Stock Help

[treillw]

Have some questions on stock geometry for building a rifle with recoil to be on par with a 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 147s. Rifle to be used from the prone shooting position predominately and never shot from a bench - field use only in the mountains hunting.

I have a relatively lightweight 300 win with a traditional shape sporter stock that I'm currently shooting from the prone position - the bottom of the rear of the stock (toe, I'll call it) has a pretty decent slope to it. If I change between heavier preload and a very relaxed preload, I typically see around 1 moa shift in vertical at 100 yards.

I have another rifle (RPR) and the stock toe has no slope to it. I find that when shooting prone, minor crosshair elevation adjustment tweaks are difficult, seemingly due to the lack of slope. As I think about it more, it might be because I was using a leather rear bag and heavy sand during much of this time of frustration - difficult to squeeze to tweak elevation. I was fussing with the bipod height constantly and it's far from ideal for hunting situations, where time and stealth are of the essence.

Hopefully that conveys my experiences and sets up my questions. I want a stock that will eliminate the vertical shifting I'm seeing with my 300 as much as possible, but also still be practical for quick vertical adjustments in the field. I guess it boils down to are you able to easily make elevation tweaks to rifles with flat stock toe slopes and what rear bag would you use to do it? Keep in mind that the rear bag shouldn't be a boat anchor, as it will be carried hundreds of miles through the mountains over it's lifetime.

I'm also seeing new style stocks with "reversed" cheek combs, like the McMillan Mountain Tracker LR. For these stocks, the cheek comb is higher in the rear than in the front and they generally have a very flat toe slope. I think I'd like the flatter toe slope, but having the cheek comb reversed or not level seems odd to me. Thoughts on this? I don't feel like I've ever had issues with a stock punching me in the face under recoil with any gun.

Stocks I'm considering: MDT HNT26 chassis, adjustable McMillan ELR Hunter, McMillan Mountain Tracker LR, Manners EH1, Manners pro hunter adjustable folder, Manners long range hunter, etc. The folding option would come in handy at times, but don't absolutely need it. The folder HNT26 seems to weigh as much as some of the traditional stock models, or only saves a couple ounces - don't know if I would like its geometry as much as a traditional stock. I definitely think the short toe length of the HNT26 could be a pain for rear bag placement. Thoughts?

I suppose any of these options would work. Trying to make it as foolproof as possible for me and kids shooting the rifle.

I have an NX8 4-32x50 that will live on the rifle. Think I need an adjustable cheek riser?

I appreciate any help. Thanks!

 

[FeMan]

How sure are you that the vertical is due to stock geometry? I shoot a lot of different rifles in many calibers. In general, the lighter the rifle weight, the more finicky it is for producing its top accuracy. Most of the lighter weight hunting rifles react as you describe in my experience. Load them just enough to take up the slack in the bipod, follow through well and they shoot great. Load them too much and they print low. I see this in just about every hunting rifle I shoot, regardless of stock or chassis style.

Balance is important and sometimes overlooked. I like the balance point to be just in front of the mag well. A nose-heavy rifle can be very squirrely on a bipod.

I use a very light weight medium sized pillow bag as the rear support when hunting. I have the best results in the field when I keep my hand between the bag and the stock and don't let them actually touch. If you drive the rear into a rear bag, the rifle will print low as well.

I have shot most of the stocks you list and they are all very nice. IMO it boils down to what you like. Hope that helps.

 

[effendude]

All of the stocks you mentioned are good. I have a couple Manners EH1 stocks on some heavy recoiling rifles and they perform well, especially shooting prone. I'd like some input on your shooting style. I am a firm believer that you need to develop a consistent hold on the forearm of the rifle of larger calibers. Lighter rifles are more prone to shooter induced influences than heavier rifles. Drop at the toe makes for easier elevation adjustments but if the rifle isn't secured into the shoulder with consistent shoulder pressure, you'll definitely notice elevation issues. Barrel torque is also an issue. I have found for hunting situations with stocks with little drop at the toe, I raise my whole body up for elevation adjustments when shooting off a bipod or sticks. Critical to this style of shooting is follow through until the bullet impacts. If shooting of a bipod, loading the bipod also can affect elevation. I've never carried a rear bag for hunting, although i've used a pack for extreme downhill shots for added elevation.