Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Bell & Carlson Medalist...quality???

Middle stock is a B&C on a T3 in 7mm-08. I really like the stock but if I hadn't gotten it as a gift I wouldn't have spent the money to buy it.







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They never seem to make the cool kids list, but I'm always amazed at how many custom or semi-custom rifles use the as standard fare to include GAP and a number of other well known companies.

They're a noticeably good step up from factory crap in quality and feel. For the person looking to frugally upgrade or don't feel like you have to have the top shelf, they're a solid option. Pick one up used and if you don't like it or want to upgrade later, you can easily trip it for what you paid or darn close to it.

Have put two of these on Weatherby Vanguards, excellent results, drop in fit. Both were full aluminum bedded models. Adds a bit of weight but very rigid stocks.

Did you skim bed or just bolt it into the aluminum bedding?

Just swapped out the stocks and torque to spec. One gun shot the same while the other got much better groups. I felt switching to a bedded stock gave me better torque consistency using a torque wrench whenever I needed to reassemble. No additional bedding was used.

I bolted my L/A M70 into one (with no skim bedding) and it shoots really well. Noticeably heavier than stock, but I'll take it.

I have two, both on Weatherby's, no complaints whatsoever.

Ive had issues in the past with off centered barrel channels etc with both BC and HS

B&Cs are good stocks, the only issue I see with them is if you bed them, or modify them in any way (something even as simple as taking a little material out of the barrel channel), you void their warranty.

I have one I like it, but have never handled a McMillan. Good for the money.

My favorite rifle wears a B&C Ti style stock. Fits me well, is plenty stiff, and seems to be durable enough for a hard use rifle.

That said, that one will be my last. Took a ton of dremel work and devcon to get it right. Also not sure if this is the norm on recent production, but mine was way heavier than I expected. (Can't recall exact weight)

I have only one rifle with a B&C and I am ok with it but not super impressed either. It will probably be my last B&C stock, I have played with at least a dozen of them. I bought a safe queen accumark a few weeks back and it was built in 1995 , that model came with an HS stock and that is one stiff SOB stock and feels great in my hands and not like some club, nice trim and stiff as can be. I understand they have discontinued their Mark V stock lineup. I better hold on to this one.

Have had the opportunity to examine one pretty closely on a rifle I'm helping my Brother-in-law out with. Won't be ditching my McMillan anytime soon but it seams like a pretty nice stock, especially for the price. Will most likely be using them on a couple builds in the furture.

Never used a Medalist but have four or five other B&C stocks, Ti Knockoffs or LVSFs I like them muchly!

sturdy, no-flex, crude, overly thick, functional.

The Medalist have an aluminum chassis molded into the action area and pistol grip. They are very strong, but the metal makes them a little on the heavy side and requires them to be a little thicker. If that doesn't bother you they are a good stock and I actually like them on a varmint or target type rifle where you want some weight.

The non Medalist B&C stocks do not have the metal chassis and tend to be lighter and trimmer. But they aren't a very strong stock. Any of the plastic tupperware stocks will prove to be tougher if the rifle were to take a fall.

I'd just as soon have the Medalist as a standard fill McMillan. But I buy synthetic stocks primarily to cut weight. A McMillan Edge will weigh 1/2-3/4 lb less than a Medalist depending on the exact stock style. It is worth the money to save the ounces for me.

Had them on three rifles and really like them. Guess I am in the minority, but the grip is very comfortable to me, as is the finish. They have been durable and the rifles have been accurate in these stocks. They may need some fitting.

I stocked a semi-custom 358 Win/Interarms action with one. I like the thicker grip. Stiff and inflexible stock. All positives for me.

I had one on a custom built rifle I had done several years ago. My only complaint was the weight.

From what I can tell on my medalist, B&C doesn't use true fiberglass/kevlar/carbon cloth in their build process except for maybe stuffing into the bedding area.

I sanded threw the skin on mine when cleaning up after installing an extra sling swivel and the skin was so thin it was scary. The shell of the stock looked like it was made from resin and chopped fibers sprayed into the mold before the foam was injected, barely a skim coat over the foam. The bedding block and rigid foam appears to be the main structure in the stock to give it strength, not the shell as in other better quality stocks that use actual fiber cloth layers in the outer shell. The latter method creates a stronger box structure as well as being lighter.

Whether one considers this a problem or not is up to the user, but I was not impressed. For a person who just wants a drop in for less than $300 I can see the appeal, however I picked up a MCMillon on sale from them for $380 shipped for my rem 700 and the construction quality difference between it and the B&C was very clear. The standard fill McM was about an ounce less than the B&C and the bedding fit better from the getgo, not to mention better ergos.

I'd rather save up the extra $100 or so and buy another sale MCM or a Bansners or... before going to B&C again.