Space-age rifle stocks have taken over the tactical world. It seems everyone today is offering modular aluminum stocks. Their prices range from under a grand to well over two. With adjustments galore, they accommodate pounds of accessories most shooters will never need. Often, a good old composite stock with simple adjustments for cheek height and length of pull is all you need.

Benchrest competition has long been the laboratory for firearms innovation. Desirable engineering qualities in a benchrest stock include stiffness, low torque, strength, superior handling, and shot-to-shot repeatability – all within a weight limitation imposed by rules. The McMillan EDGE benchrest stock exemplifies the concept of form following function to produce an innovation that makes a true contribution to the sport.

Did you know the USMC M40 sniper rifle will be celebrating its 50th birthday next year? Here’s a great article in Shotgun News about the rifle. This old war horse has been through a lot since the early days of the Vietnam war. Read how McMillan played an important role in developing a stock for the Marines that was better suited for combat in Southeast Asia.

Be sure to check out the article about McMillan’s gunstocks in Rifle Shooter magazine. In the article, Scott Rupp, editor at Rifle Shooter, discusses a rifle’s gunstock has everything to do with how a gun is perceived. But it’s more than good looks, a gunstock serves as a foundation for your barreled action.

Benchrest competition has long been the laboratory for firearms innovation. Desirable engineering qualities in a benchrest stock include stiffness, low torque, strength, superior handling, and shot-to-shot repeatability – all within a weight limitation imposed by rules. The McMillan EDGE benchrest stock exemplifies the concept of form following function to produce an innovation that makes a true contribution to the sport.

Gale McMillan, founder of McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, partnered with the Marine Corp in 1975 in a project that has been recognized as the birth of the modern tactical rifle, the M40A1. Made of fiberglass, with a heavier than normal forearm and traditional hunting lines aft, this stock is still in service with many units.

A tactical rifle is used under stress, usually when all other measures have failed and human lives are in danger. At the critical moment, all components must work flawlessly, every time. This prime consideration flows through all the decisions a stock designer must make when developing a tactical stock.

A number of well-respected, successful gunsmiths and gun builders use techniques that are different than the one I described in Part III. As I said, they are successful gun makers that build very accurate guns. No one can say that their technique doesn’t work. As I stated, we “believe” that ours is the best way, but realize that having a choice is always a good thing. Following is a description of the other technique most widely used.

When pillar bedding gained acceptance, there was little argument about how to do it right. It seemed almost everyone in the competitive arena used similar techniques.