Mcmillan bedding job gone wrong

[ahspray]

I would review my gunsmith selection process and revise it as necessary to avoid putting myself in such a situation in the future.

 

[Hoppsing55]

First off, as a gunsmith I would be embarrassed to have sent that out the door. Local gunsmiths have a reputation to uphold, demand a refund and a new stock from him or destroy the reputation. The stock is ruined, it is no longer a safe stock. In a bedding job material is added to in order to obtain a better fit, not removed. The only exception is the forearm, on occasion you may have to slightly sand some to keep the barrel from touching. With a Tikka I really doubt anything would need to be removed. Most Tikka's bed only around the recoil lug, chamber, and rear screw hole very slightly. There should be very little fill bedding on that combination.

You state the stock "is no longer safe". Can you explain why?

 

[JAYgs8163]

From my experience with McMillan stocks, there is no bedding needed. If you had a fitment issue, you should have contacted McMillan, their service is outstanding!

McMillan does recommend bedding and if you have them mount your action in their stock it's a offered option. Pillars alone do not result in a bedded action. I had my 300 Short mag bedded by McMillan in their Game Warden version as I'm not far from their factory. That stock is definitely worth saving. A good Smith will make it like new. Little touch up paint may be required but no biggy there. Good luck and what a shame you are dealing with this.

 

[lyotehunter]

he owes you a new stock period.if not he needs to be reported so he cannot do this to other people.

 

[A.Rios.72]

I am not a gunsmith, "but I play one in my garage." I've bedded most of my own rifles; I've never payed a gunsmith to do it. (I'm not bashing gunsmiths; I gladly pay for other jobs I can't do myself). Bedding is something that anybody can do, and I can almost guarantee anybody can do better than that. The space under the bolt, however, may not be the gunsmith's fault. I have Grayboe, Bell and Carlson, and factory Remington stocks with that space. I think the stock can be re-bedded correctly. If you think the stock is ruined and it won't be replaced, you might as well try to do it yourself. You may learn a new skill, and enjoy it. Makes more sense to me than paying yet another gunsmith $200.00, or more, to do it.

 

[Daves762]

Make him buy you a new stock and send it to another smith. I screwed up a few bedding jobs on my own rifles when I was first getting started. I have lost a spring or two on customers guns when they spring out into the shop never to be found again. I have however always made it rite, out of my own pocket. I'd make the smith replace the stock for sure. However, just some advice. When you do get a quality bedding job done, leave it alone. Send it to a reputable smith, and then leave it alone. If they know what they are doing it will be torque spec'd properly and you should shoot it before you disassemble it. I've had more than one customer come back with a box full of parts because they "took it apart to see what you did."...….. including ruined bedding jobs. Back before I started working on guns I payed a smith to build a semi-custom, including bedding. It was years before I ever broke it apart for detailed cleaning because I didn't want to effect the bedding. JMO.

 

[Jason lozier]

Honestly I would find a qualified Smith and ask him for help. I do all mine know but got some serious coaching by on of the best in the northeast.( I think), but on this bite the bullet pay 275 and have it fixed properly

 

[Radhimself]

I did better then that on my first try, in my basement after watching a few videos on youtube....

What a HACK!

 

[Sgt. grizz]

I understand why he might of done that but at the same time you should not have to do that with the McMillan, plus he should've put bedding on the side to fill it all back in.

 

[gjemba]

First, you should have attempted it yourself as it is an easy project. Numerous videos will guide you. For instance Gunblue490 is excellent. Second, how did you find this guy. I hope he didn't come highly recommended, because that means someone else had some bad work done.

 

[Dean2]

Man I feel for you. I have done literally thousands of bedding jobs, many were fix ups after someone else botched them but that is among the worst hack jobs I have ever seen. Not only would I be getting all my money back this guy might have a few lumps for messing up a great stock. Unless you have done quite a few of these and really know your way around bedding a stock take it to a REAL pro and pay to have it done right. It is that or buy a new stock because this is not an easy mess to fix. My condolences and all the best.

 

[KS2506]

Wholly *&*#, looks like Bucky Beaver did that !!!! I had one like that brought to me that was a McMillan for a Montana action done by a supposed professional. Took about two weeks of bedding one section at a time to repair it. Could be costly to have a pro do it. Might be better to toss it. Good luck on getting a replacement from the so called smith.

 

[arch408]

First off I'm a master gunsmith graduating from PGS in 1992. Yes your bedding job looks horrendous. I would never ever put something like that out the door. It can be fixed easily. Also McMillan recommends their stocks to be bedded for best accuracy. I use my dremel all the time. Big time saver on many things. If you get your money back. I'll fix it for you for that amount and you can take the shipping out from that total. If he won't give you your money back I will fix it for you for free if you pay shipping both ways. If I was not a gunsmith I would box it up and send it to McMillan and let them fix it. Let's hope your non gunsmith refunds you. I hate when someone in my profession does stuff like that. I do free work all the time also 50% labor for all vets and first responders. Shep

Man, I like you already. Could I send you some pics of a chamber throat of my 6.5 RM to get your opinion? I am thinking of getting a throater to see if it will clean up. BTW, I'm an AF vet.

 

[arch408]

Where is this guy located? I want make sure I never send anything to his zip code without checking references.