Traditional wood stocks and Modern Chassis

[liber]

I've seen a couple threads on this topic, but none were recent, so wanted to toss this out there yet again...

I am struggling to decide on using either a modern light chassis like the MDT HNT26 at the high/expensive end or sticking with a traditional wood stock, or end up with a modern carbon stock like a carbon Macmillan. Seems they can be had for about $1k street price, and can be had on Ebay for about $500-$600.

Because of weight I've been leaning to the HNT26, but starting to have second thoughts as I have other modern rifles, not a bolt action, but I have plenty of that stuff. What I have been after is a traditional style bolt action. The Macmillan is somewhere in the middle, using modern carbon material.

For those of you that built chassis hunting rifles, did you end up going back to a traditional type rifle stock, either Monte Carlo or similar?

Also, I saw an older Remington 700 short action walnut stock, does anyone know how much those weigh? I think it was from the 80s, the one I saw. As of recent, I'm seeing many folks building rifles that are more like medium weight and packing them around the hills. Maybe I need to step up my packing game...

I do love the look of wood, but think some type of camo would be better.

That said, I have an AICS 1.5 short action chassis with Viper Skins that I can use. It's just not ideal for backpacking, but can certainly handle it. I don't want some delicate stock. It weighs about 5-1/2 lbs. stripped with an empty AICS 5 round mag. I can always change it later, so my plan is to use it and look for a used carbon stock, like a Macmillan.

Any comments?

 

[wilehunting]

For reference, long action stock only weights:
Walnut Winchester 70 2lb 3oz
Tikka t3x carbon fiber 1lb 14oz
Winchester 70 Bell & Carlson with aluminum bedding block 2lb 1oz

I don't have a chassis stock. I almost bought one but people said they can be cold on the hands after a while when hunting in the winter.
Walnut shrinks and swells with weather potentially changing poi
Carbon fiber is hard and I would say even brittle
I like the B&C stock but I have a Bansner on order, similar to McMillian fiberglass composite painted grey, black and tan speckled. It should weight around 1lb 8oz.

 

[comfisherman]

Modern carbon stocks are pretty amazing from a historic standpoint; rigid, thermally inert, light weight and humidity insensitive. We've also got manners, mcmillan, ag, stockys and a few other in house designs. Lots of different designs and ethos from each company.

Chasis were initially adopted to provide a universal platform for a wide range of shooters or a wide range of shooter positions that need fine tuning. I have one on a gun that gets used to teach or get loaned out. It allows me to tweak with things I'm not able to change on a fixed glass or carbon stock.

As for fitment, that's a harder thing to quantify. My personal favorite stock comes in both glass and carbon and can be had under 2 lbds.

I have a sub 20 oz stockys and a 24 oz stockys that were 419 and 365 dollars respectively. It not the same qc as a manners uc, but it's a phenomenal amount of stock for the dollars. Have to watch the sales but they have ram the 25 or 30% off twice since black friday. The ag is a little better fit out and right now they are running a pretty good deal. Love their stuff, the grips just run a little small for me (very personal preference from someone who has to take boots off to drive a stick shift and wears XXL gloves).

I've seen two modern stocks break from accidents, one involved a snowmobile and the metal was more f ed up that the stock. The other involved a good tumble and the owner who tumbled with it was in worse shape than the stock.

 

[DakotaFire101]

The shrinkage commonly associated with walnut stocks can be mitigated with full length pillar bedding. And walnut is extremely light in comparison to laminate. I've got a walnut stock hanging downstairs that I just made that'll be going on a 7mm prc. If you want the lightest possible stock, and hands down zero worries about strength, then I'd go with a carbon fiber stock. I'm not a huge fan of chassis systems even though I've seen them work amazingly well for other folks. I'm a gunsmith so the thing I like most is usually the thing that allows me to tinker the most with it which is usually wood stocks.

 

[liber]

I don't have a chassis stock. I almost bought one but people said they can be cold on the hands after a while when hunting in the winter.

I'm on the fence, obviously, but leaning against it. It just doesn't seem like the direction I want to go.

Walnut shrinks and swells with weather potentially changing poi

I know wood moves, but figured it would be dry and stable after a number of years. Could possibly seal one, not sure if that would help.

I just looked at those Bransner stocks, those look pretty good, I bookmarked their page. Why did you select them?

 

[liber]

We've also got manners, mcmillan, ag, stockys and a few other in house designs.

How do you compare the manners vs macmillan?

 

[liber]

The shrinkage commonly associated with walnut stocks can be mitigated with full length pillar bedding. And walnut is extremely light in comparison to laminate. I've got a walnut stock hanging downstairs that I just made that'll be going on a 7mm prc. If you want the lightest possible stock, and hands down zero worries about strength, then I'd go with a carbon fiber stock. I'm not a huge fan of chassis systems even though I've seen them work amazingly well for other folks. I'm a gunsmith so the thing I like most is usually the thing that allows me to tinker the most with it which is usually wood stocks.

Helpful info. If I wasn't knee deep in a 6.5 PRC, I'd be building 7PRC myself. At this point I want to get this one done before I move on to yet another cartridge. In fact, if I wasn't knee deep into the short action, I would probably do a long action to have more selection.

 

[comfisherman]

Think mcmillan has the edge on fiberglass, manners is a bit more dialed in carbon. Splitting hairs to a point that boils to personal preference. Mcmillan has some shapes I really like, manners does as well but for whatever my preference is a few of mcmillans patterns.

Manners, mcmillan, and ag are all going to boil down to feature set you want.

 

[liber]

Think mcmillan has the edge on fiberglass, manners is a bit more dialed in carbon. Splitting hairs to a point that boils to personal preference. Mcmillan has some shapes I really like, manners does as well but for whatever my preference is a few of mcmillans patterns.

Manners, mcmillan, and ag are all going to boil down to feature set you want.

I wish there was somewhere I could go in my area to try how they feel. Some that look nice may not lean well for my cheek.

I used to got to a range near San Jose, and there was a lot of different people shooting and most would let you try their for feel. But now I belong to a range up north in Lake County and if I go during the week I rarely see anyone at the range. Great for testing loads though.

That's not totally true, there's visitors sometimes...

Unfortunately the club President told me I can't shoot them as we're inside state park land...not a bad range, 100 and 200 yard birms and a pistol range. (see below) I did ask him if that was the case, why is there some racks to dress them out on??? It's owned by the Sheriff. $50/year w/RFID access. Open from sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset.

Just to sum up your comment, Macmillan may be slightly heavier as their specialty is fiberglass, and Manners would be lighter because they tend to focus on carbon. Both have some good designs (I agree). I'm trying not to be driving by price and buy what I feel is best. I don't see many Manners stocks for sale used...that might tell me something there.

 

[liber]

What about the length of the rifles you guys are backpacking with? I'm measuring with my AICS chassis it would be about 43" with a muzzle brake using a 20" barrel. My hopes is I'll be able to shoot with a suppressor one day which would add another 6"-8", but at the point I would be doing the snoopy dance. I think I need to measure the sling on my backpack and see how far that will stick up at 43".