Affordable McMillan Mc3 Stocks for DIY Rifle Building

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Think you are happy with the stock on your favorite rifle? Think again. You may want to cash in that old stock for a blue-chip prospect from McMillan Mc3 TPIM Stock holdings. Manufactured under the Mc3 Division of McMillan, it’s part of a 46-year legacy of quality and innovative stock designs to enhance a shooter’s abilities. Available in either Traditional or Tactical models, Mc3 stocks are made with McMillan’s proprietary blend of polymer called Xenolite. The Tradition stock (seen in this review) is modeled after the Game Scout stock and is made for the long- and short-action Remington 700. It’s primarily designed for hunting, but after seeing it, I feel there’s so much more you can do with it.

Unlike the majority of polymer stocks on the market, this one is a solid stock. There are no hollow areas or barrel channels left open during the molding process. If you have ever fit a stock, this is very important. Most polymer stocks have a hollow buttstock with a couple of approximately 1-inch solid tubes for the recoil pad screws. This can be problematic when shortening a stock, as you end up adding your own epoxy filler to provide a place to screw on the buttpad. Currently, McMillan is making these stocks in flat dark earth, tan, olive, black, and a painted transition in Woodland or Sonoran. They are also making it in carbon-fiber black. All stocks come with front and rear Uncle Mike’s sling 
swivels, two in front and one in rear.

The solid molded stock is approximately the same weight as the McMillan A5 stock at 3 pounds. It features a length-of-pull of 13.5 inches and has a 1-inch thick recoil pad from Pachmayr. There are two aluminum pillars embedded into the stock for the action screws. It comes in 700 BDL or Deluxe. I had been looking for a new stock for a while, and I had tried a few different aftermarket stocks. I was currently using a laminated thumbhole hunter-­style stock on my 7mm Remington Magnum. This was a better stock than I had before, but I didn’t like the comb. I hunt with this rifle, so I shoot it a lot. The beavertail-style forend and oversized palm swell of the McMillan Tradition stock have made it much more pleasurable to shoot. I normally do not use a bipod because in North Carolina, we hunt from elevated positions. The beavertail helps in the stability of the rifle when resting for a long shot.

After receiving the stock, the ergonomics and feel of the grip were obvious. I proceeded to remove the barreled action from the stock it was in. My old stock shot well but was not as comfortable and a little heavier than a standard stock. I did a quick wipe down of all the parts and got my torque wrench and Allen head socket ready for the switch. I carefully lowered the barreled action into the new stock and was amazed at the fit. It was snug but not so tight that I had to use excessive force. I started both the action screws by hand and then torqued them down to the recommended 40 to 45 inch-pounds. I replaced my bolt in the action and practiced cycling the bolt a few times with my face on and off the stock. There is a quarter-inch drop on the comb, which my face sat nicely on and it allowed me to look through the scope with little effort.

I decided to do an accuracy test to check how the rifle would group. This also gave me the opportunity to compare the ergonomics and the recoil with what I had before. With a target at 100 yards, sighting-in was more comfortable to perform than with my previous stock. I fired three rounds, let the gun cool, and did this twice more. In comparison with the previous glass-bedded stock, I can’t say that I noticed a huge difference in accuracy, but the rounds were all touching. Yet a difference was felt in how well the McMillan stock and I became one. With a better cheekweld, there was a lot less physical effort needed to stay on target, a huge plus if you’re going to be riding behind a scope for an extended length of time. Overall, I am very satisfied with this stock. I recommend it to anyone looking to upgrade their Remington 700 with a high-quality polymer stock without sacrificing stability and accuracy. With a price of $269 to $319 from the factory, Mc3s stocks are a great value.