McMillan stock rescued - opinions on how to fix

[S12A]

I just got hold of this McMillan stock , paid equivalent of $350USD for it (I’m in Australia) .

Plan was to fix it up as it was disclosed as having a chip on the forend as pictured and having been “inletted for a VTR”.
What they didn’t say was it was inletted by a blind chimp (see attached).

So the top edges of the forend are very thin and there is gouges out along the length of the forend presumably to allow for the VTR barrel , it’s also got bedding material at the tang and lug areas that is maybe arma grout?

I was confident to repair the chip however curious how others might approach this job, more so from a hobbiest perspective as I don’t have specialist tools.

Cheers

 

[S12A]

Further pics. Can provide more specific photos.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

I'd fix it by returning it for a refund.

 

[corsairpilot62]

More tagging in for interest.

Note the following is a knuckle dragger thought

Since it’s a mcmillan its fiberglass so you could get a boat patch repair kit and use that to patch and thicken up edges.

might be able to send to mcmillan to fix as well.

 

[DIBBS]

I thought about sending it back to McMillan as well, but OP is in Australia and am sure that round trip would be VERY spendy. I'm sure it could be re-glassed by a qualified individual and made functional.

Can you return the stock/ get a refund and get back to square one as another poster suggested?

 

[264win]

Shipping to McM from Australia is not likely a cost effective option..
I’m not familiar with what product is available in the OP area, but any product made for fiberglass repair should work fine.

 

[30338]

I mean, you only paid $350 for it...ide see it as a decent little project.

Ide personally grind out all the old bedding, and do a full bedding job including the barrel channel..a few layers of tape on the barrel will keep it free floating

Fix all the external chips with some clear epoxy tinted to color match

Or ship it up to McMillan and let them take care of you.

If you have the skill set, I'd take option one. Its really only a cosmetic issue so depending on your outlook, I'd not let it really bother me. Bed it well and go shoot it.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I mean, you only paid $350 for it...ide see it as a decent little project.

Ide personally grind out all the old bedding, and do a full bedding job including the barrel channel..a few layers of tape on the barrel will keep it free floating

Fix all the external chips with some clear epoxy tinted to color match

Or ship it up to McMillan and let them take care of you.

I would do something similar although I'd probably forgo trying to color match and just refinish the stock in a solid matte or flat color like I did with JB which started as a shitty used up HS Precision.

 

[S12A]

Thanks for all the replies so far.

Shipping it to Mcmillan’s probably not cost effective in this case and I don’t know that they would ship it back to me anyway due to ITAR etc.

To explain why I’d like to fix it up rather than return is mostly because Mcmillan’s cost 2500-3000 here now for a new one so if it’s just some time and effort I might still come out ahead.

Any suggestions for removing that white bedding material?

 

[S12A]

My only concern with bedding the barrel channel is that the material appears to be thinned out all the way to the top of the stocks forend , I don’t think I can end that high without gluing the barrel in?

 

[Trigger Monkey]

I've never heard of arma grout but I doubt it's nothing a dremel and some various bits can't handle lol. Just go slow and take your time.

I would think that if the pillars aren't tampered with then when the action is set into the stock the barrel would still sit in the same place in the channel in relation to the stock line no matter what they did to it so it shouldn't get mechanically locked in....shouldn't. I'd probably put a few pieces of tape on the barrel though to be safe and create some additional clearance.

Edited for clarification regarding how deep the barrel may sit in the channel.

 

[S12A]

Thanks for the reply , the pillars are in place so should be fine there .
Roger RE the barrel, the channel seems deep but might not be so bad with the barrelled action in place

This is armagrout , I’m thinking it’s this based solely on the ivory colour and it being the easiest bedding material to get here:

ARMAGROUT IVORY™

adhesiveengineering.com.au

 

[Aftermath]

It is beyond repair. You can send it to me for proper disposal.

Seriously. Just use a good grade epoxy with some fiber for added strength. Do not even attempt to color match anything and do not attempt to perform some "surgical" repair. Wash with hot water and dish detergent. EDITED: SCRUB THE DOG SHIT OUT OF IT. Allow to dry well in the sun for a day. Rinse well with denatured alcohol, don't be stingey. Allow to dry in the sun. Do not ever touch it again with a bare hand. Fill it in to excess (I am not saying to fill it completely but that is a workable option). Let it cure well...like a week in the summer sun (sorta). Then start a new inlet to fit your rifle. Once you get it inlet real sweet and all, you can do the new bedding job with pillars and such.

Paint it with whatever paint is easy to find down undah. I like Duracoat but any 2 part automotive paint works well. Krylon is cheaper and works just fine. I have a pistol painted with Krylon for over 30 years. Sure, it looks like I painted it 30 years ago...but I bet you were prettier 30 years ago, too. Maybe not.

https://www.jamestowndistributors.com/product/Epoxy-and-Adhesives/Epoxy-Fillers-and-Additives

Boat builder and model airplane sites also have some stuff that can be used by the stock maker crowd. You will pay more to only hit the gun stock sites for what can be an inferior product. Pay attention to the PSI ratings of the various epoxies and go for the highest, use your judgement.

Mainly, do not become impatient. Perfection takes it's sweet ass time.

 

[dirtybores]

I have done this repair at the hobbyist level. Get a repair kit from Mcmillan which should have the epoxy, correct pigment colors, and soft fill glass or a thickening agent. Bed the action, which creates a dam up near the recoil lug. Grind/sand what you want gone from the channel. Wrap/tape the barrel and drop the barreled action in. Dam the open end. Pour the epoxy over the barrel slowly until it fills the channel. Use some heat to get the bubbles out. Let it cure. Cut the tape along the top and peel back. Remove the BA. Remove the tape. Wet sand for looks and to ensure it free floats.

before

after

 

[S12A]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far ,

Dirtybores that’s a great result too !

I will say ideally I’d like to preserve the exterior finish if possible as I’m a sucker for the desert camo

 

[Thump_rrr]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far ,

Dirtybores that’s a great result too !

I will say ideally I’d like to preserve the exterior finish if possible as I’m a sucker for the desert camo

I would first chip out all the bedding compound used.
Secondly I would use glass fiber reinforced plastic found at most auto parts stores to fill in the damaged areas.
Sand to shape followed by a thin coat of body filler or if the pin holes are minimal spot and glaze putty.
Brownells Aluma Hyde paints are what you seek.

I would also talk to surf shops that do board repairs.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I would also talk to surf shops that do board repairs.

This is exactly where you want tk start in Oz! There are probably an ton Of surf shops and they will have the right repair products, techniques and curing. Then Cut the bedding back and Re-bed your action.

I was trying to come up with the right “business” on Oz… boat shop, corvette repair shop….

Thumper nailed it!

Sirhr

 

[Ranchhand]

OP great find right there. Lots of great advice so far, you'll make something work I'm sure.
I'm looking forward to the finished product.

 

[Hennig]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far ,

Dirtybores that’s a great result too !

I will say ideally I’d like to preserve the exterior finish if possible as I’m a sucker for the desert camo

I feel like it’d be a lot easier to nuke the whole exterior and start again. It’s a pretty simple scheme to replicate in reality.

 

[carbonbased]

Have you tested if your barreled action fits in there? Bummer would be to find out after you’ve painstakingly removed the old bedding and then find out it’s for some other action.

Probably not, but I’d check sooner rather than later.

 

[Sprayed99]

Hog out the crap bedding out and drill out the pillars. Glue in new pillars, 5 wraps of 20mil plumbing tape on the barrel and rebed the action and the entire barrel channel. Pretty simple weekend job if you do some research.

 

[Easy_E]

Hog out the crap bedding out and drill out the pillars. Glue in new pillars, 5 wraps of 20mil plumbing tape on the barrel and rebed the action and the entire barrel channel. Pretty simple weekend job if you do some research.

Was going to reply the same procedure the only difference is to run the tape the length of the barrel so there's no tape lines.

 

[Sprayed99]

Was going to reply the same procedure the only difference is to run the tape the length of the barrel so there's no tape lines.

Correct center of the tape should be in the center of the bottom of the barrel and run the entire length. 5 wraps should give .090 - .110” channel clearance.

 

[NCgreentick]

For the barrel channel, I would get a pipe the size you want it to be and fill in around it with Devcon or something.

 

[iceng]

Ouch. McMillan A3-5 ? Nice stocks.

Surf shops will have fibreglass repair kits, ive personally done it a few times. Hobby shops or craft (think "cos-play") type shops often have various grades of casting resins and modeling things.

I had to "dig out" a thin layer to get back to raw material, so it would bond nicely. Over fill it, then cut it back.

Its salvagable. Ive seen MUCH worse. Plus rhino cam, which is best cam.

 

[Trigger Monkey]

Ouch. McMillan A3-5 ?

Close, appears to be an A3 Sporter

 

[Scotch_egg]

My smith used carbon fibre matting to repair a barrel channel on a PSE stock that had been badly hogged out. It looks like a factory finish and doesn’t weight as much as bedding the entire length with devcon.

 

[S12A]

Thanks for all the replies.
I will attempt the repairs soon(ish) and post results
Cheers!