Here you can find answers to some of
our most asked questions. If your question is not answered
here, email Alex Sitman at: [email protected]
Questions:
- What is Pillar
Bedding?
- What about "drop
in stocks"?
- Is fiberglass
more stable than wood and wood laminates?
- Which is the
best to build for meeting my needs, wood or fiberglass?
- Do you really
need all the adjustable hardware?
- Can your NMC
stock be used for prone matches as well?
- Is there a way
I can measure myself to get a close measurement for
my LOP?
- Do you build
just your own or can I supply you with the components?
- Can I ship my
rifle direct to you or do I need to go through an
FFL?
- What is the
best way to ship?
Q. What is Pillar
Bedding?
A. Pillar
bedding is basically the same as conventional or
surface bedding with an added step where "pillars"
or columns under each receiver screw are made from either
the epoxy resins used in the bedding process, or they
can be made from other materials such as aluminum or
stainless steel. The purpose of the pillars is to keep
the receiver screws or bushings from collapsing into
the stock. When this happens, accuracy suffers. Properly
done, pillar bedding is the most stable of bedding techniques.
(more
info)
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Q. What
about "drop-in stocks"?
A. "Drop-in"
stocks suggest that you can drop your barreled action
into a specific stock and go shoot. A lot here depends
on your accuracy needs. We have seen some of them work
well for hunting rifles, but we feel that there is no
room for "drop-in" stocks in target shooting.
Here’s why. If a stock inletted for a Remington 700
can be used with 50 different Remington 700’s, then
there has to be excessive tolerances somewhere. These
tolerances usually occur around the recoil lug and here
is where down range accuracy comes in. Rifles were the
lug is left "loose" in the bedding have a
greater chance of giving the shooter horizontal stringing
from the torque put on the action upon firing. For this
reason and the fact that the stock isn’t mated properly
to the action, the stock should be at least surfaced
bedded to snug up these areas. Properly done, accuracy
should be increased.
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Q. Is fiberglass more
stable than wood and wood laminates?
A. Fiberglass has
the potential to be more stable if properly built. The
fiberglass stocks will not take on the elements like
wood, but even wood and wood laminates can be made stable.
The key to stabilizing wood is good thick bedding, not
only along the bottom, but the sides also. When done
in this way, any moisture taken on by the stock shouldn’t
affect accuracy. In addition to the bedding, care has
to be given to sealing the barrel channel and all internal
cuts. Carl Bernosky won all his nationals with a laminated
stock, and John Hoover recently set the 16½-lb class
World Record score at 1000 yards with a laminated stock
we built for him. The key is being built solid and properly.
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Q. Which
is the best to build for meeting my needs, wood or fiberglass?
A. This is
a question we get asked a lot. If you have the glass
stock in hand and it feels good to you as is, then build
the glass. A lot of inexperienced shooters don’t really
know what feels good so wood or wood laminates seem
to fit their bill pretty good. With the wood stock,
a shooter can whittle away until the stock feels good
to him or her, sort of like doing their own custom fitting.
With glass stocks, you have the capabilities of building
up areas to fit you better, but extreme care should
be taken if you try to take away material. A reduction
of strength may result.
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Q. Do you really need
all the adjustable hardware?
A. Nine out
of ten times yes. The adjustable hardware allows the
shooter to fit the rifle to him or her instead of themselves
to the rifle. Usually the most important piece of hardware
a shooter needs to keep shot to shot consistency is
the adjustable cheekpiece.
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Q. Can your NMC stock
be used for prone matches as well?
A. Yes, the
taper on the forearm is very compatible with a lot of
prone shooters. Also, the depth of the forearm at the
prone position is about the same as our prone stock.
Some shooters like having the same feel with their stocks,
regardless of the discipline they are using it in.
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Q. Is there a way
I can measure myself to get a close measurement for
my LOP?
A. The simplest method
is to measure yourself from the crease of your elbow
to your trigger finger in the crooked position. I usually
use a yardstick for this. This gives a good starting
point for the length of pull in the off-hand position.
Allowance should be made for the shooting coat. Normally
the sitting and prone positions require a longer length
of pull, which the 3-way buttplate should accommodate.
Click
here for illustrations on LOP measurements.
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Q. Do you build just
your own or can I supply you with the components?
A. We will gladly
build other makers component as long as they are of
good quality. If someone has something that feels good
to you, then by all means build it up. Sometimes it
is necessary for us to build up what we think may be
weak spots in the stock, especially in working fiberglass.
If this is needed, we always give the customer an explanation
why and get their approval before starting.
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Q. Can I ship my rifle
direct to you or do I need to go through an FFL?
A. The BATF rules
state that if you own the firearm then you can legally
ship to a Federally Licensed Dealer or Gunsmith and
they can legally return shipment directly to you. For
you to legally own the firearm, all necessary paperwork
needs to be done prior to the shipment to the Dealer
or Gunsmith. Be sure to consult your local Dealer if
you have questions concerning your own state laws and
shipping instructions.
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Q. What is the best
way to ship?
A. UPS is still #1
but FedEx is gaining ground. Be sure to ship in a hard
rifle case with a cardboard wrapper. I will not return
ship any rifle in just a cardboard box. Be sure to insure
the firearm for full value. Also BATF rules state that
you must have an "adult signature required"
label on the package. Some helpful hints:
- In most cases, separate the stock from the barreled
action.
- Remove bolt from action and wrap separately.
- Try to protect the trigger shoe with cardboard or
similar material.
- Protect the muzzle and the tang of the barreled
action by wrapping them in foam or like material.
- Likewise, wrap the stock if being sent, separately
also.
- Wrap the rifle case in cardboard or reverse the
cardboard sleeve the case came in as to have no markings
on the outside indicating that your are shipping a
rifle.
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