Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Bottom metal

What are the advantages of after market bottom metal? Would a 1 piece be more rigid? better for accuracy? I dont know much about this piece, looking forward to hearing the advantages. Also, besides Williams, who makes a quality product?

Thanks

Let's see....

+ aesthetics; Sunny Hill, Dakota, Badger Ordnance, DD Ross, Blackburn, Fisher, Burgess, Williams are all exceptional pieces of equipment

+ compared to factory potmetal bottom metal, then yes more rigid though arguable if it makes for a more "accurate" rifle

+ of those mentioned above, bombproof in both alloy (Badger) and steel versions

+ fit and finish is leap years ahead of factory POS's

- nominal weight penalty

- cost

- aesthetics, some of the more robust bottom metals from Badger, DD Ross are more designed for human hunting weapons hence don't have to be too "pretty" but have to built to withstand some serious Grunt abuse

The above cmts are right on.
I just bought bottom metal from Matt Williams, who posts here on 24 Hour, and I am VERY happy with it. Mine is short action, and adds lots to the rifle, compared to the factory bottom metal, which is cheezy. Williams prices are much better than any others I checked too.

Don

Class!

How much less $$$ is the Williams than the Badg. ordin.- Where can I find one. It about kills me to spend 300+$`s for a little piece of metal but we all got to die anyway.... Do you think they`re wourth the extra BUCK ? I got a McMillan A5 stock ordered(before I found this site unforunatly) and I said to inlet for the B.O.but I`m starting to reconsider a bit, I don`t get why It cost so much...

Which BO Bottom metal?

Guess I left that part out, just a standard Rem 700 long action bdl hinged floor plate.

WDEA,

Nice rundown. I'd break cost down into two components - acquisition and (sometimes) fitting cost.

Jaywalker

Does the Sunnyhill bottom metal drop in more or less like the William's does? or does it require a ton of work like the Blackburn?

Patch, Badger unit runs 300.00+ and you get it straight from Marty @ Badger. The Williams unit you can get straight from Matt here on the site and runs 100.00.

For the "tactical/precision" rifle then I give the nod to Badger and DD Ross. Both are extremely overbuilt BUT fit and finish are exceptional. Worth it? Yes. Frankly, I have yet to see one broken let alone damaged. You just can't break either piece.

Now both Sunny Hill and Dakota now offer "tactical" bottom metal of which I have not examined up close and I don't doubt they are exceptional pieces.

Jay, you're absolutely correct.

Cost can be figured into 2 areas as you have noted.

Most often though, once a stock has been inletted for a particular bottom metal, others will not fit properly without some modification to the stock and/or bedding.

The only exception is the new Williams units which are drop in replacement for factory BDL long and short actions.

BW, the Sunny Hill does not drop in from my experience once a stock has been inletted for the factory BDL floorplate.

Keep in mind, Sunny Hill comes with its own magazine which depending on model, is integral to the flooplate. Hence, another considering when attempting to fit the floorplate to stock.

If you're trying to fit the SH to a McMillan previously inletted for a factory BDL, best call Kelly or Dick to see if they can reinlet the stock for the SH bottom metal.

That goes true for other bottom metals in McMillans. Drop them a line and I am sure Dick or Kelly will let you know if
re-inletting can be done.

I`ll more than likely still get Badg. Ordin. bottom metal although it may be a while before I stop murmuring about spending so much for it. Thanks for the info. I already got a B.O. rail for me new pet... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Patch, don't forget Badger rings too!

Either them or N.F., mind not made up yet. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I thought the SH set frot he model 70 classic used the existing mag box?