Picking a Stock Style for the Remington 700

[commandernavi]

A recent post on here got me thinking about finally getting around to replacing my stock on my R700 SPS Tac. I wanted to know more about what you guys thought about the different styles of stocks that Bell and Carlson has to offer in their Medalist line up. I know there are many different styles (see: http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet/the-BELL-&-CARLSON-cln-Varmint-fdsh-Tactical/Categories):

- Police Medalist (Style 1)
- M40
- Tactical Style 2 (No hook)
- The Light Tactical Style A3 (has butt hook)
- Long range style 4

I am primarily interested in shooting within 600 yards off of a bench or prone and am thinking that the Light Tactical Style 3 w/ butt hook is the best option (like they said in other posts). I am a bit worried about adjusting elevation off of sand bags. With the Hogue stock, I just slide the rifle forward or back for the big elevation adjustments, but the Tactical Medalist can't really do that since it has a mostly-flat bottom to it on the back of the stock.

Between those listed above, which would be the best stock for long range work and a little bit of hunting? The M40 also looks good, but I wish it had a butt hook and looked as cool. :/

Any other thoughts on the stocks?

 

[broylz]

I personally prefer no butt hook. like you said, elevation adjustments can be made a bit easier. that said, you can get a "cammed" rear bag from gunnersgear for flat bottom stocks as well.

 

[garandman]

IMO range work and hunting really are best done with different stocks. Hunting stocks are light, short and small. Range stocks are long, heavy, and big. A compromise will be a compromise. I'd recommending picking one of those two purposes, and going with something designed for that purpose.

 

[Sonic Crack]

IMO, forget B&C. Get a chassis or a Manners and be done

 

[Aimsmall55]

IMO, forget B&C. Get a chassis or a Manners and be done

This ^^^. I put a SPS Tac into an AICS 1.5 and knocked out several birds with one stone. 1) floated the barrel 2) took care of bottom metal with the chassis 3) eliminated the need to bed it. So really if you think about it , a chassis is more expensive BUT pays for itself regarding a bedding job, bottom metal, and even hollowing out the barrel channel for a heavy contoured barrel. All of which costs $$$$$$$

 

[Niles Coyote]

I’ve had my 308 &223 tactical R700’s in Manners T4, McMillan A5, a HS precision PSS type, AICS 2.0 and B&C’s M40 and also the Light Tactical... HA, they’ve been around. My personal favorite low cost stock is the Light Tactical and 3 of my R700’s now wear it. I skim bed the action into the stock and they perform.

308 R700 rem tact pics

In the field

A non-believer

And on a 243 SPS varmint with optional assault chrono!

Why I like it... it just fits me well, it’s light and balances well for field work. It comes inletted for the Varmint contour so unless you have replaced your barrel its plug and play. I didn’t need to bed mine, but I like too... let’s me “bond” with the rifle.

I’ll likely attach flush cups soon and may inlet for DBM some day.

 

[Aimsmall55]

I’ve had my 308 &223 tactical R700’s in Manners T4, McMillan A5, a HS precision PSS type, AICS 2.0 and B&C’s M40 and also the Light Tactical... HA, they’ve been around. My personal favorite low cost stock is the Light Tactical and 3 of my R700’s now wear it. I skim bed the action into the stock and they perform.

308 R700 rem tact pics

In the field

A non-believer

And on a 243 SPS varmint with optional assault chrono!

Why I like it... it just fits me well, it’s light and balances well for field work. It comes inletted for the Varmint contour so unless you have replaced your barrel its plug and play. I didn’t need to bed mine, but I like too... let’s me “bond” with the rifle.

I’ll likely attach flush cups soon and may inlet for DBM some day.

That's some damn fine shooting Niles ! Got to love the 168 amax

 

[Queequeg]

I have a few different B&C stocks as well as a McMillan A5 and a HS Precision. I think the B&C stocks are a great value though I do not care for the squared flange of the vertical grip tactical model. I reshaped mine and painted it to be rid of that feature. Most of mine are skim bedded and have CDI bottom metal.

No arguing about the merits of the chassis systems though for the multiple upgrades they provide in one fell swoop! If you can swing the one time price hit and like the ergs of the chassis in question, it is definitely a worthy direction.

 

[wfjames22]

A non-believer....haha

A non-believer

 

[commandernavi]

Without bedding the stock would it not function much better than the original Hogue?

Wouldn't I need to bed a chassis as well?

 

[Queequeg]

Chassis are designed to be mechanically torqued to the rifle's action and require no bedding. From what little experience I have with them, I don't know how one would bed a chassis!

Often, just upgrading the stock, without bedding, can yield an improvement in consistency and groups just by virtue of the better fit and suitability for the type of shooting the new stock was selected for. That said, I can't recall anyone ever telling me that the new stock was worse off after bedding!

 

[mkollman74]

If you have the coin, buy a KRG and have your action milled for AW mags...

 

[commandernavi]

How does one skim-bed an action?

 

[Niles Coyote]

How does one skim-bed an action?

I made a short DIY in my thread here:
http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...846-308-remington-tactical-work-progress.html

Another good look:
R+D Precision - DIY
And last a search on the subject:
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en...=any&safe=images&tbs=&as_filetype=&as_rights=


The key is to take your time in both preparation (you researching it) and preparation of the stock, barreled action and bottom metal, if you choose to do the bottom metal. Don’t rush.

With devcon (that’s all I have ever used) your curing time will be dictated by how much hardener was used (I follow the directions on the container and go by weight) and the temperature where the rifle is left to cure. Typically I start checking the hardness of my left over bedding after 4-6 hours and once it is good and hard I will pull the action and clean up the spill over that is left in the stock. Cutting it out or scoring it until its cut through with a hobby knife (razor) and/or use a dremmel and sometimes files around the action cut out.

Every stock, and I do mean every single one, that I have bedded has shot more consistant than before it was bedded and most of the time my average group sizes has also decreased in size. The most dramatic improvement I have seen has been going from around .75 moa for 5 shot groups while have a few fliers every now and then to dropping down to groups in the mid .3” on a good day and no more fliers. When I started bedding I would do the whole action as well as a barrel pad of about 1-1.5 inch forward of the recoil lug but have since changed to just doing a barrel pad, lug and the area forward of the mag cut out and then also the very back area around the rear action screw. Sort of like some of the better factory bedding jobs tend to do. This saves a little time, compound and I have not seen any difference on target. Sure, I doesn’t look as nice as a complete job but I don’t go around showing everyone my bedding either, LOL.

Got questions, just ask. A lot of us here do our own and were happy to help out.

 

[commandernavi]

Thank you very much for all the help and advice! I really appreciate this forum and people like you who contribute make this hobby soooo much better and more exciting.

Regarding bedding, I think I will have to hold off on getting it bedded until I have more space and feel a bit more comfortable with doing jobs like this. I know it isn't the best option, but logistically it would be hard for me to bed it where I live now. :/

 

[Sako man]

Manners Remington 700 MCS T4A BDL (ADJUSTABLE / Vertical Grip / Hook / Beavertail) ADL BDL CDL SPS VTR XCR XHR With With BDL ALUMINUM CHASSIS For Hinged Floorplates

get the drop in bottom metal as well. Best stock for the SPS I have used. Easy to install, robust, will increase your accuracy and help recoil.