McMillan or B&C (Tikka T3x CTR)

[MedServ60Driver]

I have not committed to the idea yet, but McMillan is having a sale right now and I could purchase their A3 stock for my Tikka T3x CTR at a significant discount, putting it within $50 of the cost of a Bell and Carlson Target/Competition stock:

The McMillan A3:

https://mcmillanusa.com/product/a3-tikka-t3/

Pros:
- Well known McMillan quality
- Relatively light at 2.5#

Cons:
- Pillar Bedding instead of an aluminum bedding block
- No adjustable cheekpiece

The B&C:

http://www.bellandcarlson.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=1129

Pros:
- Aluminum bedding block
- Adjustable cheek piece
- Normal price shipped ~$50 less than McMillan sales price

Cons:
- Heavier at 3.5#

So, is the McMillan enough better than the B&C to sacrifice the adjustable cheekpiece and jump on the sales price?

 

[jducos]

Mcmillan, hands down.

 

[308pirate]

Cons:
- Pillar Bedding instead of an aluminum bedding block
- No adjustable cheekpiece

Disagree that pillar bedding is inferior to an aluminum block that won't exactly match the bottom of your action. Add a skim bed to the pillars (easy to do) and now you have something superior to any bedding block out there.

Pay extra to have McMillan add an adjustable cheekpiece or send it to one of the smiths around here who do their own. I was feeling froggy one day and added an adjustable comb to a Manners MCS-T myself.

 

[dannySH]

McMillan all the way but at those sell prices McMillan all the way, all day, everyday. You can install a cheekriser with jducos at any time.

 

[patriot07]

I had been debating buying one of those A3 stocks for my CTR, but I like the CTR stock too much to dump another $450 into the rifle right now.

But if you're considering upgrading, that's a heck of a deal.

 

[patriot07]

One thing about the A3 is that it has a pretty short LOP at 13.5" even with the 2 spacers installed. Worth considering before pulling the trigger on it.

 

[308pirate]

One thing about the A3 is that it has a pretty short LOP at 13.5" even with the 2 spacers installed. Worth considering before pulling the trigger on it.

I just went to McMillans page and it shows the stock with a 13.5" LOP to the recoil pad with no spacers. That's not short. That's pretty much standard.

STOCK COMES WITH

1￾￾ Pachmeyer decelerator recoil pad @ 13.5￾￾ length of pull

2 Stud mounts for a sling & 1 stud mount for Harris Bipod

Aluminum pillars installed

 

[snarkscarbine]

McMillan, no contest. B&C can be serviceable, but are not even in the same league as a proper composite stock.

 

[Ledzep]

As others have said, McMillan and Manners are two steps above the b&c. I'd pay $50 difference every time and be happy to do so.

 

[Aaros143]

How about the new KRG Bravo Chassis?

 

[tevans0707]

Definitely go McMillan. I love my A5 fully adjustable. And I just snagged a normal A5 on cyber Monday for $400. McMillan are the better way to go, and they are great to work with.

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[308pirate]

How about the new KRG Bravo Chassis?

I'd take that over any fiberglass stock.

 

[tevans0707]

I'd take that over any fiberglass stock.

That's a bold statement. Why do you say that?

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[308pirate]

That's a bold statement. Why do you say that?

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Several reasons in no particular order
1. Less money
2. Equal or greater adjustability
3. Modularity
4. Related to #3, excellent availability of accessories from KRG
5. A bedding block so good that it makes skim bedding optional
6. KRG designs fit me better and are more comfortable to shoot (this is personal, I admit)
7. AICS DBM standard

For the sake of reference, I own rifles in both fiberglass (Manners) and KRG stocks

 

[patriot07]

I just went to McMillans page and it shows the stock with a 13.5" LOP to the recoil pad with no spacers. That's not short. That's pretty much standard.

I emailed them and asked them what the LOP could be adjusted to, and they said anything from 12.5" without spacers to 13.5" with spacers.

 

[tevans0707]

I had been debating buying one of those A3 stocks for my CTR, but I like the CTR stock too much to dump another $450 into the rifle right now.

But if you're considering upgrading, that's a heck of a deal.

For some reason my private messaging won't work so hopefully you see this. But McMillan was having a blow out sale on cyber Monday. In the on sale part of the retail store, most of the stocks were 50% off. They had 7 A5 T3 CTR stocks available for $400. Check that section every now and again and they will pop up.

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[tevans0707]

Several reasons in no particular order
1. Less money
2. Equal or greater adjustability
3. Modularity
4. Related to #3, excellent availability of accessories from KRG
5. A bedding block so good that it makes skim bedding optional
6. KRG designs fit me better and are more comfortable to shoot (this is personal, I admit)
7. AICS DBM standard

For the sake of reference, I own rifles in both fiberglass (Manners) and KRG stocks

Very understandable. I didn't mean to come off as a dick if I did, I was more just curious. I love what KRG is doing, they definitely have filled that role very well. I love the Whiskey 3 and the Xray, I just wish they were as comfortable as my A5. But like you said, that's all a personal thing.

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[patriot07]

For some reason my private messaging won't work so hopefully you see this. But McMillan was having a blow out sale on cyber Monday. In the on sale part of the retail store, most of the stocks were 50% off. They had 7 A5 T3 CTR stocks available for $400. Check that section every now and again and they will pop up.

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Thanks!

 

[308pirate]

Very understandable. I didn't mean to come off as a dick if I did, I was more just curious. I love what KRG is doing, they definitely have filled that role very well. I love the Whiskey 3 and the Xray, I just wish they were as comfortable as my A5. But like you said, that's all a personal thing.

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Roger that, no offense taken at all. BTW that's a frekken sweet rifle you got there

 

[tevans0707]

Roger that, no offense taken at all. BTW that's a frekken sweet rifle you got there

Thanks. I'm hoping my 223 turns out as nice, so I guess we will see.

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[MedServ60Driver]

Thanks for the input folks. I'm pulling the trigger on the A3, and am in email discussion with McMillan about adding a saddle style cheek piece.


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[Kevin1]

As others have said, McMillan and Manners are two steps above the b&c. I'd pay $50 difference every time and be happy to do so.

Can you please elaborate on this? I don't own any McMillan / Manners. I do own a B&C Medalist with the alu block and it seems to work fine. I'm just trying to understand what practical gain will get over a B&C stock. It will be lighter...that I can see....but what else?

 

[jducos]

Don't do the saddle!!!!!

 

[308pirate]

Don't do the saddle!!!!!

I agree. Saddle-type adjustable combs add thickness to the butt of the stock and offset your head away from the scope by an amount equal to the thickness of the material.

If McMillan is going to do it, pay for them to cut the comb and put in an internal adjuster. Do it right the first time.

 

[dannySH]

Don't do the saddle, let them cut the butstock, if is gonna take too long just buy the stock and send it to jducos, he will take care of it.

 

[SpinDrift338]

Try as many different types of Mcmillan stocks as you can get your hands on! I've owned 4 A5's, each with the integral cheek piece and I vastly prefer my current A3 with the saddle style. I also use mine in iffy terrain, so if I drop my rifle and damage the cheekpiece (I break everything) I can just order a new one without having to worry about getting a new A5, or somehow getting a piece cut from a different stock.

Everybody's got their thing, do what you like most and don't worry about it further than that.

 

[Ledzep]

Can you please elaborate on this? I don't own any McMillan / Manners. I do own a B&C Medalist with the alu block and it seems to work fine. I'm just trying to understand what practical gain will get over a B&C stock. It will be lighter...that I can see....but what else?

The way they're made. It's kind of a Corvette vs. Camry thing. The Camry will drive you wherever you want to go. It can even go over the speed limit, and it's afordable.

the Corvette is made better, goes faster, handles better, etc... but 98% of the time is driven just like the Camry. But if you can get a Corvette at close to Camry pricing..... That's the best way I can describe it. A Manners or McMillan is way stronger than it needs to be, and comes without any of the little mishaps you see in the B&C and H&S stocks, like voids just below the surface, pillars that pop out or spin in place, delamination at 120-150 degrees F.

Not saying B&C is garbage; I typically say they're about as cheap as I'd go and expect reasonable results-- maybe with a little bit of work, but Manners/McMillan are made better usually minimal fitting/work, and once they're set they don't break or wear or fall apart.. Whether you "need" it or not is up to you. But yeah, anywhere near the same price and I'd go for the Manners/McMillan.

 

[BallisticSam]

Hold out for a Grayboe, I heard the Tikka inlet will be available for 2018. I mean if your just wanting to save some cash and have some awesome at the same time.
Also the KRG Bravo......

 

[jducos]

I say McMillan because of the construction (trust me, I've cut into almost everything out there)

I say no saddle because I've also converted a bunch of those due to 1. They offset your head to the side. 2. They break due to the screw being steel and the threads in the inside block are aluminum. After a few range trips and the screw loosening up on guys frustration sets, the pliers come out, and theres your stripped aluminum inside clamp!

I used to collect the saddle pieces after converting them but after 25-30 of them they took too much room so I threw them away!

 

[MedServ60Driver]

I say McMillan because of the construction (trust me, I've cut into almost everything out there)

I say no saddle because I've also converted a bunch of those due to 1. They offset your head to the side. 2. They break due to the screw being steel and the threads in the inside block are aluminum. After a few range trips and the screw loosening up on guys frustration sets, the pliers come out, and theres your stripped aluminum inside clamp!

I used to collect the saddle pieces after converting them but after 25-30 of them they took too much room so I threw them away!

McMillan CS is telling me the A3 isn't a good candidate for cheek riser modification because it's filled with a lower density foam. Is this so?

 

[tevans0707]

Hold out for a Grayboe, I heard the Tikka inlet will be available for 2018. I mean if your just wanting to save some cash and have some awesome at the same time.
Also the KRG Bravo......

You are going to holding you're breath for a long time. I got an email from grayboe and they said not to expect it till next summer, and they can't even guarantee it will be released by then.

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[Ledzep]

McMillan CS is telling me the A3 isn't a good candidate for cheek riser modification because it's filled with a lower density foam. Is this so?

I don't know exactly what he does, but if we're on the same page, I'm pretty sure Jducos cuts out the seafoam-looking stuff and fills the back end of the stock with a structural resin/balloon/fiberglass/whatever mix. Adding an adjustable cheek piece to a non-adjustable stock with the super-light fill usually adds a pound or a little more regardless of what hardware you use, because you have to add in the more dense structural fill. This is pretty universal whether it's from Manners or Mcmillan as an adjustable model, or if it's done "aftermarket".

 

[jducos]

Medserve,
Ledzep is correct. If the stock has the light foam in it I just remove it, replace it and start over. The material I Use is pretty light weight. I have to mill a cavity on the lower part of the stock for the clamp and another in the upper for the "legs" of the unit further reducing weight. That pretty much evens it out.

 

[308pirate]

McMillan CS is telling me the A3 isn't a good candidate for cheek riser modification because it's filled with a lower density foam. Is this so?

I did a hilljack job of adding an adjustable comb to my Manners. I had a screw-type adjuster in a laminated highpower boltgun stock. I cut it out of that stock, cut my manners, and installed the adjuster myself (with a little help from a friend with a mill).

The stock cavity was also full of lightweight foam so I dug it all out and filled it back up with steel epoxy resin (Devcon in this case cause I had a bunch leftover from a bedding job). The stock is now heavy as all getout but it also balances a heavy barreled rifle very nicely.

Buy the A3 and send it to jducos he'll fix you up.

 

[chevytruck_83]

I personally like the krg stocks for that rifle but The McMillan and manners are the top notch Fiberglass stocks.

 

[Gil P.]

I went from a b&c to McMillan and its a night and day difference. It seems to handle recoil better and is way more ergonomic.

 

[tevans0707]

Both if my Tikka's sit in McMillan stocks and I wouldn't have it any other way.

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[Vapor6]

Definitely go McMillan. I love my A5 fully adjustable. And I just snagged a normal A5 on cyber Monday for $400. McMillan are the better way to go, and they are great to work with.

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I sent you a PM.