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Looking for someone to work over a McM A-5

sentry1

Crayon Eater
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 7, 2012
1,991
5
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Madison, Alabama
Edit: Considering the KMW Loggerhead, or just swapping stocks. Ideally, I'd do the KMW, since my stock is already bedded to my action. Does anyone aside from Stockdoc do the KMW? Found a stock here, but it needs some mods to be just right.

<span style="font-style: italic">So I got a McMillan A5 to replace an AICS, and the stock pack just doesn't do it like a cheekpiece. I'm considering an adjustable cheek piece. Still waiting to hear from Stockdoc, but in the meantime, McMillan quoted me $116 + shipping to install a clamp bar cheek piece, $142 + shipping for the thumbwheel.

Having never used either, is there a benefit to one over the other? Are they left/right adjustable?</span>
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

Wrong, if you have the standard A-5 with the one-piece butt the only adjustable cheekpiece option from us is the saddle type cheekpiece at $116 installed. We don't cut the intergral type cheekpieces out of a one piece stock. They are actually made in two pieces to start with so that the main buttstock has a full shell of fiberglass cloth around it, including the top, so that it will not flex out and delaminate under the recoil impulse.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

Suggest you see if the Stockdoc can do a KMW install on your A-5.

When ordering a new stock from McMillan, have them do a solid fill and cut the KMW inlet, hardware delete, then send the stock to KMW for their hardware install.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

Out of curiosity, why not go with the saddle cheekpiece?

Also, Diablo, why would the KMW hardware be better? From what I understand, the recent McMillan hardware is very similar.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

I like both the saddle and the clamp bar. Never had the thumb wheel. I ordered a stock from McMillan and was going to go with the thumb wheel and the person I talked to said that I would like the clamp bar better. So, I went with the clamp bar.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

Damn, I misunderstood your email Dick. Well that's a no go then. I already have the stock, so ordering an inlet is out of the question.

I don't like the saddle cheekpiece because I end up having to rotate my head to get behind the scope properly. On the AICS, it was comfortable if I pushed the cheekpiece all the way to the right, that got me in just right on the scope.

Maybe I'll switch to low rings and try the stockpack again.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

That is the advantage of the intergral cheekpieces and why we developed them. The saddle cheekpiece, by design, just moves up and down. On either of the intergral cheekpieces you just loosen the two little hex heads you see on top of the cheekpiece and it will move right or left about 1/4" either way. You can also get a bit of a slant on it which I find quite comfortable
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

I'd swap the stock out, but I already had it bedded to my action. Live and learn... and pay.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

Can someone provide a contact for a smith who can modify an A5? I'm thinking of purchasing one that already has the cheekpiece I want, found one here, but it'll need the barrel channel opened up, and a BDL inlet opened up for a Badger M5.

Would also want to get some flush cups installed, as well as a picatinny rail.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

Geez dude what a hassle...what did you hate about the aics that made you decide to take this on?
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: sentry1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can someone provide a contact for a smith who can modify an A5? I'm thinking of purchasing one that already has the cheekpiece I want, found one here, but it'll need the barrel channel opened up, and a BDL inlet opened up for a Badger M5.

Would also want to get some flush cups installed, as well as a picatinny rail.</div></div> Keith at Phoenix custom rifles might be able to help. They do a great job over there, I think we have 6 rifles or so there now. He is a hide vendor, and I have been very pleased with there work.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

Well, I have explained why we do not cut intergral cheekpieces out of a solid one-piece buttstock. I understand that Stockdoc does an excellent job of this. But please understand that cutting thru this much of the fiberglass shell of the stock may adversly affect the structural integrity of the stock and does void our factory warrentee on any stock so modified.
Other modifications we are happy to do for our customers. Re-inletting to a larger barrel contour is $51, re-inletting to a larger floorplate is $51, flush cups are $13 ea installed, etc.
Modifing to a smaller barrel channel or a smaller floorplate is much more complex and expensive and we may decline to do this.
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

Dick, I understand your position in regards to warranty. But just so you know out of roughly 300 stocks I have done (some of those with my old style hardware) I have yet to get one back due to it breaking. That speaks volumes about the integrity of your product. Keep up the good work.

Thanks for the referrals guys!
 
Re: Thumbwheel or clamp bar on A-5?

On a technical note, since unlaminated surfaces are exposed after cutting a cheekpiece, would covering the exposed areas in something like Devcon, etc... add structural integrity?

Also, since cutting is bound to remove some material, it seems like using a filler compound would provide a smooth, no-gap outline when the cheekpiece is down. Just an aesthetics thing, but hey, why not?

P.S. Stockdoc, am considering some options, but it seems like you're the most convenient way to go right now, vs. selling stock and buying a new one, selling whole rifle and buying a new one, etc... Will shoot you a message about hardware ASAP.