Bell and Carlson Stocks
Question:
>Does anyone have any expirience with these Stocks? I want a fairly >light strong stock to put on my "being built" Ruger 416Taylor. The one >that I was thinking about was the "Caberlite". >The other one was the HS-Precision stock in a simialr sort of finish. >Can anyone tell me the pro’s/con’s of both, prices (Inside the U.S)?
The logical choice would seem to be Ruger’s Zytel stock which is light and used on their stainless all weather models. It is much like the Bell and Carlson, being an "injection moulded" versus "hand-laid" stock. The materials are different, but I would guess the weight to be nearly the same. The Ruger has more finishing touches–both would be without paint. "Hand-laid" stocks usually are fiberglass shells with some carbon fiber for strength, injected with foam for quietness. They are painted and usually textured. These can be bedded with expoxy to the action (usually with aluminum pillars) or have a bedding block incorporated. These stocks tend to be light and have flex which might be good with a heavily recoiling rifle. Cabela’s current Shooting Catalog features several stocks including the ones you mentioned with US prices. B&C $140 + shipping, HS P $250 + shipping. I notice the other makers don’t offer stocks for Ruger, and I assume it is because Rugers’ synthetic stock is so similar. I recently bought a Bell and Carlson stock from Cabela’s for an old Browning A-5 and was impressed with the fit, if not the elegance of the material with its stamped checkering. Many of my rifles have hand-laid fiberglass stocks and they are worth the extra money in my opinion. One of my stocks is a HS Precision that I made made up from a kit that did not include the bedding block advertised in the current model. Normally these stocks require bedding and finishing which adds to their $250 price (usually another $200 by a gunsmith), but the bedding block may make this additional work unnecessary. These stocks require refinishing over time as dings in the paint and wearing smooth of the texture can cause a poor appearance, but that is easy to do with automotive paints. Most of these stocks weigh from one to two pounds (amount of paint makes a difference), but HS Precision says 2 1/2 pounds for their model with the bedding block incorporated–probably okay for a heavily recoiling rifle. Brown Precision makes a nice custom stock, but get about $450 to make it up to your specs (length, color, type) and bed it. They may not do Rugers, though. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
As always, I’ll throw in my two bits worth. I’ve only had one B&C stock … I probably won’t buy another. I put one on a Remington Model Seven in 7mm-08. Compared to the factory wood stock, it was REALLY seriously clubby and ungraceful. It also did not fit well at the magazine well, and I had to open up the front of the barrel channel with a dremel tool ’cause the barrel was trying to hit on one side of the stock. I have had two Ramline black synthetic stocks on Ruger 77 Mk IIs. I *like* ‘em. They might be a bit heavier than wood, but they work great. The first was on a blued sporter .25-’06, which, with the Ramline stock glass bedded, would shoot down in the .3s and .4s. The current one is on my stainless .338. Again, glass bedded action, free floated barrel. I’ve had the stock of 3-4 times and not had any shift in POI when I put it back on. I would most definitely recommend the Ramline over B&C. No hesitation whatsoever. Tom Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
>>Does anyone have any expirience with these Stocks? I want a fairly >light strong stock to put on my "being built" Ruger 416Taylor. The one >that I was thinking about was the "Caberlite". >The other one was the HS-Precision stock in a simialr sort of finish. >Can anyone tell me the pro’s/con’s of both, prices (Inside the U.S)?
Another stock you might what to consider is the MPI(located in portland,ore) MPI makes the stocks for Dakota Arms and A-Square and they have models that are heavily reinforced for large african type magnums. I have 5 different MPI stocks on various rifles, and am very pleased with them. They have a large custom stocking department, and will basically stock anything for you. Ken Karcich Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
Sorry to be late in this, but if I recall correctly, someone was recently taking issue with a bunny hugger statement about the numbers of game animals killed yearly in the the United States. I believe the number being bandied about was something like 250 million. Although this seems like a lot in absolute numbers, the latest figures (1996) available from the US Fish and Wildlife Service would seem to indicate that it really isn’t out of proportion to the amount of hunting actually carried out in the US, and seems only to indicate an average success rate. Here are the latest figures…. Hunting Totals for 1996 14 million people age 16 and older hunted in 1996 (7% of the US population) Days spent hunting: 257 million Hunting trips taken 223 million Dollars spent on hunting- related expenses $20.6 billion (this is big business) Percent of hunters Men 91% Women 9% 5 States with most hunters in descending order Michigan Texas Pennsylvania Wisconsin New York Big-game hunters 11.3 million Small-game hunters 6.9 million Migratory bird hunters 3.1 million Other game hunters 1.5 million With almost 260 million hunter-days in the field, it doesn’t take much to hit that 250 million mark. Small game, upland, and waterfowl hunters limiting out takes up the slack left by unsuccessful big game hunters. Plus, states with long deer seasons and essentially 1 per day limits make up for states with short seasons and low limits. If the antis factor in non-game hunting kills (prairie dogs, chucks, with essentially no limits or season) it is easy to see how the 250 million number could be reasonable, and actually kind of low. Since in many areas game populations are rebounding nicely or exploding, it also appears the wildlife ecology is having no problems absorbing the hunting kill, and in many cases may actually be benefiting from it (especially whitetails in the Northeast.) Regards, TSB Bill Walker…Producer and Cohost of The Shooting Bench radio program…Curator of Small Arms, US Naval & Shipbuilding Museum in Quincy, MA….General Manager, WDIS-Radio, Norfolk, Massachusetts. Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
Mark, I agree with Ken’s recommendation on MPI stocks as well and I read Tom’s points about the Bell & Carlson stocks. I too have a set of B&C stocks on a Browning BAR. They fit right on and I haven’t had any problems, but I compared the weight to my wood set, and behold they were heavier!! Part of the reason I went the synthetic route was to reduce the weight. Warning!!….Ask about weight before buying!! Don’t ASSUME! And remember paint and type of recoil pad also affect weight. One point on MPI stocks… They have many models with differant styles, and they are also offered in differant contructions with differant materials resulting in differant weights. Their extreme light stocks weighs less than a pound. I have been looking at this model for a mountain gun project. I talked to a fella named Doc Roland and he was quite knowledgable & helpful in describeing the pro & cons for each of their models. Here is some info Ken left out: MPI Fiberglass Stocks P.O. Box 83266 Portland, Ore. 97283-0266 Phone (503)-226-1215 Fax (503)-226-2661 Well good luck with your 416Taylor, Mike in Oregon – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Another stock you might what to consider is the MPI(located in Portland,Ore) > MPI makes the stocks for Dakota Arms and A-Square and they have models > that are heavily reinforced for large african type magnums. I have 5 > different MPI stocks on various rifles, and am very pleased with them. > They have a large custom stocking department, and will basically stock > anything for you. > Ken Karcich > ( all Tim’s Text snipped ) >>Does anyone have any expirience with these Stocks? I want a fairly >>light strong stock to put on my "being built" Ruger 416Taylor. The one >>that I was thinking about was the "Caberlite". >>The other one was the HS-Precision stock in a simialr sort of finish. >>Can anyone tell me the pro’s/con’s of both, prices (Inside the U.S)?
Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
Mark A friend of mine bought one to replace the crappy injection moulded stock that came on his Savage 116, .338 Win. He is happy with the result, but the overall build quality is average. He pillar bedded the rifle himself, and during the process he found some of the tolerances to be a bit "rough". As mentioned by an earlier poster, they look a little "blocky", but the bottom line is that it has proven quite satisfactory. Are you planning to bring one in your self? I arrived at customs to collect the above mention stock, only to be told that the piece of fibreglass required an import permit from the Vic police. I asked the customs officer if they thought I was going to go on a rampage around Melbourne clubbing people to death with it. We got the permit ok though. Fergus Bailey Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
Response:
Nice Post Tim: Just to clearify we do make stocks for Rugers. As a matter of fact we make a "Safari" stock for their large calibers which would be perfect for this rifle. Cabela’s just doesn’t handle any of our Ruger stocks because of all of the manufacturers we have the hardest time fitting Rugers as "dropins". Most of it has to do with factory tollerances on the barreled actions. In addition, a good fiberglass stock is nothing like a plastic stock no matter how similar they look. There is a good reason a plastic stock cost around $100 and a good fiberglass stock cost $250 to $450. Remeber you get what you pay for. Kelly – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Does anyone have any expirience with these Stocks? I want a fairly >light strong stock to put on my "being built" Ruger 416Taylor. The one >that I was thinking about was the "Caberlite". >The other one was the HS-Precision stock in a simialr sort of finish. >Can anyone tell me the pro’s/con’s of both, prices (Inside the U.S)? > The logical choice would seem to be Ruger’s Zytel stock which is light and > used on their stainless all weather models. It is much like the Bell and > Carlson, being an "injection moulded" versus "hand-laid" stock. The > materials are different, but I would guess the weight to be nearly the > same. The Ruger has more finishing touches–both would be without paint. > "Hand-laid" stocks usually are fiberglass shells with some carbon fiber for > strength, injected with foam for quietness. They are painted and usually > textured. These can be bedded with expoxy to the action (usually with > aluminum pillars) or have a bedding block incorporated. These stocks tend > to be light and have flex which might be good with a heavily recoiling > rifle. > Cabela’s current Shooting Catalog features several stocks including the > ones you mentioned with US prices. B&C $140 + shipping, HS P $250 + > shipping. I notice the other makers don’t offer stocks for Ruger, and I > assume it is because Rugers’ synthetic stock is so similar. > I recently bought a Bell and Carlson stock from Cabela’s for an old > Browning A-5 and was impressed with the fit, if not the elegance of the > material with its stamped checkering. Many of my rifles have hand-laid > fiberglass stocks and they are worth the extra money in my opinion. One of > my stocks is a HS Precision that I made made up from a kit that did not > include the bedding block advertised in the current model. Normally these > stocks require bedding and finishing which adds to their $250 price > (usually another $200 by a gunsmith), but the bedding block may make this > additional work unnecessary. These stocks require refinishing over time as > dings in the paint and wearing smooth of the texture can cause a poor > appearance, but that is easy to do with automotive paints. Most of these > stocks weigh from one to two pounds (amount of paint makes a difference), > but HS Precision says 2 1/2 pounds for their model with the bedding block > incorporated–probably okay for a heavily recoiling rifle. > Brown Precision makes a nice custom stock, but get about $450 to make it up > to your specs (length, color, type) and bed it. They may not do Rugers, > though. > Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: > http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ > To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
– McMillan Fiberglass Stocks Inc. "Molding the Way America Shoots" 21421 N. 14th Ave Suite B Phoenix, Arizona 85027 (602)582-9635 http://www.mcmfamily.com Visit the rec.hunting and rec.hunting.dogs FAQ Home Page at: http://sportsmansweb.com/hunting/ To leave the Hunting listserv list, send a message with SIGNOFF HUNTING
