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Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

rsimes

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 1, 2006
21
3
Memphis, TN
Ok, I have searched and searched and can find no real discussion or pics about the Manners Mini-Chassis. Can you guys give me some input/opinions on this option? I like the idea of bolt and go as I'd like to drop in a stock 700P and then upgrade later.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

mini chassis is nice. it makes things simple if you dont have the means to bed a rifle or you plan on switching the stock around to different guns
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

How does the chassis fit to the stock? Does it integrate seamlessly similar to the chassis on an HS. Does it have any gaps or spaces between stock and chassis?
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

I am having a GAP rifle built with it now. GAP has been very happy wtih it and says it performs flawlessly. Manners integrated it into the stock during construction so it is perfect. GAP is still going to do a skim bedding but says it is probably unnecessary.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

I just used a T2 with a mini-chassis on a build I did: Surgeon 7WSM . I don't have pics of the installation of the barreled action into the stock because there really wasn't anything to it. You just line up the action in the stock and tighten two screws. The tang on my Surgeon action floats just a little bit, but it's really not noticeable and is probably intentional. The fact that I can trade out barrels when I shoot through this one is a huge deal since I don't have to re-bed this stock. I think Manners has the best stock out there right now.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

I have a Mini chassis on a rifle Mark Gordon built for me: About half way done there is a conversation about bedding the Mini Chassis system from Mark Gordon but I pasted below what he said:

SAC Mini Chassis

Mark Gordon Short Action Customs: "With bedding a chassis system similar to the Mini Chassis and the AICS, everybody has their own opinion. My suggestions are based on facts that anybody with the correct tools can duplicate.

The problem: The rear tang of the action is not supported. Since the tang eventually comes to a point, and the rear action screw is in the middle of the tang, that is where the majority of the torque is applied. That happens to be the area of the action that has no V-block support. So what happens is as your torque the action down to 65 in lbs, the tang will actually bend down and fit into the V-block. Put dial indicators on the rear tang while you tighten it down if you don't believe me.

If you torque both screws down on just about any AICS or Mini Chassis and loosen the front action screw, the barrel will climb up anywhere from .025-.250" until its relatively stress free. So when you tighten down the front screw again, your putting a decent amount of stress on the action.

Now, what kind of custom rifle shop would we be if we knew there was stress in the system and did nothing about it? What if I told a customer that I found a problem, but "dont worry, it probably wont matter anyway"?

That is not how we do business. We report our honest findings to the customer, and let them make the decision. We will stand behind our experiences and never pass along second hand information as our own. We never try to "up sell" anything or any services.

If I'm going to take 30 minutes to dial a barrel in to less than .0002 TIR, and check it after every step during chambering, or go above and beyond the "industry standard" for action truing by creating new and innovative techniques, then I will remove the stress out of the action with proper epoxy bedding.

Some rifles will still shoot extremely well without bedding. But my job is not to gamble with your equipment. Its to do my best job on making sure you have the proper foundation for your shooting discipline.

This is where we stand."
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

All of the Manners mini chassis that I have seen seem to tourge the actions. When you loosen the front action screw the barrel and actions spring up and I mean a lot! Not sure why but this should not be.

Guess bedding them after all is the right think to do but then I ask why?
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

I know GAP bed only the Lug on the mini chassis. You always have the option of shooting the rifle first, if accuracy is not acceptable bedding is always an option.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

Does the rifle shoot well or not? That's the big question. If it shoots well without bedding, then it seems you shouldn't fix what ain't broken. If however the rifle isn't shooting to your standards, then you should consider bedding it.

Professional gun builders have a little different calculus than we normal folks do. They're reputation, business, and livelihood are based on how well a rifle shoots. I don't think many custom builders can afford to leave any detail to chance when building a rifle since we yahoos will take a guy who builds 1/4 MOA rifles over a guy who builds 1/3 MOA rifles, regardless of our ability to shoot that difference. Reputation and word of mouth is everything in the custom gun business. I think Mark Gordon is spot on in bedding rifles. I don't think the mini-chassis requires it in most cases, but bedding can't hurt. I've got two chassis systems right now, one Manners and one AICS. Neither of them have been bedded, and both shoot extremely well when I do my part. The only variable in the equation is me, not whether the stock was bedded.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

I'll take George Gardner's opinion over Mark Gordon's. That, and my own experiences with my rifles that seem mysteriously devoid of any issues with their respective mini-chassis. (sans bedding I might add).

Now I do believe that bedding may "help", but in no way are you going to say rifles with a mini chassis and no bedding are not going to shoot. Real world evidence shows otherwise.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

I have a T2A with mini chassis used as just a "load and go" stock that I use to throw different 700 barreled actions in and rock out. I can't speak to bedding vs. non-bedding as much of the reason that I chose a chassis was to get away from bedding.

I will say this, I'm not bedding mine, and my rifle shoots tiny little groups in it w/o bedding. So I would say its a non issue.

Could it be more accurate if bedded? I dunno, probably, but it's a tactical rifle, not a BR rifle, and right now as it sits, it can out shoot me.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: JRose</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I have a T2A with mini chassis used as just a "load and go" stock that I use to throw different 700 barreled actions in and rock out. I can't speak to bedding vs. non-bedding as much of the reason that I chose a chassis was to get away from bedding.

I will say this, I'm not bedding mine, and my rifle shoots tiny little groups in it w/o bedding. So I would say its a non issue.

Could it be more accurate if bedded? I dunno, probably, but it's a tactical rifle, not a BR rifle, and right now as it sits, it can out shoot me. </div></div>

+1
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Same here... I own 2 of the mini chasis system and they shoot incredible and they are not bedded at all either.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: crossgun</div><div class="ubbcode-body">All of the Manners mini chassis that I have seen seem to tourge the actions. When you loosen the front action screw the barrel and actions spring up and I mean a lot! Not sure why but this should not be.

Guess bedding them after all is the right think to do but then I ask why? </div></div>

can you show me any vee block type chassis manufacture that recommends torquing the rear screw before the front? can you show me where they recommend having the rear torqued and the front loose?

how exactly did you come to the conclusion that "this should not be"? can you put a hard number on how much the group size will shrink by how much of this action lift phenomenon you reduce?
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ZLBubba</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I don't think the mini-chassis requires it in most cases, <span style="color: #FF0000">but bedding can't hurt</span>. </div></div>

it could very well hurt the resale value of the stock. the main reason i buy chassis type stocks is because i don't have to bed them. i would never buy one that had been bedded. bedding them completely defeats the purpose of them in the first place.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mike</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'll take George Gardner's opinion over Mark Gordon's. That, and my own experiences with my rifles that seem mysteriously devoid of any issues with their respective mini-chassis. (sans bedding I might add).
otherwise.</div></div> I am not going quibble over Gunsmiths opinions or capabilities as they know far more than I; however, if Mark tells me my mini-Chassis systems needs to be bedded I go with that and the small amount of bedding compound that was needed is a small price to pay to ensure it is correct.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

From my personal experience only, your mileage may differ.....

I have several of the mini chassis systems-really like manners stocks partiularly the t2a and have greatly enjoyed dealing with the folks there-I have not bedded 2 of them but have skim bedded 2 of them including one that did noticeably torgue the action prior to bedding.

The 2 unbedded stocks with mini chassis shoot remarkably well with different actions and it's a really great system to allow dropping various actions in and off you go. My experience has been quite favorable.

The one stock/mini chassis that torqued the barelled action shoots extremely well now that it is skim bedded. The action/stock did not shoot well before it was bedded. I shot it before and after bedding with the same barrelled action. (had the fit of the action and stock evaluated and then bedding job done by a well known smith who is used by many hide members). One may argue the resale value of the stock is affected, but I am very happy with how it turned out.

The last chassis system i didn't check before it was skim bedded but rifle shoots very well once bedded.

My experience has been quite favorable with the mini chassis system and I like it.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

Here are some of the pics you requested. Hope this help you out.
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The OD green is not bedded. Good luck and if there are anymore pics that you like just send me a pm.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

If you are worried about resale value and are just going to bed the rear tang area couldn't you put a release agent on the action and chassis. This should allow the bedding to be removed later if you want to sell it or try a different action.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

If your building YOUR rifle, you need to build it based on what you want. If you dont know what you want, you need to figure that out vice building it with parts that will re-sale with ease, you're just wasting time other-wise.

On to the Mini-Chassis...

Mine is in a T4A built for the M2008. I know Manners had decided to only do a limited number of M2008 chassis due to trouble with the rear tang. The M2008 has 2 integral lugs and the 2 action screw abutments could be concidered lugs also... My M2008 mates to the chassis very nicely with no flex, (you arent going to be flexing an M2008 anyway), the rear tang is a tad messy, but who gives a shit, it shoots.

If the action is flexing, there is a problem there... and bedding the action of resloving the problem with Manners is the way to go, but I have nothing but praise to sing about Manners and thier chassis system.

I can run AICS or AW magazines, It feeds everything from .260, 6.5x47L Imp., .308 and 7WSM. It mated tight to my action straight out of the box. The ONLY complaint (and a small one at that) is that the chassis needs a tad of inletting to run a trigger with a bottom safety.

If I had to build my rifle all over again, Ide deffinately go with a Mini-Chassis again.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

I haven't had alot of experience with my mini-chassis yet as I don't get much range time these days. One thing to keep in mind is the trigger that you will be using. The chassis is milled out for a Rem pattern trigger. When I swapped out the factory trigger for a Timney 510 I could not drop the action into the chassis.

Manners modded the stock for me (and didn't even charge me to do it) and it looks great, but if you are going to order one I would suggest figuring that out lest you end up having to send your stock back to be fixed.
 
Re: Manners Mini-Chassis opinion?

The mini chasis is the way to go. This gives you the option of bedding or not. With the separate bottom metal you will have to pillar bed. If you go the pillar bedding way, you will have to pay to have it done, if you don't feel warm and fuzzy about doing it your self. So it will also cost less to use the mini chasis. I have only one, and I think in my opinion that it's a great product, and will buy more in the future. Good luck.