New Build: Manner's Mini-Chassis

[Hawk in WY]

I am building a 300 Norma Mag with the following:

Impact Long Action
Manners EH5A stock
26 inch 8 twist Proof Carbon Barrel

I was planning a BDL with a Wyatt box and Hawkins M5 Obendorf bottom metal. This will be a hunting rifle.

Then I decided I wanted a Manners mini-chassis in the stock and was told the Manners mini-chassis will not accommodate the Wyatt box and can be inlet only for Remington LA bottom metal.

What COAL should I expect from the Remington BDL action and is it worth accepting shorter COAL to have the mini-chassis?

I could still run the Wyatt box and Hawkins bottom metal if I gave up the mini-chassis.

I am planning to use the Barnes 212 gr bore rider bullet.

 

[Wheres-Waldo]

Your COAL limitation will be determined by the long action magazine you choose, not the mini chassis itself.

Google max COAL of whatever magazine you want to use and you have your answer.

 

[Hawk in WY]

Thank you for the suggestion.

This will be BDL. No magazine.

And yes the mini chassis does limit COAL in that it will not take the Wyatt box.

 

[Mauser06]

Sounds like you have to decide what is more important to you. Bottom metal and box or mini chassis.


I can't speak for the Wyatt box and Hawkins bottom metal....but I ordered a flat top with Seekins M5 Precision DBM bottom metal inlet. I was pleasantly surprised that it fit like a glove.

Couple hours to bed the action, pillars and bottom metal and I was done. I have exactly what I wanted.

 

[Hawk in WY]

Sounds like you have to decide what is more important to you. Bottom metal and box or mini chassis.


I can't speak for the Wyatt box and Hawkins bottom metal....but I ordered a flat top with Seekins M5 Precision DBM bottom metal inlet. I was pleasantly surprised that it fit like a glove.

Couple hours to bed the action, pillars and bottom metal and I was done. I have exactly what I wanted.

That is the direction I have decided to go.

It is disappointing that the Manner's mini-chassis does not allow for the Wyatt box and Hawkins bottom metal.

Since I need more COAL than allowed by the Remington box, I have decided against the mini-chassis.

Thank you for the confirmation.

 

[Chargerguy]

Is the mini chassis length the reason for not accepting the wyatt's box?

I'm not sure which box you'd plan on using. But from my experience, it was the width that was the issue. Manners told me the BDL mini chassis wouldn't work with the Wyatt's MBE-3 I planned on using. I ordered it anyway and found that the CFE-12 was a direct drop in. But the mini chassis was too narrow for the MBE-3 so I'm going to have it opened up with a mill. The MBE would fit in the mini chassis but being too narrow was binding the follower. I wish they'd just open the chassis up a bit.

Edited: had the mbe/cfe backwards. Corrected.

 

[Hawk in WY]

I was told so much material would have to be removed from the mini-chassis to fit a Wyatt's box that it would be structurally unstable.

I assumed that referred to length but you might be right on the width.

While I like the idea of the mini-chassis, it's not for me.

Pillared and bedded should be just as good. The only downside I can think of is the stock and chassis but not the stock bedded for my action could be used with another action maybe but that is not important to me.

 

[Chargerguy]

That’s interesting. If you search back on the forum you’ll see that Manners used to mill them out.

Good to know though. I’ll have to do some measuring.

 

[Chargerguy]

Looks like I’d end up around 0.097” thickness after milling. Might just stay with the center feed for now which I’m fine with for a hunting rifle. But also, comparing the CFE to the MBE they look to be pretty much the same dimensions other than the OD being wider due to the stiffening ribs on the MBE. I think I could bend the CFE lips out flush and turn it into a staggered feed with no milling required.

 

[Heffo]

Just go without the mini chassis, that’s what I did and had The stock built for the whyatt bottom metal.

 

[Hawk in WY]

Just go without the mini chassis, that’s what I did and had The stock built for the whyatt bottom metal.

Good advice.

Thats what I ended up doing except Wyatt box and Hawkins M5 BDL bottom metal.

I plan to put it together and decide later is it needs bedding. Since Manners recommends bedding that may be a future project.

This will be a new project for me. Any recommendations on materials or DIY videos? Thanks for the advice.

 

[Chargerguy]

Same as what works on fiberglass, wood, composites...
I don't think there's a need to get into the Devcon vs. Marine Tex vs. JB vs.... do a search, it's been covered ad nauseum.
Marine Tex apparently does have lowest shrinkage over time according to this article.

What Are the Best Bedding Materials? Speedy Speaks « Daily Bulletin

A customer of well-known gunsmith (and Hall-of-Fame shooter) Thomas Speedy Gonzalez recently asked Speedy about bedding compounds. Speedy offered some interesting advice based on long-term testing of various materials. Speedy favors Marine-Tex because it is very stable over time, while other...

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