Share your thoughts and experiences with me on stock brand preferences please. I'm looking at a traditional style / type without the vertical grip!!. I'll be using a proof sendero /24 barrel with a kratos light action in 25/06. I'll be walking with it, climbing in out of tree stands, using in shooting house etc , kind of an all-around rifle. Have been investigating stocky's stocks , McMillan and AG composites. Thanks for your help. Tribb
Expired thanks all! Which brand of stock????
- Thread starter tribb
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In your other thread I mentioned wanting a stock for prone or bench shooting. I have Mesa/Pure Precision that works well for what you described above.
comfisherman
Well-Known Member
Pic a style that suits you and go for it, only thing that differtiates in practical terms is styling and to a certain extent qc.
Ag certainly has are more flowing aesthetic, mcmillan has sporter styles near as close to an old school rem 700 or win 70. Manners has a little of both, peak 44 has a bit more futuristic, stockys was kinda funky but they are getting much better with aesthics. (All opinion of course, ugly is very subjective these days)
Almost all cab be had bdl, or m5/ sporter or proof contours.
Every stock question I respond to comes with a caveat. Internet stock recommendations is as hard as getting food advice from strangers thousands of miles away.... hard to get it right. My advice is to call companies who you'd like to try and ask if they have shipped any product to a builder or dealer etc. In your area, then go try them out.
I'll use a personal example. On another forum there is a fellow who's rather prolific with hunting and writing. He does all manner of gear reviews, but every time we tried his recommendations they didn't fit right. Year ago at the sportsmans show we crossed paths and the penny dropped. He's a foot shorter and 150lbs smaller than me, his hands are the same size as mine were at the end of grade school. A stock that fits him well had near 0 chance to fit me well. My favorite stocks are the ones I've seen described as "overly bulky" and "clunky".
One man's " perfect" is another man's "meh".
By volume most my stocks are mcmillan, they have one shape that fits my Shrek shaped body. There's an ag somewhere in there, a manners, a brown, an mpi, and a stockys or two. In my friend group there is probably a half dozen between us of the stockys. Good stocks but they all needed a smidgen of elbow grease. Couple needed a little inlet trim, a little tang dremel work and one took a bit of sanding for the bottom metal to fit. They are coming along good, and I've a high opinion of my sample size but they did take a little to fit. For the money hard to beat, finishes seem to be better than they were initially. My personal sample size is the bit more an ag cost is apparent in a little bit cleaner inlet and finish.
Ag certainly has are more flowing aesthetic, mcmillan has sporter styles near as close to an old school rem 700 or win 70. Manners has a little of both, peak 44 has a bit more futuristic, stockys was kinda funky but they are getting much better with aesthics. (All opinion of course, ugly is very subjective these days)
Almost all cab be had bdl, or m5/ sporter or proof contours.
Every stock question I respond to comes with a caveat. Internet stock recommendations is as hard as getting food advice from strangers thousands of miles away.... hard to get it right. My advice is to call companies who you'd like to try and ask if they have shipped any product to a builder or dealer etc. In your area, then go try them out.
I'll use a personal example. On another forum there is a fellow who's rather prolific with hunting and writing. He does all manner of gear reviews, but every time we tried his recommendations they didn't fit right. Year ago at the sportsmans show we crossed paths and the penny dropped. He's a foot shorter and 150lbs smaller than me, his hands are the same size as mine were at the end of grade school. A stock that fits him well had near 0 chance to fit me well. My favorite stocks are the ones I've seen described as "overly bulky" and "clunky".
One man's " perfect" is another man's "meh".
By volume most my stocks are mcmillan, they have one shape that fits my Shrek shaped body. There's an ag somewhere in there, a manners, a brown, an mpi, and a stockys or two. In my friend group there is probably a half dozen between us of the stockys. Good stocks but they all needed a smidgen of elbow grease. Couple needed a little inlet trim, a little tang dremel work and one took a bit of sanding for the bottom metal to fit. They are coming along good, and I've a high opinion of my sample size but they did take a little to fit. For the money hard to beat, finishes seem to be better than they were initially. My personal sample size is the bit more an ag cost is apparent in a little bit cleaner inlet and finish.
QuietTexan
Well-Known Member
I have a 30-06 in a McMillan Hunter, it's almost the classic "pistol grip" a la a shot gun, not a vertical grip. The Sporter is even more raked, and the Pre-64 Monte Carlo is pure classic design.
I shoot that kind of grip just fine, all it takes is a slightly bladed stance on the gun and it's much more comfortable than a vertical grip. More natural feeling in sling positions also IMO.
All grips have their place somewhere, I'll say that when prone I much prefer vertical and being squared up behind the gun.
McMillan inlets for the Kratos, and lead times are a whole lot better than they were a year ago. Seems like an easy decision to me.
I shoot that kind of grip just fine, all it takes is a slightly bladed stance on the gun and it's much more comfortable than a vertical grip. More natural feeling in sling positions also IMO.
All grips have their place somewhere, I'll say that when prone I much prefer vertical and being squared up behind the gun.
McMillan inlets for the Kratos, and lead times are a whole lot better than they were a year ago. Seems like an easy decision to me.
brcfo_outdoors
Well-Known Member
I am a big fan of Manners, especially with the mini chassis. They are a cut above most stock manufacturers, especially those working with carbon fiber. Not to sound like an eliteist, but other brands like the Stocky's feel good until you handle a Manners, then its hard to go back. They are expensive, but in my opinion worth it.
comfisherman
Well-Known Member
It's funny being in the game long enough to remember when manners had some growing pains and had the same criticism as stockys.
They certainly have a lot more time in the game and it shows in the details. But a manners uc is near 2.3x what the last stockys sporter cost me. It's objectively fit to a higher standard, my budget doesn't allow me to stock everything with a uc... lord knows I'd love to.
They certainly have a lot more time in the game and it shows in the details. But a manners uc is near 2.3x what the last stockys sporter cost me. It's objectively fit to a higher standard, my budget doesn't allow me to stock everything with a uc... lord knows I'd love to.
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While I don't have my McMillan stock yet (and its part of a build I am receiving rather than receiving it individually prior to going to the builder, so I can't make a statement concerning "as shipped" fit and finish), I do have Stocky's, Manners, and AG Composites. I agree with @comfisherman.
Stocky's are still going through some "growing pains". That said, they are cheaper and its reflected in the price, part of which is due to it being a "stock item". Once you pick a stock, you're options are more limited than with the others. My limited experience is the inlets are tighter and will often require some "fitting.
I have been completely satisfied with AG Composites and their wait times have been substantially less than Manners or McMillan. I have had to do a little fitting around action cut-outs, but I can't complain as it is a newer action design that they didn't have the proper model yet. That is certainly not a knock against them.
Manners makes a wonderful stock as well, and the fit has been "spot on".
Again, as @comfisherman stated, the best thing you can do is see if you can handle one first hand. Not sure, but I think some companies have "trial stocks" that they will send out.
I have always been astonished that other than "bolt-on" adjustments, rifle stocks are not "custom fit" like a custom shotgun stock. I realize that we are not "wing-shooting", but a fully fit custom stock would be amazing. It also helps to have a basic understanding of stock design and how the various angles affect pointability and recoil management.
Have fun with your decision, enjoy the process, and I don't think you will be disappointed with any of the top tier stock manufacturers.
Stocky's are still going through some "growing pains". That said, they are cheaper and its reflected in the price, part of which is due to it being a "stock item". Once you pick a stock, you're options are more limited than with the others. My limited experience is the inlets are tighter and will often require some "fitting.
I have been completely satisfied with AG Composites and their wait times have been substantially less than Manners or McMillan. I have had to do a little fitting around action cut-outs, but I can't complain as it is a newer action design that they didn't have the proper model yet. That is certainly not a knock against them.
Manners makes a wonderful stock as well, and the fit has been "spot on".
Again, as @comfisherman stated, the best thing you can do is see if you can handle one first hand. Not sure, but I think some companies have "trial stocks" that they will send out.
I have always been astonished that other than "bolt-on" adjustments, rifle stocks are not "custom fit" like a custom shotgun stock. I realize that we are not "wing-shooting", but a fully fit custom stock would be amazing. It also helps to have a basic understanding of stock design and how the various angles affect pointability and recoil management.
Have fun with your decision, enjoy the process, and I don't think you will be disappointed with any of the top tier stock manufacturers.
Rabbitslayer78
Well-Known Member
Just ordered my custom Manners last week. Looking forward to it. Buy once, cry once!
Have personally come to appreciate the Gunwerks stocks. Have quite a few as well as some McMillan.
www.gunwerks.com
www.unknownmunitions.com
Stocks | Gunwerks
The Rokstok - Unknown Munitions
Main Features: The Rokstok, simply the best shooting stock on the market. 100% Carbon Fiber shell and proprietary ultralight fill throughout the entire stock, no hollow areas. True Negative comb is 1/2″ above bore centerline at a 12 degree angle. Laser Molded Textured panels in grip and forend...
www.unknownmunitions.com
Will.284
Well-Known Member
I'm a big fan of my ag stock that was in- letted by pure precision 25 oz ! What's not to like . The folks theee are great to work with. I have a couple of manners stocks as well and very comfortable to shoot. I agree with a lot of these guys , if you can get hands on one you are interested in that would be best . Enjoy the process.
PNWdude67
Well-Known Member
Check out MCS as well
my 25-06 that's for the same purposes as you, sits in an alpine hunter from AG. I have no complaints at all. I also have a heavier set up that sits in a manners eh1. Love both stocks, if you made me choose ID pick the manners but they do cost more and generally have much longer wait times.
