Gunsmithing Frustrations with McMillan stocks

[Jeff in TX]

I ordered two McMillan flat top no inlet stocks the first week of Jan 2013. I was given a lead time to two to three months since these were simple builds with no inletting or finishing. I got an email from McMillan on 3/4/2013 wanting to confirm the builds and configurations. I called, verified the build and asked what the time line would be and they said another 4 to 6 weeks. Not what I was hoping but it is what it is.

Yesterday I called since it’s been 8 weeks. They pulled my order and said it may be another 6 to 8+ weeks, probably longer. I asked why the delay and I was told they are being bombarded with new orders. I asked why the new orders were being put in front of mine and pushing my orders out. She said the new orders were behind mine and had no effect on my orders build time. So I asked again why my 2 to 3 month build is now going to be 5 to 6 months or more. She said it was because of all the new orders they’re getting in. I said you just told me the new orders had no bearing on my order and she that was correct. I asked if they had gotten a large military order that was pushing my order back and she said no, it was because of all the new orders they had gotten. Can you sense my frustration? My conversation was turning into a looped recording with her. We went round and round and her answers were all the same, it's the new orders but they won't effect yours.

I know some of big builders get precedence on their orders and I understand that. However that shouldn’t push my lead times out two to three times than what I was quoted.

Any thoughts on what I can do besides just wait!

 

[buckey]

Not sure on wait times, but after my last 2 stocks from McMillan, I am going to Manners from now on.

The last 2 stocks had poor inletting, major sanding marks and some chipping in the gel-coat = not good after 5+ months of waiting and $500!!!

 

[JelloStorm]

I'm sorry to hear that you've had some bad luck. When I dealt with McMillan they were great and my HTG was great right out of the box.

Hopefully they can make things right for you!

 

[JJones75]

you are better off with Manners hands down , better customer service because you can generaly speak with sombody that has actualy worked on a stock , and from what i've seen better quality

 

[ugsly]

Mcmillan makes a good stock, but at times has poor customer service. Everyone right now in the gun world, be it reloading products or stocks has been bombarded. Everyone I call about brass or powder has been on edge and at times kinda rude. That being said they are getting asked the same question over and over on a daily basis. The lady at Mcmillan should of been able to tell you why your order wasn't ready, honesty goes a long ways.

The last stock I bought was a manners. I wanted to give them a try and have been very pleased with them and their service. Tom is always helpful and always has time to answer questions. I like the feel and construction of their stocks better and will be ordering another.

Kc

 

[Muskox]

I have a couple of each, HS Precision, Manners, McMillan and a one Bell and Carlsons.

Honestly the last stock I ordered from Manners took a long time but was perfect, other than for specialty pistol stocks (HSP and MCM alone on those) Manners has 99% of my needs covered.

Whatever the situation is with MCM i hope they get it figured out.

A guy that buys a couple stocks a year or a lifetime isn't paying their bills in quite the same way a million dollar order is from Kimber, Steyr, SIG or the Government. They can afford to "drop the ball" on the small guy, and their world would stop if they did that to a big rifle company.

I am glad Tom Manners is around, I hope he eventually builds XP-100 stocks, as right now there are only 4 folks making fiberglass stocks for a XP: MCM, HSP, MPI and Brown Precision. MPI has quality control issues and I don't know anything about Brown Precision. But pistol stocks are small potatos compared to the tactical market.

 

[Jeff in TX]

Manners can't help me with one of my stocks. I'm doing a Tikka T3 build on a Sako Hunter. I spoke with Tom at Manner's, his Tikka stocks will only accept the CDI bottom metal which for me is way overkill for a hunting rifle. The Sako hunter by McMillan can be inletted for the Tikka bottom metal/plastic. The other stock is a simple Win classic, neither stock is anything odd and McMillan isn't inletting them, just flat top non finished stocks.

Does anyone have an email address for Dick there at McMillan

 

[1snowcat]

McMillan builds one of the best stocks in the industry, it sucks you have to wait that long but... "if its worth having, its worth waiting for" words of wisdom from my grandpa! Comes to mind...

I have an email for Kay-Taylor-Biggs she was very helpful when I have had any issues at McMillan its; [email protected]

 

[Twisted300Win MAG]

Having the same issue, ordered an A5 and was told 14-16 weeks its going on 21 weeks with no word.

 

[X-fan]

My last few McMillan stocks have been near 6 months wait. I don't mind..I just wish they would be direct about wait times, but what ever...the stock is worth the wait!
I have seen a lot of McMillan stocks and have never seen a bad one. Been doing business with them for well over 30 years and I am still elated with their product.
Cosmetic blems...Waaah! If you don't like it send it back.
I'm going to beat the bejezuz out of it anyway.
They might have customer service problems keeping up with demand, but the McMillan warranty is as good as it gets.
From what I have seen they still have the best all around product.

 

[Edds]

Does anyone have an email address for Dave there at McMillan

If I had any questions about McMillan, I'd send a PM to Dick D. He is the GM and is on this site almost daily.

 

[sentry1]

Dick was very helpful when I had questions about sending in an A5 to get some modifications done. My stock had a chip in the finish when I sent it in, and it was repaired when I got it back. I know it sucks, but sometimes you gotta get a straw and suck it, because that's the only option left.

Have hope though. Everything in the gun world has gone tits up lately, but with any luck, McMillan cares enough to not screw over the little guy.

 

[cal50]

Been in the same spot and it's 50/50 for quick turn around or a long wait. I only use their m14 stocks for my guns and a friends build so not a lot of other options. I waited 6 months for my stock. I vowed not to place any more orders with them unless they had it in stock. My last inletted blank they had in stock and had it in a few days.
They do make excellent stocks and you will have a quality item once you get it, it's the not knowing that sucks.

 

[Wyfox]

Ordered a Mcmillan HTG around December 10, just got it in the mail yesterday.

 

[Jeff in TX]

If I had any questions about McMillan, I'd send a PM to Dick D. He is the GM and is on this site almost daily.

Edds,

Thanks I sent Dick a PM.

 

[x ring accuracy]

I feel your pain. Yes, they make the best stocks. But when I oredered a special F Class last year, I knew the wait. When I called and talked to them, they said......."we are sorry we overbooked ourselves and it will be another 8 weeks". I am not one of the best known gun builders but I have an account with them and they have always been good to me. But to hear that, I was floored. I am sure the the other more well known builders get preference and I understand, but come on. Hire more people, get more machinery, etc, etc as it will pay for itself in 6 months...................THEN it becomes free money. Am I wrong for thinking that their stock dept needs expanding?! In a word NO

 

[lowfill707]

depending on how specific you want to get on your stock configuration, you might want to consider buying one from a vendor. i have an A5 and a remington varmint and neither were purchased direct. the remington varmint (which is basically the sako varmint for a 700....its bad ass) i just got a couple weeks ago from stockys stocks. they shipped fast, the price was fair, and i didnt have to wait! it even had pillars already installed, which i was planning on doing anyways. im pretty sure bugholes and 3rd gen shooting stock some mcmillans. just a thought

 

[X-fan]

I feel your pain. Yes, they make the best stocks. But when I oredered a special F Class last year, I knew the wait. When I called and talked to them, they said......."we are sorry we overbooked ourselves and it will be another 8 weeks". I am not one of the best known gun builders but I have an account with them and they have always been good to me. But to hear that, I was floored. I am sure the the other more well known builders get preference and I understand, but come on. Hire more people, get more machinery, etc, etc as it will pay for itself in 6 months...................THEN it becomes free money. Am I wrong for thinking that their stock dept needs expanding?! In a word NO

I don't know anything about the stock business, but I agree with you.
It seems odd that McMillan has struggled with production for so many years.
I suspect McMillan hasn't expanded their line for quality control reasons...I do know they are hand laid...which would take some skill.

 

[Hoser]

Manners...

 

[jake6547]

The last stock I got from them was the same way, I was not impressed at all.

Not sure on wait times, but after my last 2 stocks from McMillan, I am going to Manners from now on.

The last 2 stocks had poor inletting, major sanding marks and some chipping in the gel-coat = not good after 5+ months of waiting and $500!!!

 

[Charger442]

it doesnt have much to do with the frenzy these days. i ordered an A3 from them December of 2010, it didnt show up till May of 2011.


dont let them blame new orders. the product is great, the customer service is not that great.

 

[Jeff in TX]

Problem solved with McMillan, I heard from Kay via email, she said my two stocks will ship within 2 weeks.

Great news for sure. Thanks for all the assistance.

 

[Hntelk]

Jeff, I was wondering why you have not posted up pics of that build yet....Glad you got the issue resolved...look forward to seeing it.

 

[Jeff in TX]

Chad Dixon has started the build, he's waiting on the stocks but will be taking plenty of pics. Looking forward to getting it back and out to the range.

 

[STR]

I'm really glad that your problem has been resolved. To add a little on the subject of business. The McMillan stock facility is about 12,000 square feet in size. They can't just expand to meet surges in orders. Because I have been ordering from them for a few years now, I have seen times when they have taken less than 4 months on orders, and other times when they have taken 7 months. Before Manners, they were the only ones doing this type work on stock building, so the waits were at times longer. As far as who comes first, I would like to believe that first come, first served. Then again, no one but their customer service will ever know the truth. In order for them to expand the stock building facility, they would have to move to a bigger location. I have walked through the building, and they use every inch very well. There is no lost space. Therefore it's not really all that easy to expand their business.

I know it sucks to hear 4 months, and find out at the end of those 4 months that it will be 2 more. I have been there also, and one more reason I no longer care to be in the "custom building business". The builder does everything in his power to complete the work as he originally scheduled it. The problem most of the time is the supplier could not meet the delivery date for what ever reason.

Bottom line is Manners, and much bigger McMillan are the only two producing these type of handlaid stocks, and both are anywhere from 4 to 7 month wait. Order it, and forget about it. One day you get an email, or phone call telling you it's ready. Happy days after that.

 

[nashlaw]

Like STR said, "order it and forget about it."

I had an A3 that had a goobed up bottom metal inlet. I called Kaye and she took care of me. The entire order and warranty work took a bit longer than I would have liked, but it was worth the wait.

I have another A3 on order now after getting an HTG from Big Brown a couple months ago. I have no great issues with those folks. I also have a Manners T3 that is topshelf. Hard to go wrong either way.

 

[Jeff in TX]

I'm really glad that your problem has been resolved. To add a little on the subject of business. The McMillan stock facility is about 12,000 square feet in size. They can't just expand to meet surges in orders. Because I have been ordering from them for a few years now, I have seen times when they have taken less than 4 months on orders, and other times when they have taken 7 months. Before Manners, they were the only ones doing this type work on stock building, so the waits were at times longer. As far as who comes first, I would like to believe that first come, first served. Then again, no one but their customer service will ever know the truth. In order for them to expand the stock building facility, they would have to move to a bigger location. I have walked through the building, and they use every inch very well. There is no lost space. Therefore it's not really all that easy to expand their business.

I know it sucks to hear 4 months, and find out at the end of those 4 months that it will be 2 more. I have been there also, and one more reason I no longer care to be in the "custom building business". The builder does everything in his power to complete the work as he originally scheduled it. The problem most of the time is the supplier could not meet the delivery date for what ever reason.

Bottom line is Manners, and much bigger McMillan are the only two producing these type of handlaid stocks, and both are anywhere from 4 to 7 month wait. Order it, and forget about it. One day you get an email, or phone call telling you it's ready. Happy days after that.

I too have been to McMillan's facility but it was back in the late 90's, the folks at Arizona Ammunition set it up for me. The folks at McMillan were gracious enough to give me the grand tour and I'm sure it's grown since then. I even got to see their optics manufacturing for some night vision equipment they manufactured for ITT if my memory serves me correctly. I was very impressed seeing just what goes into the makings of their stocks. I never owned a Manners stock but have heard nothing but outstanding things about them.

I've always used McMillan stocks and I've never questioned their quality. Just as in my business, if I was to quote a customer 2 to 3 months on my products and have it fall into 4 to 6 months or more, let's just say my customers would not be happy. I can see due date slipping some but not doubling especially when I was given two different dates and then to find out they kicked it out another 2 months. That's not good business. I don't order products and forget about it without having some sense of a delivery time frame, hoping some day they'll arrive! Yep stuff happens and when it does I'd like an up front honest answer, not what I was given.

I'm glad my issues were addressed and resolved, it's what we all expect from a quality company.

 

[Edds]

The McMillan stock facility is about 12,000 square feet in size.

I'm surprised it isn't bigger that that. If they do the amount of business I think they do, whoever runs that place must be a logistical genius.