Manners stock woes....what would you do?

vietvet_al

Private
Minuteman
Jun 25, 2019
24
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bought a T6 stock from Eurooptic mid November. Rifle is a Tikka T3X-CTR. The barrel didn't sit centered in the channel. It wasn't off by much but I was a little disappointed since I paid $700+. I emailed Manners and they had me send it it (Nov.26) along with the barreled action. I just got it back yesterday, Feb. 15. The magazines wouldn't latch unless I added .040" shims between the bottom metal and the stock. With the barreled action screwed down, the bolt release bottoms on the stock and won't move. I believe I was sent a completely different stock than what I sent to them. It's apparent to me that the action is sitting too low in the stock. The original problem it sent it in for has been corrected. My thoughts are:

1. send it back again but I hate the idea of waiting another 2 1/2 months to get it back.
2. install pillars so that they extend a little high and then bed it.

your thoughts
Al
 
Of center channels are common with Manners.

IMO it something that should get picked before leaving the factory floor.

They are responsive tho. They'll make it right. Im sticking with chassis on builds.
 
I have a habbit of trying to fix things myself first. Having the experience to just do it sometimes eliminates a shite load of wait time to have someone else do it and screw it up. Even if I screw it up, I feel like I learned something either way.

Im the same way but sometimes you just want stuff to work out of the box.

With manners its like part of the deal sometimes, having to send it back.
 
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Mine was crooked left to right, action was too low, and bottom metal was yawed. I ended up putting hours of my personal time into it to unfuck it (which I was able to) and then sold it at a discount.

My best fix was to start buying mcmillans.
 
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Their CS is spot on. Tom is super responsive and i think their turnaround for the factory screw ups is real quick.

Its just the disappointment of paying...waiting and the either having to either work on it or send it back. But they are good people to deal with so if you really want one and its jacked up when you get it they ll make it right.
 
If any of you guys have a Manners that you just don't want to deal with, I'll take it off your hands for pennies on the dollar.

I need a couple of good stocks and I ain't skeered of having to redo the bedding with a dremel and some pillars.
 
If any of you guys have a Manners that you just don't want to deal with, I'll take it off your hands for pennies on the dollar.

I need a couple of good stocks and I ain't skeered of having to redo the bedding with a dremel and some pillars.

Thats what im saying, after someone else eats that factory new sticker price its not that big of a deal if the channel is sideways...
 
Thats what im saying, after someone else eats that factory new sticker price its not that big of a deal if the channel is sideways...

Yeah the bedding could be all kinds of fucked up. Me and my trusty Dremel can get it going again.

I took a MacMillan A4 that was for a long action Winchester and it's now set up for a Remington SA with Chad's pillars and Magpul bottom metal (plastic).

Lots of work, but it works.
 
My Tikka CTR drop in Manners fit pretty well. I had to adjust the barrel channel a little. 15 minutes with some sand paper and a socket and it looks and fits like it’s supposed to. I pillar bedded the action and bedded the bottom metal. The bottom metal inlet fit the shape well but it did not support it evenly front to back. When I torqued the bolts I could feel the bottom metal bending now it’s rock solid.
 
I've had issues with stocks from Manners and McMillan arriving with issues. Neither company are immune to it. Sometimes it took a few trips to get it right, but both got it right eventually. Frustrating shipping things back and forth but every issue was fixed to my satisfaction. I had a recent issue with a Manners flat top that Tom went way above and beyond to make it right on my end. He even called me personally to handle it.
 
I realize these are difficult times. After 2 1/2 months of having it to straighten out the action fit I sent it back after having in my possession for less than a week because the the action was then too low. It's now been 2 months since I was told to send it back. No response to my last email and telephone call. Really wish I would've gone McMillan.
 
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You should have fit the original stock. The truth is that unless you can hand fit a stock you should either order a conventional stock with a mini chassis or a full blown chassis. Mcmillan stocks require fitting too. With that said, Manners QC isn't very good. I was fitting a 419 rail to a T4 last week and the forend of the stock is concave by more than .10" from the action screw to the front T-Nut hole.
 
Yeah McMillan is not perfect either. I never worried about a barrel channel being perfectly symmetrical on either side as long as it is free floated. If it's a little off I just hit it with a dowel and some sand paper. A 10 minute job.
 
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If guys want to be a garage gunsmith, be prepared to do a little bit of inletting, bedding, etc. I've had Mcmillan, KRG, many Manners, and I've used Magpul and B&C. They all needed a small amount of work.

If you want parts to look like they grew together, send your parts to a professional and pay their fee.
 
You should have fit the original stock. The truth is that unless you can hand fit a stock you should either order a conventional stock with a mini chassis or a full blown chassis. Mcmillan stocks require fitting too. With that said, Manners QC isn't very good. I was fitting a 419 rail to a T4 last week and the forend of the stock is concave by more than .10" from the action screw to the front T-Nut hole.
if it wasn't for a Tkka, with the recoil lug embedded into the stock, I would have. Some have said I should have just lived with it being a little off center. I thought not for a $700 stock.
 
I've bought all of my T2A's with "Straight Cylinder" Barrel Channel Inlets and Mini Chassis II. I just drop my barreled actions in, torque down the action screws and I'm done. No bedding.
The most accurate rifles I have ever owned are stocked in Manners. Have some of the barrel channels been a "little" off ? Yes. Has it made any difference in terms of accuracy ? No, none. I used to get annoyed at slight misalignment in the barrel channels, but I don't even worry about it anymore.

edit: Oh, and have I had slight misalignments of the barrel channel from other stock manufacturers ? Yes. As with Manners, they didn't shoot poorly because of it either. I'm not defending it, I've just gotten beyond the point of caring because it doesn't affect accuracy. At least, not in my experience.
 
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I've had a bad experience with manners myself. My t4 cracked in the bolt cutout halfway through a match. They fixed it and opened up the barrel channel some but When I got it back the barrel channel was crooked and the bolt wouldn't even come close to fitting in the bolt handle cutout. I ended up paying my gunsmith a lot to bed it and and fix the bolt cutout. I'll have a hard time buying manners again until their quality starts to match the price. Next time I buy it will either be a McMillan or foundation.
 
I swear that this hobby has a serious case of battered spouse syndrome. We accept shoddy and substandard workmanship for a "premium" product. We blame the victim and defend the manufacturer.

Sorry, a $500-$1500 stock should not need remedial work with a Dremel tool when I get it. And if it does, I send it back and demand a refund. I don't ask them to try again. That's just me though.
 
Could be so fucked up they had to start over. Who knows, but I would be blowing them up on social media. I would demand a flat top in exchange for the hassle, wait, and bad CS. Send that to LRI for the work, and give up the extra expense as a learning experience. About a year ago I was looking hard at a Manners but things like this turn my attention to wanting a chassis or having a custom stock builder build me one who appreciates their own work.

Will the other two options be as light as a Manners, no, unless you do a flat top for LRI to inlet and get it right the first time. At least the chassis is going to be square if you go with MDT, MPA, KRG etc.... or the wood stock is going to be carefully crafted by someone who actually gives a shit.
 
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That whole order years ago was cursed it seems. If you notice we don’t sell or take those orders as it’s a project waiting on you. However we will help out in any way. If you need any assistance on it please don’t hesitate to get with me. [email protected]

we used to have an issue with chassis and inlets being off center but we have Drew in the back now who has created some fixtures to set them that are much better than what we used before. I haven’t seen any come back since we swapped methods. If you do have anything off we still honor the warranty and will do anything to make it right. Those stocks were sold many years ago but will still make sure they we back them up in anything the customer needs. Please don’t hesitate to call the shop or email if you need ANYTHING!
 
bought a T6 stock from Eurooptic mid November. Rifle is a Tikka T3X-CTR. The barrel didn't sit centered in the channel. It wasn't off by much but I was a little disappointed since I paid $700+. I emailed Manners and they had me send it it (Nov.26) along with the barreled action. I just got it back yesterday, Feb. 15. The magazines wouldn't latch unless I added .040" shims between the bottom metal and the stock. With the barreled action screwed down, the bolt release bottoms on the stock and won't move. I believe I was sent a completely different stock than what I sent to them. It's apparent to me that the action is sitting too low in the stock. The original problem it sent it in for has been corrected. My thoughts are:

1. send it back again but I hate the idea of waiting another 2 1/2 months to get it back.
2. install pillars so that they extend a little high and then bed it.

your thoughts
Al
We just made a program for the Tikka mini chassis to go into that stock if that will help you. Email me if that interests you, I’ll be glad to help