Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats McMillan Mountaineer Issue...

So here's the story:

I just rec'd two Mountaineers yesterday, one right hand and one left hand (yes, one of each) inletted for a RH and LH Bighorn SR2 short action. Invoice for stocks say just that and I chose different colors just for fun. Both are inletted for a #2 Brux. They were ordered at the same time and shipped to my house yesterday together.

But the ejection port or portion cut out isn't correct on the RH version. What the heck? The action drops in perfectly but it's funky and obviously having a second stock, I know how it SHOULD look. I guess I'll be be getting a hold of McMillan on Monday to see what's up...

In case you were wondering one weighs 24.8 oz and the other 25.2. Other than this little issue, these are impressive.

Your RH stock looks like my Mountaineer. I'm sure that's how the cutout around the ejection port is supposed to be. It is different than any other pattern.

Not sure why it's not the same on the LH stock.

257, what contour os your barrel and how long? I have one on order that I'm putting a #3 mullerworks in it finished at 22". I'm concerned it will look funny because of the short forearm. Mine is a short action.

22" will look right at home. Mine pictured is a factory SS Mtn Rifle in 260.

Should be plenty of room for a #3 and 22" will look right at home. Your build choice will be fine with that stock, believe me.

Awesome. Thanks for the feedback and pics. I'm even more pumped now. Love that paint and red pad. If only the damn stock will come on.....thanks 257.

It looks like they don't shorten the action area for a short action and merely re position the screw area and fill the void. The fact that your stocks came in a full ounce plus heavier than mine that was inletted for a long action would confirm that suspicion.

For reference, here is a long action mountaineer (top stock).


For what it's worth, I think they look great despite the gap.

Sevens,

The crazy thing is the LH stock is what you would expect. Anybody think it's a mistake that hasn't got called out yet?

Your Rifles Inc. gun is that way but you would think McMillan stocks would match RH and LH machining.

It makes absolutely no sense to me! Just an infant gun looney trying to figure it out.

Not a mistake on either, even though you didn't address me.

I'd bet it's a cost issue on the molds....as they don't make very many left-hand stocks.

BTW....Dick from McMillan is a member here, but I can't remember what his user name is.

I am sad to say I didn't even notice that.

After seeing it on several iterations, I am going to take a guess that it is a cost / efficiency thing. Fewer variations of the CNC inletting programs required for the growing proliferation of Rem 700 clones and variants. Basically, a "one size fits all" for ejection port programming for RH Rem 700 variants...

I get the one thing fits all theory, as I'm truly not on any sort of witch hunt...BUT a perfect left hand Mountaineer with a Bighorn SA inlet was shipped to my door as well. What are the odds of that being more popular than a beloved Rem 700?

If that's how it is, I get a stalk that is one of the best on the market, and I'm totally great w/that. Just interesting weekend gun talk.

fwiw,
I was talking to one of the girls at McMillan a few weeks back who was terminally confused and I suggested she talk to Dick Davis. She informed me that he has retired and occasionally stops in to untangle problems and answer questions, however, he is no longer on staff in a full time problem solving position. She said he was SORELY missed and they love to see him come through the door...fwiw

Regards, Matt.

I bet they do miss him, he seemed to be the answer man. For the Op, Ryan used to post on here also. shoot to win I believe is his call sign.

Ryan/ShootToWin hasn't logged on since 2013. And I bet they are missing Dick.

Very nice

Ryan is the head honcho for the internet sales now.

Dustin I believe filled his "spot" at McM.

Agree 100%. From a production efficiency standpoint, would expect them to eventually do the same thing for left hand inlets. Might be in a transition period. Will be interesting to see if the "OSFA" ejection port inlet gradually makes it over to the LH CNC inlet programs as well. Again, just a guess on my part.

I would probably have never noticed it. I have a Sako 75 that doesn't have a perfect "cut out" at the ejection port. 257's rifle does look good....

I have a question regarding McMillan personnel.....what happened to Kaye? She was there forever as well.

Did you guys with the Mountaineer stocks need to use longer action screws with your actions? I have a 700 action and when I take it out of the factory stock and put it in a Mountaineer, the front action screw is too short for any threads to start. The rear I can get the screw in maybe 2 turns.

Greg

Nope, factory 700 screws and mag box worked just fine for the ADL.

My front action screw was too long with the Mountaineer versus a Hunter's Edge. Had to trim it down a bit.

Got my mountaineer over the weekend. Inlet for a M7

Action cut out is just like the OP's

Action screws worked but could stand to be a thread or two longer

Weight is just shy of 23oz (youth rifle - 12.75" LOP with a 1/2" pad)

Barreled action dropped in the stock weights 5lb 4oz

Going to put a 6x36 in Talleys and see what my 10 year old can do with it. 308 shooting Hornady Lite ammo

Finally got my Mountaineer a week or so ago. Even tho it is inlet for Left Hand Stiller, and has a very nice left hand ejection port ... It also has the "One Size Fits All" ejection port inlet on the Right Side. Noticed this because the bottom of the LH Stiller bolt release pivot pin is hanging out in space above the stock line. Purely cosmetic. But disappointed...

Anyone else have McM Mountaineer inlet for a Left Hand action with the right side OSFA Ejection Port ?

These kinds of problems are the exact reason I no longer order a McMillan stock "painted". I have them ship it unpainted with the understanding that after I've looked it over I'll send it back for paint. Once the stock arrives I'll go to work on the stock with a little Acra-Glas Gel bedding epoxy and some sand paper. When the barreled action fits properly, and looks right "cosmetically" back to McMillan it goes. Seems like a lot of fuss(I know) but that way I get what I want and what I expect and have no disappointments. Yes, costs me a little time and few bucks shipping but in the end I'm much more satisfied with the finished product.

I've had to send back a couple of stocks in the past that were just not acceptable as far as fit and finish(Believe it or not, McMillan will cut corners to save a buck). Also, paint can hide a lot of production mistakes. Unpainted, I get to examine the stock for flaws/imperfections etc. Anything that is wrong(but fixable) I'll just do it myself. Believe me, I've been burned in the past.

Having the bolt release pivot pin exposed above the stock line is unacceptable, IMO. For the prices McMillan is charging nowadays for a stock it ought to look right from the get go.

Leftybolt

Looking at the OP's stock I wonder if the ejection port cut is a separate milling step and McMillan forgot to do it.

While the stocks are pretty solid items, stuff does get threw McMillan and its not that uncommon, I am probably around 10 McMillan stocks and I have had to send two back for mods.

In one of those situations McMillan sent me a Ruger stock where they had forgotten to make the relief cut above the trigger. If I had not owned a few stocks of the same pattern I might have thought it was just poor ergos, but as I knew what it was supposed to look like I contacted Dick and he took the stock back and had it fixed and repainted and did it pretty quickly.

Got confirmation from McMillan today. The "One Size Fits All" right side ejection port on the Mountaineer is part of the mold. Basically no cut required for RH actions. Unfortunately, given that it is part of the mold, that means that every Mountaineer stock will have the right side cut. Even the stocks inlet for Left hand actions...

I like the Mountaineer stock that I have in hand. However, that's a deal breaker for me. No more Mountaineers for this South Paw...
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