Manners Stocks - Gunsmith Required?

Vapour1ze

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Minuteman
Oct 8, 2018
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So, after reviewing a lot of online forums, articles, videos etc. I have come to the conclusion that I want to replace my existing Savage 10 BA Stealth in 6.5 Creedmoor with something more.

I am looking at a Manners stock with a flat bottom rear, heavier fill ( bench shooting primarily ), 1-8 Twist Bartlein , Little Bastard Brake or use my existing Hellfire Area419, Jewel Trigger , Deviant action ?

My biggest confusion in all of this is, bottom metal / action / chassis. I see TIKKA all over, and Rem 700, seems to be the primary spread. I'm trying to figure out if I am supposed to buy a Remington 700 or a Tikka rifle to supplement the stock and build up from there? Or if it's just a replica of the action and if I like that on one of their stock rifles, this is a matched clone?

Familiar with building ARs etc, and consider myself to be handy. I've read if you have a Chassis it's all basically bolt and go, no bedding required?

Just wondering how many people actually piece their own together, I'm in Illinois and not sure how close a smith would be that is familiar with the PR crowd.

Cheers
 
The Deviant is a Rem 700 clone as well as many other actions, if that is what you intend to buy just state that in the build sheet for the Manners stock and what bottom metal inlet you prefer M5 is probably the most common.
As far as doing the work yourself you could easily run a pre fit with a barrel nut, one of the mods on here did a very comprehensive test of these awhile back with a variety of barrels from different manufacturers.

I am in the process of finishing a rifle now but opted for a shouldered barrel that was machined and chambered by Kelblys for one of their atlas actions.
 
The Deviant is a Rem 700 clone as well as many other actions, if that is what you intend to buy just state that in the build sheet for the Manners stock and what bottom metal inlet you prefer M5 is probably the most common.
As far as doing the work yourself you could easily run a pre fit with a barrel nut, one of the mods on here did a very comprehensive test of these awhile back with a variety of barrels from different manufacturers.

I am in the process of finishing a rifle now but opted for a shouldered barrel that was machined and chambered by Kelblys for one of their atlas actions.

Thanks! I just can't find much info as to why one over the other? Personal preference?

Pre-fit with a barrel nut?

Thanks,
 
Thanks! I just can't find much info as to why one over the other? Personal preference?

Pre-fit with a barrel nut?

Thanks,


The biggest reason to order a Deviant other than the quality is if you want to have some input into all of the options available for that action since they are built to order one at a time.

I would suggest looking at their Tenacity action as well if you don't necessarily need all of the features of the deviant.

A pre fit is just that, a barrel machined and chambered with the appropriate tennon thread diameter and pitch but head space is set with a barrel nut like a savage. Do a quick search and read up on them a bit.
 
The biggest reason to order a Deviant other than the quality is if you want to have some input into all of the options available for that action since they are built to order one at a time.

I would suggest looking at their Tenacity action as well if you don't necessarily need all of the features of the deviant.

A pre fit is just that, a barrel machined and chambered with the appropriate tennon thread diameter and pitch but head space is set with barrel but like a savage. Do a quick search and read up on them a bit.

Thanks much!
 
precision rifles have become AR-like lego sets.

buy action. prefit (nut or shouldered) barrel. chassis (including manners mini chassis). self timing muzzle brake. assemble at home.
 
precision rifles have become AR-like lego sets.

buy action. prefit (nut or shouldered) barrel. chassis (including manners mini chassis). self timing muzzle brake. assemble at home.

See, this. This is exactly what I was looking at getting answered, So since you mentioned manners mini chassis - What is that? Looks like if you order a stock and select that, they will pre-install into the stock? Then what? You order a barrel , trigger , bottom metal, and action and it all just bolts together?
 
The mini chassis is just a chassis embedded into the stock. Replaces the need for bedding, although some still skim bed and no need to purchase a bottom metal as its built into the mini chassis. All the Manners I've had have had a mini chassis and I haven't had any issues and currently have one right now and it shoots just fine.
 
Generally speaking:

1. Get an action.
A. Custom action will probably not require blueprinting.
B. Factory action will probably require blueprinting.

2. Get a barrel.
A. Settle on a contour and rifling style.
B. Decide on whether you want a pre-fit (minimal gunsmithing but will still require tools) or a barrel blank (gunsmith installation required).

3. Get a trigger.

4. Based on combination of above parts, get a stock or chassis.
A. A composite stock with a chassis-like insert will accept some type of detachable box magazine with no other hardware.
B. A stock with no insert will require you to get bottom metal to use detachable magazines.
C. A true chassis should accept magazines with no additional hardware.
 
So since you mentioned manners mini chassis - What is that? Looks like if you order a stock and select that, they will pre-install into the stock?
Yes, they have badger fashion up a bedding block/bottom metal combo that the stock is then molded around, its not removable from the stock or anything like traditional bottom metal is. I really like mine. It should do away with the need for bedding (well 98% of it, some still may benefit from bedding)
Mini chassis- uninstalled, you would never see it in this form outside of the stock.
2018-Tikka-Chassis.jpg

And the stock with the minichassis in it
mcs-bdlmini-in-eh4.jpg



The alternative is to get just the stock and put the traditional bottom metal into it.
Bottom metal
306-82.png

And the stock
elite-hunter-fill.jpg

This method could use bedding for a stress free installation. Its tough to machine fiberglass and composite perfectly, this give it a perfect fit by filling the empty space with a faux-steel compound.
main-qimg-1839aa013c904a640203dd710da1cbf9



A traditional full chassis extends the entire length of the stock and not just that bit under the action like the minichassis has molded into it.
MLock_Element_Bare_1200_x_1200.png




Chassis use precision machined metal to only touch the action in stress free ways in certain points to try and have the same end result as the traditional stress free rifle bedding.
 
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You could always buy a Tikka CTR off the shelf and not go wrong. If u decide you love precision shooting as opposed to blasting away at the range with an AR you can pretty easily drop the barreled action and bottom metal into a Manners stock.
 
Here is what I did.

1) I hit up Robert at RW Snyder and ordered a barreled action. He uses the Defiance Deviant for his private label action. I had him chamber / barrel it using my barrel / contour / specs of my choosing. I also had him thread it for a muzzle device. I have not yet jumped on the pre-fit train yet, but it is very appealing.

2) I ordered up a Manners T6a to my specs directly from Manners. I have short arms so I asked them for custom length of pull, plus I chose the colors / accessories specifically how I wanted it.

3) I went with the Manners Mini Chassis for my build. This is a bottom metal much like the popular Badger M5 bottom metal, but, with the Manners Mini Chassis it is just that, it is a support system for your action so you don't have to get a bedding job done like other bottom metals. I like the "screw it in an go" feature of the manners mini chassis.

4) Ordered a trigger tech from Core Shooting.

5) Ordered an Area 419 brake from Core shooting.

I had to wait on the Manners stock, which sucked, but it was literally made the way I wanted. So, no complaints there. Once I got the barreled action from RW Snyder, I installed the trigger (two push pins), and installed the 419 muzzle brake. Then I took the action and screwed it into the Manners. Then mounted scope, then went to the range.

Gun shoots 1/2 MOA all day.
 
Actually went a little different direction... I have a builder somewhat lined up to make sure barrel and action work... but I ordered a jae700 , a tl3 from big horn, and am doing a cf barrel in 28” 1:8 6.5 cm...

I have a 419 brake already, wondering if I should put that on this build or let him flush mount a brake to the barrel for me....
 
Actually went a little different direction... I have a builder somewhat lined up to make sure barrel and action work... but I ordered a jae700 , a tl3 from big horn, and am doing a cf barrel in 28” 1:8 6.5 cm...

I have a 419 brake already, wondering if I should put that on this build or let him flush mount a brake to the barrel for me....
Pay someone to mount a brake?

Lol