Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Mcmillan M70 supergrade

Hi all,

Considering ordering a McMillan M70 super grade stock for a 300wsm I have being rebarrelled currently.
Hoping to see photos of M70 super grade McMillan stocks for ideas - also comparison to the hunters edge?
Hunters edge looks like the comb is too low? Hoping the super grade stock isn't too club like?

Rifle is being re barrelled with a factory contour duplicate. At the moment its either a McMillan super grade or a BC medalist - the price difference here in Australia huge so want to make sure im going the right choice should I purchase a McMillan.

Depends on what you deem “club like.” If you find a 2x4 svelte; you’re in luck.

Of stocks readily available today I’d be looking at a Bansner Miller pattern if you want a cheek piece and a svelte model 70 stock. I suspect an email to Mark could confirm his ability to get it to you there in Oz.

The McM SG is just like the wooden version, which to my taste is at least thicker than I like in all respects, if short of being outright clubby.

Edge is a different animal altogether. I have one on a SG barreled action, though that was not it's intended use when I bought it.

It works & is light, grip isn't bad but the drop at the heel is more that ideal, & it's short for a 24" barrel. But it works just fine.

I can post a couple of pics later when I get home, but the Wolverine's advice is probably a better option.

MM

thanks - will get in touch with bansner.

Here are a lot of pics, for comparison..........Edge Compact, B&C Mountain (700 Ti), 700 KS, Dakota 76, Custom M-70 by Keith Stegall (one of the old masters)

The Edge is not as bad as many make it out to be but is best suited to a lightweight build with a 22" barrel due to the shorter length of the stock............I don't think the gun looks balanced just right, but I will say that with the M-70 Super Grade BA in it, you feel some weight in the left hand & it points steadily.

Good Luck

MM

Rem 700 KS, Edge, B&C Mountain, L to R


Same order


Same order


Rem 700 KS


Edge w/ M-70 SG BA


Rem 700 B&C Mountain (Ti)


Dakota 76


Custom M-70 by Keith Stegall

That made me laugh. I have a Mcmillan supergrade on a pre 64. It is not the best Mcmillan I've ever had. I much prefer the hunters compact. And no, the comb on that one is not "too" low. It's just right for my needs, for a rifle like a fwt with the 22" barrel. Any longer than a 23" barrel, and it starts looking goofy because the forend is pretty short. They were made for shorter barreled rifles.

Mcmillan supergrade:



Hunters compact:





Pre 64 montecarlo pattern:

I have both the supergrade and the hunter's edge, prefer the edge. If anything the comb is lower on the supergrade than the edge although both are too low for scopes, I have to put cheek pieces on them to get them to line up right. You might contact D'arcy Echols for one of his legend stocks, they're one of the few for the M70 that have a proper comb height.

It's very likely you have your scopes mounted too high. Like most guys do.

I don't mind the Hunters EDGE or whatever it's called. I have them on a few rifles and one resides on my main battle rifle. I like the Legends quite alot, but they are heavier than I like on some rifles.

Bansner Miller Classic will be my next stock try, since it seems close to the Legend, but it's pretty light and ergo's should be good enough for me.

Unless I grind away 1/4 of the objective or take a file to the barrel they're not going any lower. McMillian stocks, at least before the buyout, were well made but their M70 offerings seriously needed to be updated to modern dimensions, they didn't make any with a high enough comb for me. Others facial dimensions are obviously different, but to fit my face I have to build up the comb. Basically they're made for iron sights and were too lazy to update their offerings.


That's a good looking stock. If it's similar to the David Miller stock that came on the M70's in the late 90's then I like the dimensions. I once e-mailed McMillan in that time frame asking if they were going to offer a copy of that pattern and got a nasty reply back from Kelly McMillan saying they'd NEVER offer a stock designed by David Miller, evidently there was some bad blood between them. It kind of soured me on McMillan's stocks after that. I know they made a good product but their M70 patterns sucked, I just wanted a stock with decent dimensions. I haven't bought one in years and doubt I ever will again, there are more and better offerings out there now.

It is very similar. I don’t have an LT handy or I’d post a comparison.

Keep us posted. Maybe start a thread on it. Thanks!

I agree with you about Mcmillan being lazy. Now they are being even more lazy, by not inletting the stocks. I generally buy used because I don't like their prices as well. All things Mcmillan has done to sway me away from them. I'm interested in how Scotty and others like that Miller Bansner. I'll be keeping an eye on that one. Also, if I want a stock with a little more comb, I will use a Brown PoundR. Those have a nice parallel comb, which mitigates recoil very well.

I bought a McMillan Supergrade stock with magnum fill (as recommended by McMillan for the cartridge) for a long-action Model 70 magnum. The quality was excellent, the dimensions were fine but the downside was it was even heavier than my Supergrade wood stock (which was already too heavy) by about 3 oz.

Fit is subjective, but McMillan’s best M70 pattern for most was the Sako Classic, back when you could pay them to fit an M70 into it (1 hour shop time). Modifying Sako patterns was definitely a thing, which reflects on how lukewarm guys were to the factory M70 patterns. But, instead of making a Sako Classic mold for the M70, they went with the Sako Hunter, which was also a popular pattern to have them fit. IMO that was regrettable.

If they made a Sako Classic mold for the M70 now, that mold would likely comprise well over 50% of their M70 sales ... this from a guy who sold a McMillan or two in the day.

I hope someone is listening. It would be a good thing...

You might be right about the Sako Classic stock on a M70, but I have 3 Sako Hunter stocks on 3 Sako's, including a McMillan Sako Hunter with their Edge Technology (27 oz) and they are my favorite stocks for off-hand shooting for myself.

Yes. Lots of guys like the Sako Hunter, and the late Dick Davis, McMillan’s longtime production manager, was among the many fans, which is why McMillan (reportedly tired of dealing with customization requests) made distinct molds for quite a few actions, including the 70 and 700, based off the Sako Hunter. The palm swell and raised comb are not for everyone though, and the original Sako Hunter had a thin forend that did not accommodate longer shanks or more beefy barrels, which was addressed in the new molds.

The Sako Classic is a more traditional American-style stock with a more open grip, straight comb, small cheekpiece, etc.

It’s all neither here nor there at this point, unless McMillan is seeing this ... Point is, McMillan’s M70 offerings were, for many, lacking, resulting in a lot of customization requests for Sako stock patterns.

At one point, we were selling so many Remington Classics that I contemplated financing a custom 24hourcampfire mold for that pattern that would fit M70s.

Alas ...

I have been pretty happy with my bansner miller on a 300 wm model 70. I am still sanding on it some and to get it just right before I send it back for finish.

So,
I've emailed Bansner and also messaged them via their instagram page - yet to receive a response however I am sure they are busy with it being the holiday period. Does anyone know if they would be closed during this period?

Also, Merry Christmas to all.

I have a Supergrade McM on a M70 Classic SS in 300Win w/factory 26" bbl. Buddy has the same on a M70 Classic Super Grade in 338Win. We're both quite happy with the pattern on rifles that are never going to be "flyweight" and are meant to be shot from field positions. I prefer the SuperGrade pattern to the Classic pattern.

If I were trying to keep something fairly light and reasonably short, say no more than 24" bbl, my overall M70 preference is the Featherweight pattern, though you'd have to source a used one as I believe they're discontinued. I like the slim fore end and slim grip on a hunting rifle.

We are all different. I like my Brown PoundR's on my 300wby and 338wm much more than the supergrade on my pre 64 fwt 30-06. The 300 and 338, actually weigh less than the 30-06 fwt too, but have better ergo's that help to mitigate the recoil better than the supergrade stock does. That's a win win, lighter and soaks up more of the recoil.

I’m not sure but I’m still waiting on two M70 Miller Classic blanks that I ordered beginning of July this year.