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On Friday I received a new B&C M40 stock for my Howa Mini action, which dropped in deep and snug. Spoke with B&C's customer service to confirm recommended torque for action screws (45-50 lbs). The stock looks and feels great, and it will make a nice plinker / field rifle. After playing with it a little, I noticed (heard as much as saw) that the bolt handle was making contact with the stock (bottom of handle inlet), which stopped the the bolt handle from completely turning / fully engaging the lugs. It really was the solid thunk of the bolt handle contacting the bottom of the inlet, which sounded like a deep drum, that caught my attention. Only then did I grab a flashlight and flip the rifle over to see if I could see any light around bottom of channel. No way to pass a dollar bill underneath it. I have seen this once before on another stock, which a gunsmith caught while doing a build. Not a big deal - Dremel and small sanding drum will fix this clearance issue.
This evening I was looking at the rifle in preparation for providing clearance for the bolt handle. I happened to notice a few other indicators of an issue: the stock sits higher than the receiver's lip at the ejector port; the safety lever makes contact with the stock when shifted to the rear "safety" position; the end of receiver tang sits below the edge of the stock; and the bolt release lever barely clears the stock in neutral position and definitely makes contact when pushed forward to release the bolt. Overall conclusion: the stock's inlet/V-block sits 1/16" - 3/32" too low.
The lesson learned is drop-in stocks are fantastic and vast majority never have an issue, but go ahead and check it thoroughly. If I hadn't had a previous issue, I might not have ever noticed or thought to inspect for these minor issues. Initially, they didn't jump out at me when I first mounted the action into the stock...I was too busy handling the rifle and working the action to notice these minor deviations. In the morning I will call B&C, and gladly swap out for identical replacement.
Sorry - I would have added a couple of photos, but it didn't like my URL links and didn't like the sizing of my photos when loading directly from my computer.... too much hassle.
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OsoPolaris,
these i just consider minor fitting issues and i usually just fix them myself and call it good. incidentally, my B&C sporter was fine for fit. i suspect B&C will make it good. i think once your fitting issues get settled, you'll like the B&C stock a lot.
good luck, have fun!
-tdbru
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This isnt isolated to B&C stocks. Ive had to fix several stocks from the big name guys as well. Stocks costing $750 and more.
Member since 2011, data lost in last hack attack
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tdbru Wrote:OsoPolaris,
these i just consider minor fitting issues and i usually just fix them myself and call it good. incidentally, my B&C sporter was fine for fit. i suspect B&C will make it good. i think once your fitting issues get settled, you'll like the B&C stock a lot.
good luck, have fun!
-tdbru
I think B&C makes a great stock and is hard to beat for the price. For me the B&C has always been an easy, no-brainer upgrade to any factory rifle or budget build. I have a couple of CZ527's outfitted in similar B&C stocks. I agree that sometimes there are some minor fitting required to provide additional clearances. It is a bit unrealistic to expect stock manufacturer to provide product that fits 100% of every rifle, while providing tight tolerances/snug fit. The inletting being too deep is outside the line for me. Adding bedding on top of the V-block is like shimming with washers after pillar bedding... it defeats the purpose.
B&C is quality operation so I don't expect any issues.
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Off topic but could you measure the hole spacing of the 2 forward sling stud I have the M40 stock on order and like to add a picatinny rail on the bottom to mount my tripod.
Thanks
Briano
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07-28-2020, 05:39 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-28-2020, 05:43 PM by Oso Polaris.)
Briano23 Wrote:Off topic but could you measure the hole spacing of the 2 forward sling stud I have the M40 stock on order and like to add a picatinny rail on the bottom to mount my tripod.
Thanks
Briano
The hole spacing is 2.5" center to center. Seekins Precision makes a nice bipod rail that also has a connection point for the traditional sling so that you can use both at same time. This is what I have outfitted my CZ527's. I remove the 2 sling studs that come with the stock and use machine screws to affix the rail to the stock so there is no interference with a bipod. The square end of the rail is oriented back toward the trigger, and it allows the typical swivel sling to mount through the hole in this extended portion.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019571883?pid=601384
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I remember a friend saying that BC had some bad stocks for Howas... IINM He recently got and and after speaking with BC they took it back and are sending a replacement.
Having said that. YEA ABSOLUTELY some
Minor fitment is nearly always needed and releaving clearancing at safety is seemingly always a need.
Call BC, explain issues and let them tell You.
CW
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Spoke with B&C and sent some pictures. Sending the stock back for review/replacement. Easy, Fast Service!
Quality operation focused on its customers.
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Oso Polaris Wrote:Spoke with B&C and sent some pictures. Sending the stock back for review/replacement. Easy, Fast Service!
Quality operation focused on its customers.
+100!
I'm the friend CW referred to above. I hope to have my stock back early next week that they also replaced.
Thanks, Dinny
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Update: B&C shipped a replacement stock that's due to arrive tomorrow. All in 1.5 week turnaround from date of me shipping and date of receiving new stock. Great Response / Customer Service!!!
The issue on the original stock was that inletting was a bit deep.
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Oso Polaris Wrote:Spoke with B&C and sent some pictures. Sending the stock back for review/replacement. Easy, Fast Service!
Quality operation focused on its customers.
.
Glad I was able to help!
CW
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FWIW, I recently received my M40 stock and while extremely tight, it fit flawlessly. I have a DIP bottom metal and it had to be motivated by hand to fit and fully seat. To a lesser extent, the receiver was the same. However, the bolt fully seats, the safety works and the barrel is fully floated.
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Oso Polaris Wrote:The hole spacing is 2.5" center to center. Seekins Precision makes a nice bipod rail that also has a connection point for the traditional sling so that you can use both at same time. This is what I have outfitted my CZ527's. I remove the 2 sling studs that come with the stock and use machine screws to affix the rail to the stock so there is no interference with a bipod. The square end of the rail is oriented back toward the trigger, and it allows the typical swivel sling to mount through the hole in this extended portion.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1019571883?pid=601384
Thanks.
