Gunsmithing 5R .308 vs. B&C tactical medalist

K

KyleHines2005

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Full Member
Minuteman
Dec 26, 2013
84
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Crossett, AR
#1
Ok, smithing question. I have a 5R Milspec mated to a Bell and Carlson medalist tactical stock. I had to do a little sanding around the bottom metal to get it to fit. I know I need to float the barrel, but also I need to figure out why my bolt is not operating when I tighten the action down. Sounds like it's the sleeve that goes between the bottom metal and bottom of the action. What do i need to do? The bolt will not close all the way when I tighten it down. If I loosen it up some, it will.
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Buy quality, cry once.
 
#7
The front action screw is a tad too long. This is most likely caused by the bottom metal being a tad too close to the action, also make sure the mag box isn't binding or it will cause the rifle to shoot poorly. Bedding almost always helps. I have opened quite a few of those stocks up, they almost always create upward and/or side pressure on the barrel.

Ern
 
#9
Looks like the aluminum bedding block is a little crooked in the stock, pretty common with these stocks and HS Precision. You could just sand the "tight" side of the barrel channel so it free floats (easiest.....but totally amateur). I would fit the chassis so the barreled action sat centered in the channel then bed the recoil lug area and the tang area for a tension free fit, using whatever epoxy you feel comfortable with. Might be worth sending in for a professional M5 inlet and a recoil lug bed. Just my $.02

Ern
 
#11
The action screw holes are really forgiving, so you can trim the aluminum bedding block with a ball end mill and/or hand tools to get it centered up appropriately. It is an easy process for any 'smith worth a shit, might be a little over the head of a home novice since it is easy to remove too much and have uneven surfaces and thus creating tension (the opposite result of good bedding). For pricing call GAP and ask for a quote for an M5 inlet (and PTG or Badger M5 and mag if interested) and a Lug Bed with a little barrel channel open up. Feel free to compare prices and services, there are plenty of good 'smiths out there who are capable of this work.

Ern
 
#12
Your front action screw is too long. I had two B&C's with same issues.

Shorten the front action screw and then see if it sits straight after both screws are torqued down properly.

Just file the screw down with a flat file to shorten it. Push file in one (same) direction only on screw. Should only need to go down a couple maybe few threads.
 
#14
Send this to the gunsmith for bedding before you file the front action screw. He can file it, if there's extra length after bedding is complete. Bedding to raise the action in the stock will also possibly float your barrel, so let the gunsmith do all of that, and you'll have a much more accurate rifle. I have a couple of B&C Medalists, and won't buy anything else. A bedded action in a B&C Medalist could shoot under 0.25" groups, which one of mine has done. The other one has a featherweight hunting barrel, and shoots about 0.5-0.6" for 5 shots.
Jiim
 
#15
KyleHines2005 said:
Well, without spending a ton of money, I wouldn't think the bedding could be fixed. What would be my best bet without emptying my bank account on a $500 stock.


Buy quality, cry once.
Click to expand...
^^^^^^^Safe to say KyleHines2005 don't wanna dump several $100's of dollars on his B&C stock........So, why guys continue to advise him to pay a smith to bed it, have it cut for a M5 inlet, add a DBM system and all this crazy shit??

Here's the simple, 'best bet' answer -- Drag a file over the front screw a dozen or so times till it fits and go shooting.
 
#16
#18
I use bc stocks and absolutely love them. I don't care much for the torque to aluminum and call it a day crowd. I like bedding, never have I had a weapon turn shit south because I've bedded it. Some have shown drastic improvement, some showed a little and none had a negative effect. I like aluminum spines in the stock...adds rigidity, I also like to dremel the crap out of the front recoil lug area removing copious amounts of aluminum and them bed the crap out of it. I also like it under the rear screw area again grinding away any aluminum that needs to be gone. An 1/8" of bedding compound is plenty and you'll never regret it. I like jb weld and mink oil. the jb weld turns just this side of steel and works perfectly. Get some stockmakers screws and go for it.
 
#19
The B&C sucks, its just a stopping point between there and a good stock.

Daryl licht said:
I use bc stocks and absolutely love them. I don't care much for the torque to aluminum and call it a day crowd. I like bedding, never have I had a weapon turn shit south because I've bedded it. Some have shown drastic improvement, some showed a little and none had a negative effect. I like aluminum spines in the stock...adds rigidity, I also like to dremel the crap out of the front recoil lug area removing copious amounts of aluminum and them bed the crap out of it. I also like it under the rear screw area again grinding away any aluminum that needs to be gone. An 1/8" of bedding compound is plenty and you'll never regret it. I like jb weld and mink oil. the jb weld turns just this side of steel and works perfectly. Get some stockmakers screws and go for it.
Click to expand...
 
#20
i think the b&c stocks are great. i have 3. 2 of them shoot perfectly. 1 of them needs bedded. is it the bedding block or the action on that gun that is not straight. i do not know. do not let anyone tell you that a 250 dollar plus stock is junk. the injection molded stocks that come on the sps and cheap models are not very nice but they are not junk either. junk is something that is unuseable and have seen plenty of rifles shoot fine in the el cheapo stocks too. you do not have to spend lots of money to get a rifle that shoots or that you enjoy. I talked with bell and carlson they told me to see if the gun shoots first. if not then try bedding it. makes sense why fix what is not broken. all of them i have had to open up the barrel channel with a broom stick and some sand paper. 5 minutes later free floated. i will do that much work for the 500 dollars i saved on a mcmillian or AI.
 
Last edited:
#21
Everyone is different....but I would not be cool with spending $250 on a stock and then having to sand open the barrel channel and then spending another $200 (minimum) to have it bedded by a smith,....just to take a chance that a B&C might shoot okay.

You guys are getting corporately fucked. B&C stocks are designed and advertised to be a drop in fit w/no bedding required. From B&C current catalog:

"Prior to finishing, an action is mounted to all Bell and Carlson
stocks to ensure a proper fit. Any stock that does not precisely fit
the barreled action is rejected.
Easy Installation
All Bell and Carlson stocks, unless indicated otherwise,
are drop-in stocks designed to permit the customer to
simply bolt the barreled action into the stock. Bell and
Carlson stocks are fit for current model factory standard
barrel contours. It may be necessary to remove minimal
amounts of material from the magazine well and/or
barrel channel"
 
#22
You already shortened the screw. Now finish the job with a dowel and sandpaper in your barrel channel. Create enough clearance so the barrel will not touch the stock: check by making sure you can slide a stack of 4-5 3x5 cards between the barrel and stock throughout its length. I'm sure it will shoot really well once these simple steps are done. Fact of the matter is most stocks, even "drop-ins" require at least some fitting. that does not make them a bad stock. there are just too many minor variations in the action, barrel, stock, and bottom metal to expect every stock to truly drop in. In fact, you'd probably be really unhappy with the appearance of the stock if they machined enough clearance to make sure it "dropped in" to every action, bottom metal, and barrel.
 
#23
Owned numerous HS stocks and every one has been 100% perfect drop-in fit for several different Remington 700 barreled actions.
No minor fitting required what-so-ever. Did not have to bed anything, shorten action screws or ream out a barrel channel. Even the non "drop-in" McMillan stocks with factory pillars were perfect....... "Drop-In" fit does exist!

Funny thought: Never seen a Hogue or Remington Tupperware stock with a cock-eyed barrel channel............
 
#24
Funny thought: Never seen a Hogue or Remington Tupperware stock with a cock-eyed barrel channel............

Haha, excellent point!!
What happened to the days when a B&C stock actually cost what it was worth....ie. $59.00?
The cost has gone up but the quality hasn't. Just a cheap copy of a HS-precision.
Any stock can be made to fit/work.
Nothing a dremmel tool, piece of rebar, lots of acra-glass, and too much free time can't fix. But it is a great way to learn how to bed a stock without screwing up a better one first.
 
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