How McMillan rifle stocks are made: M40A1 factory tour in Phoenix

Key points: McMillan rifle stocks made

• McMillan has made rifle stocks in the United States since the 1970s, and nearly every step is done by hand; the CNC inletting is the only machine step shown.
• Each stock starts as a hand-painted color coat in an aluminum mold, followed by a carbon fiber presentation layer and backing layers that add strength in high-stress areas, all wetted with hand-mixed epoxy recipes that vary by material and color.
• A bladder is pressurized inside the closed mold so the layers laminate to its shape, and the shell cures overnight; a raw carbon shell weighs about 13 ounces before roughly 15 more ounces of material are added.
• Four fill materials tune strength and weight: a dense fiberglass epoxy for heavy magnum stocks, a lighter medium fill, a very light compound called Edge for the ultralight carbon hunter line, and injection-molded foam in the rear.
• Haas CNC machines cut a custom inlet with pockets and pillars for each stock from its own program, so a barreled action can drop straight in.
• Finishing covers hand-installed hardware such as flush cups and Picatinny and Arca rails, belt-ground buttpads, real sea-sponge camo paint, and Dremel-ground seams blended with color-matched paint before a hot-box cure.

About this Gun Review video

McMillan rifle stock factory tour from 110 SASS Actual, following one M40A1 fiberglass stock through the Phoenix, Arizona shop. It moves from hand-laid carbon fiber and fiberglass in aluminum molds through the four fill compounds, CNC inletting, hardware and buttpad fitting, sea-sponge camo paint and final hand finishing. A close look at how a handmade precision rifle stock gets its strength, weight and finish.

Transcript: McMillan rifle stocks