happy agents?

I hope HS precision fired their marketing director. That guy was clearly out of touch with reality.

 

[STOMP442]

Not a fan of trigger happy agents?

I hope HS precision fired their marketing director. That guy was clearly out of touch with reality.

That's the truth. I hate that HS is tied to that guy. I really like their stocks and DBMs, and in all my dealings with manufactures they are definitely #1 in customer service, super friendly and responsive. They are always happy and willing to talk to me while others almost seem bothered that I want to use their product.