Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats McMillan Sako/Winchester/Remington "Hunter" Stocks

Debating between and Echols Legend and a Winchester "Hunter" stock (Not the Hunter's Edge/Compact). I realize completely different styles, but want to explore all options and the Echol's seems to never be in stock and needs extra work to be finished. Caliber will be a 7mm Rem Mag.

For those of you with the "Hunter" style stocks, how do you like them? Do they feel bulky? Are they good for a hunting stock (think backpacking, spot and stock, etc.) or are they more of a prone long range shooting style stock? How do they handle recoil?

Photos welcome as well!


This stock I'm referring to.

You’ll never regret waiting on a Legend for a 70!

The best hunting handle I’ve had to date.

My current favorite McMillan stock. It is a little heavier and bulkier than some other McMillan styles, but the balance is close to perfect for short action 700's with 24" CDL-SF and magnum contour barrels. Also works great on 24" Vanguards and Husqvarnas. Many of my 22" Remington 700s are bedded in the McM Mountain Rifle style stocks, as the Hunter style is slightly butt-heavy with 22" Remington 700 barrels. That said, neutral, or close to neutral, balance is more important to me than it is to some others.

I don't own and have never seen a Legend stock, so I can't comment on them.

The Legend is far and away the best looking and feeling M70 or Rem 700 stock, IMO. Worth the wait for sure, but I think it’s best suited for 24”-26” barreled actions using a medium contour barrel.

Here are a couple Legend stocked 70’s.

I have several of the Sako/mcmillan hunter stocks they are on deer and coyote rifles (30/06, 257W, 240W, 220S, 223, 204R, 20VT, 221FB, 17R) I like them a lot and would buy again. Recoil is fine but I don’t have any big boomers. I shoot mostly off bipods and benches.

McMillan Dark McWoody set up for LH on a Sako 75 coated by Bordsong Black-T. Love the fit and finish on this. Recoil is excellent (30.06). Dropped over a pound (standard fill) from the OEM stock to this.

Pic taken right after I got it, hence no scope.

I have that same rifle , the synthetic stock weighs 40+ounces.

Pictured in my Mickey Winchester New Hunter. Only thing I don't like is the fat wrist. If I were to do another, I'd go Sako Hunter pattern. The OP's between a Hunter and Lengend pattern can only be decided by fit/comfort. I can't do a straight combed stock due to a long neck that has some disc issues. The less I crane my neck to get a cheek weld, the better.

I have the Sako Hunter, the McMillan Hunter for Husqvarna, Remington, and Ruger, and Savage Hunter. They all have the same palm swell, so I don't think that you'd get a thinner wrist by going with the Sako style in lieu of the McM style. The difference that I can see between the McMillan Hunter and the Sako Hunter is the depth of the stock at the bottom metal. I bought a couple of Sako Hunters before the McMillan Hunter was introduced. They are installed on SA 700 LVSF barreled actions and a portion of the bottom metal is slightly recessed into the stock. The McMillan Hunter style seems to have addressed this issue.

This is just my opinion and everyone is different but I had a McMillan Hunter stock for awhile and it just didn't fit me right, I then tried the McMillan Sako Classic......my favorite hunting stock ever. you should at least consider a classic before buying a hunter.

Can McMillan inlet the classic for a M70? Read some posts saying yes for a setup fee and called McMillan and they said no. Not sure if I called again if I’d get a different answer.

I haven't had much luck getting correct answers from McM.

I have both patterns, and like/use both depending on what gun I'm going to use on a particular day/trip. The Echols' Legend has a larger for-end and more open grip than the Hunter. It is extremely comfortable to shoot just about any cartridge from 22-250 up to 404 Jeffery. It's a handsome stock too. D'Arcy has a real sense of proportion and style that is evident in most of his work and products.

The Hunter has a much thinner for-end and more vertical grip than the Legend. The vertical, or "closed", grip makes it a better stock for shooting prone because of the more natural hand position. The single thumb flute on the Hunter is a very nice feature. If using a bipod, the thin for-end is a non-issue.

Although it doesn't appear to be so, I think the drop at the comb nose is about the same (judging from the clearance space when the bolt is drawn back). Drop at the heel of the comb is less on the Hunter than the Legend, but I can't say how much because I haven't measure it. Both stocks benefit from a little comb riser like a Godda-Grip if shooting prone most of the time. even with low mounted scopes.

Both work well, and both are very nice. The Legend is better for general field position shooting and may handle recoil a touch better than the hunter. It would be my choice for a large caliber gun. The Hunter is the choice is you shoot mostly prone, but it does very well in just about any shooting position. You can't go wrong with either one.

I switched from a McM Super Grade to a Hunter stock on my 300 WSM and did notice an increase in felt recoil. And as others have mentioned, the thick grip may not be to everyone's liking.

You might want to take a look at the Manners EH3 or MCS-SL. Both are very nice stocks. I've not had good luck with Manners getting my orders correct lately, and their wait times are now often longer than McMillan's, but YMMV.

Turns out McMillan will inlet the Sako Classic for a M70 so will be going that route. A nice compromise - just can’t warm up to those Montecarlo type stocks.

No kidding, I asked them before my last order and they wouldn’t. Guess it depends on who you get on the phone that day. I use the Sako Classics on my Tikkas and they are very nice. Very similar to the Ruger MKII Classics as well.

If you have large hands, you will not get a propper grip on the Classic stock.
My pinky does not even touch the stock..

The Hunter is MUCH better in that regard... also get a much better check weld on the hunter.

I have Model 70s in the Legend, Winchester Hunter, and Classic. The Hunter is my favorite pattern by far, and I have yet to find an application in which it doesn’t excel. It’s great at getting your eye in line with a scope given the raised comb.

The Legend is a nice stock, but by the time you send it off to have a bolt notch cut, studs and pad installed, and finished/painted, you’re pushing up on $1,000. It’s not THAT much better than any other pattern, though I do think it shines on exceptionally hard-recoiling rifles.

I don’t care for the Classic and won’t buy another. Too slender and open in the grip. I like the subtle palm swell of the Hunter.

Mink

What a gorgeous rifle. I really love this rifle. Well done!