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McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

jlficken

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jun 4, 2006
1,091
215
Aurora, NE
I have a rifle with the above stock and am having problems getting my LOP correct.

RDP-6.jpg


I know you are supposed to measure from the inside of your elbow when bent at 90deg to the pad on your trigger finger and that should be correct.

My concern is when I do that mine is 16.375" (I am 6' 6" 190lbs) and I know that the rifle currently is set at 14.25" (measured from the front of the trigger to the back of the pad). I don't think it's possible to get any more length on this stock as I already have used all of the spacers and it doesn't appear the screws would be long enough anyway to add more.

I keep seeing people say that they are at 13.5" - 14.25" so am I just freakishly long in the forearm?

I also notice that with the scope positioned as is that I do get some shadowing but I can't really move the scope back much more either.

Am I just SOL?
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

I'm 6ft5 and my LOP is 14". My measurement for the crease in my elbow to my finger pad is 16" so you can't really go by that.

If you need longer screws and additional spacers, shoot me a pm. We can get you some.
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

All that does is tell you how long your forearm is. Don't worry about it. The A5 is made for prone shooting and you will usually want a prone stock a little shorter anyway. I would say you are probably good.
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

Thanks for all of the advice. I was playing with different adjustments over my noon hour and figured out a couple of things.

1) I had the cheek piece adjusted too low so I raised it until my cheek bone rests firmly on it and I can look through the scope the same sight picture without any shadowing every time without having to reposition my head. It is now about .6" higher than pictured but feels much better. I wish it had the saddle style so that I could lower it easier for cleaning but I'll just have to measure the gap and return it there afterwards. This barrel only starts to copper foul after 400rds so it doesn't need cleaned very often.

2) I think that 14.25" is maybe too long for me so I dropped it down to 13.75" by taking out a .5" spacer and will try that taking the spacer along so that I can try 14" as well. I know that where the scope is currently mounted I had to crane my neck a bit to get rid of shadowing but I'm not sure how much I can really reposition the scope as it's only 1/8" from the bell touching the rail.

ShootToWin, I will get in touch with you if I can't get things figured out....thanks for the offer.

 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ShootToWin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'm 6ft5 and my LOP is 14". My measurement for the crease in my elbow to my finger pad is 16" so you can't really go by that.

If you need longer screws and additional spacers, shoot me a pm. We can get you some.

</div></div>

how much is a spacer system ? Have one with just a recoil on it and need a little more.

thanks SM
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shooter McGavin</div><div class="ubbcode-body">You should try and make a spacer piece so that you can always get the same check height. </div></div>

That is a good plan and I will try to do that. Until then I plan on measuring the gap with my caliper and just reseting it to the right height after cleaning.
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

I guess for faster set-up you can mark or measure the height of your cheek-rest but all I do with mine is rest my cheek bone on the stock and turn the dial to raise it while looking through the scope until my eye is naturally lined up right. No measuring or repeating the exact height because I think my cheek bone may rest slightly differently depending on the position I'm in or the height of what I'm resting on vs. my position behind it. Maybe it's just me and the lack of flexibility in my neck as I age but my prone cheek weld feels different than my bench-rested cheek weld. The important thing to me is that when I bang my cheek down on that stock my eye naturally looks through a complete and bright scope picture, exactly the same, every time. Works for me...

And by the way, I'm 6'6" and 220lbs. My A5 came box-stock from JW Precision with all the spacers on it and it fits me well.
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jlficken</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for all of the advice. I was playing with different adjustments over my noon hour and figured out a couple of things.

1) I had the cheek piece adjusted too low so I raised it until my cheek bone rests firmly on it and I can look through the scope the same sight picture without any shadowing every time without having to reposition my head. It is now about .6" higher than pictured but feels much better. I wish it had the saddle style so that I could lower it easier for cleaning but I'll just have to measure the gap and return it there afterwards. This barrel only starts to copper foul after 400rds so it doesn't need cleaned very often.</div></div>

You have a good setup on your McM stock, it's easy to adjust to find a perfect cheek weld. Once you find what works with your scope AFTER you get it into the right position simply make a U shaped spacer from wood or aluminum so you can get a repeatable setting for cheek height after cleaning from the breech.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jlficken</div><div class="ubbcode-body">2) I think that 14.25" is maybe too long for me so I dropped it down to 13.75" by taking out a .5" spacer and will try that taking the spacer along so that I can try 14" as well. I know that where the scope is currently mounted I had to crane my neck a bit to get rid of shadowing but I'm not sure how much I can really reposition the scope as it's only 1/8" from the bell touching the rail.</div></div>

LOP is something youj have to play with a bit. But why not just cut your base so you can move the scope more rearward allowing you to get proper scope view? It's not a big deal to cut off the excess rail clean up the cut and touch up the blue or finish.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jlficken</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><<SNIPPED>>
</div></div>

HTH!
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

oneshot...I take it you have the same cheek-rest that I have then. Have you found a better way to keep the screws from turning other than putting teflon tape on them? I think after raising the rest up I will get the same picture every time too hopefully. It just looks odd with the rest being up so high.

I never was using my cheek bone as the resting point before so I wonder if that was my whole issue. I will still play with the LOP just to see if it actually makes a difference. I am a bit concerned about having too little eye relief if I go back to 14.25" LOP using all of the spacers but I may have to do it and just try to move the scope slightly further back.

Being tall is a PITA with most everything from shoes, pants, and shirts to pretty much everything else. Sometimes I would love to be a normal 6'0" guy
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<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: YAOG</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
LOP is something youj have to play with a bit. But<span style="color: #FF0000"> why not just cut your base</span> so you can move the scope more rearward allowing you to get proper scope view? It's not a big deal to cut off the excess rail clean up the cut and touch up the blue or finish.
HTH! </div></div>

Honestly I never thought of doing it before. I may just do that if I find the shorter LOP to be an issue.

Thanks!!
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

I'm 6 ft. and lop is right at 15. Stock A5 for me at 13.5 was too cramped, had my elbow sticking way out with a nice wrist break. I couldn't find spacers, but I brother here on the hide sent me a few, and McMillan sent me the longer screws...all free of charge. Which is why the hide rules.
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

netranger6,

What scope and base are you running if you don't mind me asking? I know at a 15" LOP there would be no chance of me getting proper eye relief. Do you have a giraffe neck
smile.gif
?
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

Yes, my A5 looks just like yours except mine is Forest Camo. I just find myself grabbing the locking screws every once in a while and tightening them up. I really don't even think about it but I can see where it could drive someone nuts that they come loose. I'm pretty unaffected by little annoyances like that.
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

I changed a few things so here is an updated picture.

1) Went down to 14" LOP
2) Raised the cheek rest so that I can shoulder the rifle having my cheek bone on the rest and have a full picture in the scope with no adjusting my position every time

Hopefully I can try it on Sunday or Monday and see how it works.

RifleUpdate.jpg
 
Re: McMillan A5 and Length of Pull

I'm around 6 1/2ft tall, and my LOP, per the accepted measurement, trigger finger crook to inside the elbow pocket, up against the bicep, is 16 1/2". This is the traditional method for determining LOP, but aside from a relationship to scope relief, I'm not so certain LOP has a precise bearing on marksmanship. For example, I think (forward) offset rings can also be used to compensate for insufficient eye relief. It's quite probable that this will also have some bearing on the shooting positions, but I'm not so certain it is so critical that good shooter can't effectively accomodate such changes.

After getting tired of having the cheek block collapse halfway through a course of fire, I simply made up a small wooden spacer block to put inside the stock pocket under the cheek block. No more collapses, no need for strong effort tightening the locking screws, I just take it back out after the match and place it in its own little cutout in the case foam. I imagine a similar fix can be crafted for the saddle-type cheekpiece, between the stock's upper surface, and the underside of the saddle

Greg