Bipod broke my stock!!! Ever seen this?

[KernL]

I'm having trouble believing this just happened. I was shooting off a bipod from the bench and this happened. I added the pic rail and additional t-nut to this stock but it broke through the factory installed one (I installed the one further forward). This is a super lightweight carbon fiber and Kevlar stock.

the rifle manufacturer stated that they do not recommend use of a bipod on this model so there is no warranty coverage.

anyway, it's either a freak deal or needs to be a word of caution to anyone using a super lightweight stock. I can't imagine a stock that you can't use a bipod with...View attachment 200558View attachment 200559View attachment 200560View attachment 200561View attachment 200562View attachment 200563

My condolences. You purchased a surfboard stock.
UNACCEPTABLE product. I nearly was gutted in carotid artery by a similar incidence with a boat fishing pole.
ZERO impact across fibers or el-snap-0
..... I see my favourite gun case ALSO used with my 300wm.

 

[vjsimone]

I added the pic rail and additional t-nut to this stock but it broke through the factory installed one (I installed the one further forward).

What were you using the pic rail for ?
What Epoxy did you use on your t-nut?

 

[flatwater bill]

Is it Possible that it was overtightened, and cracked the forend before the shot was ever fired? And the recoil finished it off? Sorry about your gun.........................FWB

 

[Tulsa Reiner]

Looks like it broke at the first screw hole, the weakest link...too ultralight imo

I suspect that loading the bipod for firing caused stress at the second screw hole from the front. 300 WM's have quite a bit of recoil.
That paint job looks like the stock on my CA 300 WM, and causes me concern, because I added 2 T-nuts to mine to allow use of an Atlas bipod.

 

[doubledoc]

Well I understand that I voided the warranty by drilling the stock and adding the pic rail. But I did not drill it where it broke. That was the factory stud location.

And obviously they aren't telling anyone that you can't mount a bipod on this gun.

As a legal matter re "voiding the warranty", legal precedent generally requires that the ALTERATION IS THE 'BUT FOR' CAUSE" of the failure. Your fracture line does not correspond to your alteration, but is SQUARELY over their drilling. This should not void the warranty, regardless of their protestations. I'd argue the legal point: their defect, not your 'alteration', caused the failure. They probably don't even understand this, themselves.
W. Capps, MD, JD

 

[Team AllTerra]

Get an AP Carbon Hunter. It'll never happen.

 

[RWE]

WOW!

...maybe I won't add a rail to my hunting rifle stock for a new bipod...

 

[cohunt]

Makes you want to see a cross. section of all the carbon fiber stocks now.

I have an mpi stock and it is generally made the same way.....woven cf cloth outer, foam inner with nothing but epoxy in the barrel channel-- but the sling stud is in an alum plate in the front and wood insert in the rear-- definately wont add a bipod to anything of this style construction in the future

I'd bet cooper probably has some sort of blanket statement clause voiding warr on any modification-- still too bad they didnt ecen offer a solution

 

[ntsqd]

The take-away here should be that composite stocks should not have holes drilled in them. Their strength is in their skin, not in their core. If you're planning on using a bipod buy a stock that will do that or have a stock built to do that, but do not simply drill holes in a stock to do that.

 

[gwcracker]

There will be no Cooper in my future.

 

[jakelly]

OK, just pause right there. This is a specialty rifle, Cooper. Very precise, special purpose, ultra-lightweight carrying rifle. Probably for hunting sheep. You can walk and hike with that rifle for hours and when you need to take a prone shot, you put it on your backpack and bang. It's not a tactical rifle, you don't put a tactical rail on it and mount a heavy tactical bipod. Sometimes a little bit common sense does not hurt (and taking a peek at the instruction). I shoot silhouettes and have 2 specialty rifles with light stock. The lightweight stocks are just foam and paint. I would not ever put a bipod on it.

That stock was designed with two parts foam and two parts fail! I certainly wouldn't carry that thing on an important hunt. Could you imagine falling on that styrofoam cooler?! Hunt OVER. Not a tactical rifle? Clearly not an Alpine hunting rifle either. Take a peek at the instructions? There isn't anything written about bipods or second studs.

That he also modified in a very weak area and put a tactical rail and Heavy Duty tactical bipod on a "Super lightweight stock". I've said it a few times now but I believe, If he had used a standard lightweight Harris bipod on the factory stud I doubt this would have happened. But to put the HD tactical bipod and rail on it and start shooting off the bench at the range..... well we see what happened. Now, I'm not defending Cooper as I agree they should've put a better stock on the rifle, but take the tactical bipod (probably 1.5-2lbs maybe, the rail also). IMO he should have run a "super lightweight" bipod on the "Super lightweight stock". Personally, I would not buy a Cooper rifle for that money as I know what I could build for that $. Just saying.....

Heavy tac bipod? Atlas bipods weigh less than Harris and the million knock-offs.

I can't honestly understand why people are defending making a stock like this, especially on a $3-4K rifle. It's unacceptable. Brown precision, Manners ultralight, and others are super light and strong. Not saying the OP doesn't have some responsibility, but that stock failed at conception.

@naja302 honestly you got lucky. This could have happened shortly after the bush plane vanished behind a ridge on a seven day bear hunt you saved your whole life for. Or the styrofoam could have let go while a loved one was attempting a shot. Thank God no one was hurt. You found a MAJOR weakness before it really bit anyone. Truly you got off as cheap as possible. I've also changed my mind regarding this stock, I wouldn't fix it. I would list it "as is" for sale here and call McMillan or Manners. Someone trusts their ability to fix it and wouldn't mind it as second "ugly" option for their nice walnut stocked Cooper.

 

[naja302]

Well Folks,

I got a phone call from Cooper this evening about this issue and apparently they've been discussing it and have decided that they would like to demonstrate excellent customer service and replace this stock for me at no cost despite my voiding the warranty by modification/misuse etc.

I was, of course instructed to only shoot off of bags, sticks, etc with the new stock...Something I will likely follow.

Thanks for making this post interesting. I certainly learned something from this event...and then learned quite a bit more from many of the replies here. I do solemnly swear to not put any holes or t-nuts into THIS replacement stock....(a promise I can't make for any other stock out there as everything can be improved on, right?)...Heck, I've got a pile of flush cups to some day add to many of my guns

 

[jdyoung]

Well Folks,

I got a phone call from Cooper this evening about this issue and apparently they've been discussing it and have decided that they would like to demonstrate excellent customer service and replace this stock for me at no cost despite my voiding the warranty by modification/misuse etc.

I was, of course instructed to only shoot off of bags, sticks, etc with the new stock...Something I will likely follow.

Thanks for making this post interesting. I certainly learned something from this event...and then learned quite a bit more from many of the replies here. I do solemnly swear to not put any holes or t-nuts into THIS replacement stock....(a promise I can't make for any other stock out there as everything can be improved on, right?)...Heck, I've got a pile of flush cups to some day add to many of my guns

Congratulations !!! 14 pages and counting . What's the record ?

 

[jakelly]

Great, thanks, Cooper!? You can sell the replacement. You've officially gotten off as cheap as possible.