Altering a Bell and Carlson stock

[Merle]

Since Bell and Carlson doesn't make a stock that I am totally in love with, I took it upon myself to make some alterations to my B&C Varmint/Tactical stock to better suit me. I like the comb height and swelled vertical pistol grip of this stock but wasn't a fan of the huge fore end. I am also not a fan of the weight of this stock. On the other hand, I have one of their Light Tactical stocks on a SPS Tactical and really like the butt hook when shooting prone. So I decided to make a few alterations and after about 8 hours of work stretched over a few months I ended up with this:




I like it MUCH better now and it's a little lighter as well.

 

[shooter.dm]

I kinda did the same thing with my bnc fore end but its a lot smaller than yours and more rounded

 

[BoilerUP]

I kinda did the same thing with my bnc fore end but its a lot smaller than yours and more rounded

Pics, or it didn't happen.

 

[shooter.dm]

As soon as I can figure how to post pic with my phone I will put up pics any help with that would be thankfull

 

[flirtinwithdisaster]

Since Bell and Carlson doesn't make a stock that I am totally in love with, I took it upon myself to make some alterations to my B&C Varmint/Tactical stock to better suit me. I like the comb height and swelled vertical pistol grip of this stock but wasn't a fan of the huge fore end. I am also not a fan of the weight of this stock. On the other hand, I have one of their Light Tactical stocks on a SPS Tactical and really like the butt hook when shooting prone. So I decided to make a few alterations and after about 8 hours of work stretched over a few months I ended up with this:




I like it MUCH better now and it's a little lighter as well.

Don't suppose that you have any photos that would detail how you did it? I'm EXTREMELY interested in this.

 

[shooter.dm]

Boilerup has my pics and will post them when he gets a chance

 

[BoilerUP]

shooter.dm's stock:

 

[RoyPreston]

nice job. the forearm looks 100% better!

 

[Scimitar]

Professional looking job. Looks great. Send the pics to Bell and Carlson and tell them to change their pattern to that!

 

[TRAAV]

Looks great did you just sand it or cut the bulk of it off then sand it?

 

[pawprint2]

Are you kidding, this is Beautiful work! Be careful who you show this to, you'll end up doing all your buddies, and they buddies...

 

[Wardy]

Nice work guys...I did the same to one I had but that rifle is gone now. I wish B&C would get rid of that ridiculously large and blocky forend....they have a solid stock at a good price point but the forend is fugly.

 

[TOP PREDATOR]

looks nice, and don't mean to be a buzzkill but wouldn't starting with a choate tactical save some effort?

 

[shooter.dm]

Probably so but I like the idea of aluminum bedding blocks

 

[shooter.dm]

O and on mine I used a air sander with 80 grit took about hour then it took me 2 days to fill in the holes with epoxy

 

[Queequeg]

I put mine on my router table and used a 3/4" radius round over bit to re-contour the forearm of that same stock. I wanted a more eliptical, flatter profile on mine. I did not narrow it nor make it shallower. I filled the exposed pores with Bondo and painted it a color that pretty closely matched the existing Spider web pattern.

 

[BoilerUP]

I put mine on my router table and used a 3/4" radius round over bit to re-contour the forearm of that same stock. I wanted a more eliptical, flatter profile on mine. I did not narrow it nor make it shallower. I filled the exposed pores with Bondo and painted it a color that pretty closely matched the existing Spider web pattern.

Have a photo or two of it?

 

[Queequeg]

Have a photo or two of it?

Boiler UP,

I'll get one and post it up.

 

[Wardy]

Heres the one I did, I used a mill to cut the bulk of forend down, then a belt and palm sander to finish up. Filled in holes with epoxy and then Devcon for texture. Wish I woulda went up a little higher with texture but I was pleased with it. And it wasn't quite as noticeable as the pic shows. Direct sunlight shows all the flaws!

 

[Merle]

I used a belt sander and just went at it. Once I got it down to about the dimensions that I wanted to I used a sanding block to shape the edges. I cut out the butt hook with a hand saw and then shaped it with the sanding block as well. I also shortened the pistol grip and rounded it a little towards the back. I used Bondo Glass to fill any voids. There were 2 huge air pockets that I found as well; one in the pistol grip and one just forward of the bottom metal on the forearm.

 

[Ironhide]

I had to do the same here . Mine is a weatherby BC stock . Love the stock but they didn't have one for a SA savage .

 

[turbo54]

I had to do the same here . Mine is a weatherby BC stock . Love the stock but they didn't have one for a SA savage .

Love that scissor-jack bipod!

We've shot together @ 600 at WSC.

 

[trailrider121]

Here's a picture of my Stevens 200 7SAUM in a B&C Medalist stock. Sanded off the wings with belt sander, and final finish with sanding block. I'm going to re-work it again after deer season.

 

[Ironhide]

Love that scissor-jack bipod!

We've shot together @ 600 at WSC.

Thanks bud ! I will be out next wednesday for some therapy !

 

[akmike]

Hi guys,

I like the looks of this modification a lot and intend on doing my stock too. I have a question. My B&C has the swivel studs running through the butt and the fore end, do they unscrew? I tried to take them loose but they were very tight. Before I break something I thought I'd ask, any help would be appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

 

[shooter.dm]

Yes they just unscrew I put a punch threw the hole and twist it out just like a screw

 

[akmike]

Thanks, that's what I figured but they were tighter than I thought they would be. I'll eat some Wheaties when I try again!

 

[Randfal]

What were the "wings" made of? Or should I ask, What's under the outer skin? I wanted to do that awhile back but was worried it might be the same punky crap like in a McMillan stock.

 

[shooter.dm]

Wood block

 

[Xshot]

I also like many of the B&C stocks. Recently worked over an Alaskan II to accept a #4 RC barrel. I used resin and micro balloons to re-profile the barrel channel.

 

[Medic1736]

nice looking stocks

 

[bulldog911]

hey guys, I have the bell and Carlson m40 stock. I was wondering about the palm swell area and if its solid or hallow or? im looking for more of a vertical grip. Do you think I can sand it down and work it a bit or am I SOL? honestly I hate the stock but don't want to spend the $ if I can work this one a little bit. thanks!!

 

[Wardy]

hey guys, I have the bell and Carlson m40 stock. I was wondering about the palm swell area and if its solid or hallow or? im looking for more of a vertical grip. Do you think I can sand it down and work it a bit or am I SOL? honestly I hate the stock but don't want to spend the $ if I can work this one a little bit. thanks!!

Ima guess it's pretty solid at the grip. If you don't like it you could turn it loose pretty quick in the FS section and get one with more a vertical grip...unless you like tinkering! I have a M40 also and been thinking of adding some swell at the palm cause mine has none...

 

[AK10mm]

I agree with all the posters on the B&C stocks being pretty handy with the tools, I plan on re-contouring mine to my own liking. My big question is.....how in the hell do you guys get that nice looking texture on the grip and forend ?Looks really good on all the pics in this thread, what is the trick to getting that finish ?

 

[shooter.dm]

That is epoxy most on here use marine text I think. I use jb weld ther is a thread in dyi on how to do this

 

[AK10mm]

That is epoxy most on here use marine text I think. I use jb weld ther is a thread in dyi on how to do this

Yep, was so happy to see there was hope after all for my B&C stock that I did a Newbie move and posted before looking further.....actually,there are a couple of threads on doing the texture in this section.

 

[RedRaider1803]

Since Bell and Carlson doesn't make a stock that I am totally in love with, I took it upon myself to make some alterations to my B&C Varmint/Tactical stock to better suit me. I like the comb height and swelled vertical pistol grip of this stock but wasn't a fan of the huge fore end. I am also not a fan of the weight of this stock. On the other hand, I have one of their Light Tactical stocks on a SPS Tactical and really like the butt hook when shooting prone. So I decided to make a few alterations and after about 8 hours of work stretched over a few months I ended up with this:




I like it MUCH better now and it's a little lighter as well.

OP, how did you make that particular pattern on the grip and forend? I understand marine tex is used, but what instrument/method did you use to acheive that look? Thanks!

 

[Erich_Coors]

Tag. This is amazing work guys

 

[sanpedroranch]

Any one of the individuals who did this care to share what kind of epoxy. Someone mentioned bondo but being that this could be subjected to water I’d prefer to use something else. I was thinking sand the wings of then layer up with 4oz or heavier fiber glass cloth?