Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 2016 rifle project, questions about shank length

Hello to The Fire,

Im new here. I found my way over after all these years. I suppose I'm tired of the AR crowd and equally fatigued with those who will deliberately walk backwards to shoot an animal at long range.

I'm a fan of Jesus, my daughter (and like 4 other people, haha) big game, coyotes, walnut, carbon fiber, CRF actions, Fosnaugh, Kampfeld, K Weaver, high end glass and fishing. I'm 27, a railroader and feel like I grew up somewhere around 21. I feel like I'm going to fit in, hopefully so! Anyway, on with the build.

I sold a kidney last month and bought a classic Winchester short action, NIB. I'll be using that action, along with a Hunters edge, bartlein 2B, Timney, Talley LW and a 2-12 VX-6 (still on the fence but I think that's the choice.)

I've got everything but the stock and scope paid off. I have a $600 credit at the LGS, so I can hold off a while on the scope.

My question is....
For a 284 Win., how little shank can I get by with? I'm wanting to get my stock ordered, but I can't decide how much shank. I'm thinking somewhere around 1" of exposed shank should be sufficient. I've sure seen some FWT model 70s that would shoot, and what do they have?? 3/16 maybe?

I've also considered bending the bolt handle straight, but that pretty much means a custom inlet. I don't know who would do that other than LRI, and I heard that's over a grand for inlet and bedding, and it has to be painted before it leaves the shop, which would kill my black with tan speckled paint job from MCM.

Fire away!

Welcome to the fire..........1" will work great!

Go with between 3/4 of an inch and 1 and 1/4 inches shank. 1 inch is a good standard. I have seen as little as 1/2 inch, but that's pretty short for my visual preference.

If you bend the bolt handle straight McMillan will inlet a straight bolt notch. Easy peasy.

For a Winchester stock you might consider an Echols Legend stock. Pricier than a McMillan though. Probably $1000 all said and done, just to be honest up front. Still much cheaper than a custom wood stock!

I am curious about the Legend, what does the forearm look like from top side? I think if it will accept safari weight barrels it's likely too big for the direction I'm headed. I do love the cheek piece though.

I've only held a Legend with a Krieger #2 in it. It looked fantastic, definitely not too big.

cut/paste this into google:
echols legend site:24hourcampfire.com

First hit:
http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/5896609/all/Echols_Legend_stock_shape

I didn't realize they were that slim up front. I'm now considering this a must have item....

I need a short action with edge fill something fierce. Do they just come flat top or??

Maybe I need to contact this Redneck fella.

That's where the extra expense comes in. I am pretty certain you can order a stock inlet for the receiver, bottom metal, and barrel channel. But it won't have a bolt notch cutout, and it won't have a recoil pad/finished length, and it won't have any paint or anything. You'd have to find someone to finish it (or some guys finish them themselves).



Highly recommended. From previous comments he's made I don't think Redneck believes it prudent to get a Legend and pay someone to finish it when you can order a finished (still benefits from bedding) McMillan. I don't want to speak for Lee though.

I have only seen them for sale direct from Echols. Any other outlet?

I could have Shurley Brothers here in TX cut my bolt notch and ejection port for probably just an arm not a kidney or anything significant.

I love the grip and especially the cheek piece on the Legend stock.

I was pretty much set on the Hunters Edge but had some reservations about the extremely narrow forearm. Seeing that forearm on the
Legend changed my mind.

I try to make rifles perfect when I do a custom. Nothing worse than being in 3K on something that I'm "pretty happy" with.

I believe they are available only from Echols.

Thanks bud. I'll give them a call Monday.

Here is a Kevin Weaver built M70 .338-06 with a Shilen #3 contour Pac-Nor 3 groove Super Match barrel in a Hunters Edge stock inlet for a MRC 1999 action. The forearm is thinner compared to the Echols Legend stock. I also don't know what the Legend costs, but I got this stock for about 60% of what McMillan asks these days for an Edge.









I used a Shilen #3 contour with 1" shank because that's what my second hand stock was inlet for.



My gunsmith even filled in the bolt release cutout since i used a M70 action instead of the MRC and made it match the rest of the stock.

Kevin did the metal work on my main coyote rifle. I'll get pictures of it over in the blueprints up soon.

I've often heard people who either can't shoot or cut corners on builds say there's no such thing as rifles that will shoot small groups all day every day. I'd invite them down to stay however long it takes to convince them that my coyote rifle will. Granted, the loads that will do that don't go hunting too often. The 3 cartridges sitting in it at this very moment, on my right side in a deer blind overlooking the Caprock (near Buenos siding Chad) are well stoked with N-135, BR4s and 70 grain SBKs. It's a solid 3/4 moa load to 500, but not what I'd call impressive.

In any case, Kevin knows how to screw a barrel on. He will get the nod on this M70 build no doubt.

Plenty of good smiths out there that can screw together a great shooting rifle. Kevin is very good at what he does. I used take him all my GS work when I lived 20 miles from him, but he priced himself out of my business on all but complete builds. The guy is just too busy to handle the minor small stuff, and set his prices accordingly so he doesn't get much of that work anymore.

Tannel is up that way isn't he? He's sure a good one also.

Holy crap you're right! He went way up. I'll let him re barrel the coyote rifle next time it's due, but I'll be sending the Winchester elsewhere!

Also take a look at the J Earl Bridges stock for the M70. It's made by McMillan & sold by Bridges like the Echols. It's similar to the Echols legend but a bit slimmer. Bridges apprenticed under Echols so it makes sense that they have similar styles.