Lachlan Adolph and his Father Owen Adolph at the 2018 FCSA Junior 1000 World Championship

50 Caliber Stocks for 1,000-yard Competition

by Kelly McMillan

McMillan Fiberglass Stocks has been a long-time sponsor of the Fifty Caliber Shooters Association (FCSA). We have always donated to their prize table and worked with their competitors and organizers to build better 50-caliber benchrest stocks. For the uninitiated, at its core, FCSA matches are 1,000-yard competitions where participants use .50 BMG rifles in benchrest classes (light, heavy, unlimited, and junior) and a ground class (hunter).

Usually a two-day event, these shooters put at least 60 rounds down range in a single class, not counting their many sighter rounds. The stocks used in these competitions need not only be able to withstand the high and repeated recoil of the caliber but comfortable for the shooter. With team events and the Iron Man class—for those who dare shoot light, heavy, hunter, and unlimited during a single match—the FCSA is a large organization with many annual matches around the nation.

50-caliber is as high-powered as it gets in the world of competitive shooting. Our 1,000-yard benchrest stocks are top of the line when it comes to the quality and performance needed under those conditions. Development didn’t end with the early days of our involvement in this sport — the FCSA has been around since 1985, and McMillan since 1973. Our latest introduction to our 50-cal. line, an innovation in high-powered rifle technology, is the Super 50 BR. We based its design on our 50 HBR and 50 LBR fiberglass stocks (both which will be described below) with the innovation of machined aluminum sliders on the bottom of the forearm and the buttstock of the rifle — this is where the gun makes contact with the bench rests used in 1,000-yard matches. Aluminum contact points cut down on friction in the bags and allow the shooter to better bed their gun for perfect tracking along the line of recoil.

The Super 50 BR is available with a forearm width of either 3.5” or 5”. These are the standard widths used in “light gun” and “heavy gun” classes, and one difference between our standard LBR and HBR stocks. Not only the forearm dimension, but weight is the deciding factor in these classes. The LBR stock weighs in at 6.5 lbs. and the HBR at 12 – 13 lbs. All of our 50-cal. stocks are fully ambidextrous and available to order with the EDGE Technology upgrade. Our proprietary 50-cal. Decelerator butt pad significantly reduces the recoil impact and rivals any on the market.

The McMillan TAC 50 A1 is an excellent option for the “hunter” ground class at FCSA matches. We’ve made several improvements to the old TAC 50 design. These include lengthening the forearm by 5” for better bipod control, slimming the pistol grip for a greater variety of hand shapes, and adding a vertical adjustable cheek piece to the buttstock. With the right barrel and action, our TAC 50 A1 is in the same class as Barrett or any other factory-ready ground rifle. The TAC 50 stock can also be used with similar high calibers actions, such as .416 or .460.

As often as I can make it, I try to attend the annual FCSA World Championships in Raton, NM at the NRA Whittington Center. Shooters fly in from as far as Australia and drive from all over the United States to attend this match in July. Many shooters already use McMillan stocks, including several former World Champions.

In the past, McMillan has worked closely with FCSA directors, such as John Burtt and Randy Powell to improve our stock designs. I sponsored junior shooter Mason Powell for several years, and during his run he won Junior World Champion (2012), Rookie of the Year with the adults in 2013, and then 2-Gun World Champion in 2015. The FCSA is an institution in the shooting world and a McMillan stock is one of the high-quality components needed to build a world-class 50-BMG rifle. We know there are many options available on the market, that’s why ours is competitively priced.

It’s an exciting time when FCSA leadership is beginning to host extreme long-range matches in conjunction with their traditional 1,000-yard World Championship at the NRA Whittington Center. Their ELR event is called the King of 2 Miles and McMillan is happy to continue sponsoring a team in this event. Check out my recent blog posts for more information about our involvement in the ELR world. At my affiliate company, Extreme Long-Range Headquarters, there are many accessories for ELR competitions that can also be used by 1,000-yard shooters. Check out the FCSA’s website at 1moa.org for a match schedule and more information on 50-cal. competitions.