magpul dbm on hogue stock?

[jjohnwm]

Not sure if this is the correct spot for this question. Has anybody tried to get these two items to work together?

I picked up a slightly-used 700SPS Tactical that is apparently the newest Rem production, and am pretty impressed with it in comparison to some 700's I've seen and tried in recent years. It's an inexpensive rifle that will be a beater/loaner/back-up/general-purpose gun, so I don't want to sink a ton of money into it, but I have a number of other guns that utilize AICS mags and so I have a bunch of mags that would be nice to use. I'm thinking that some careful trimming and whittling would allow the use of the Magpul bottom "plastic" on the rubber-overmolded Hogue stock, but can't be sure without the unit in hand.

If it can be made to work, it's the cheapest way to use those mags, and I have always found the Hogue stock to be one of the most comfortable stocks on the market so I'd like to keep it. Seems like the next step would be the new MDT Field stock; that looks like good value for money spent, but it's still over twice the price of the Magpul option and will bulk the rifle up quite a bit from its current slim profile.

If anyone has done or tried this, can you comment?

 

[buji88]

As far as Im aware yes, it will work as they are stock profile bottom metals. But the field stock is actually slimmer then the hogue and has full-length aluminum bedding.

 

[jjohnwm]

I must admit that the field stock looks like a terrific value; between the full-length bedding block and the AICS-mag capability, for a couple hundred bucks more than the Magpul bottom metal, it's hard to fault it. The published weights for the two stocks are very close, within 0.2 pounds, and by the time you replace the standard bottom metal with the Magpul it might be even closer to the same weight.

I love the ergos of the Hogue stock, plain and simple. It's a perfect fit for me.

Tough call, and one I will probably not make until after my local Cabela's gets some of the MDT Field in stock so that I can coon-finger it a bit and help make up my mind.

If I stick with the Hogue, I get the chance to tinker with "improving" it by bedding a couple of graphite arrow shafts in the fore-end. Is that a tempting project...or a potential PITA? I've done that with a couple of other Hogue stocks in the past, so I know that...it's both!

 

[mikeyb]

No, the Magpul DBM isn't the same footprint as a standard BDL floorplate. You'll need to remove material to make it work. The Magpul Hunter stock it was designed for comes with a removable spacer which provides extra room for their DBM if you decide to replace the BDL footprint bottom metal.

 

[jjohnwm]

No, the Magpul DBM isn't the same footprint as a standard BDL floorplate. You'll need to remove material to make it work. The Magpul Hunter stock it was designed for comes with a removable spacer which provides extra room for their DBM if you decide to replace the BDL footprint bottom metal.

Oh, I get that it isn't a drop-in. I hogged out an older B&C stock...with no bedding block...to fit a Magpul bottom metal a couple years back and it worked quite well, didn't even look too bad. I just loosely-installed it with some extra long screws, marked out the perimeter and then gradually Dremeled it out. I'm not sure if the rubber coating on the Hogue will be easier or harder to work with, but I realize there's a fair bit of material that requires removal.

I'm already half-plotting to put the stock into the deep-freeze after marking it but before the work begins. The rubber might be easier to cut when it is more solid.

We shall see. I want to do a bit more shooting with it as-is, before I start modifying it.

 

[jjohnwm]

Picked up the Magpul bottom metal from the local Cabela's and spent a couple of quiet evenings fitting it to the stock. Used a Dremel, one of their grinding points and a couple of sanding drums, along with a couple of hand files. I went slow...really slow...glacially slow...grind, assemble, try, grind, assemble, try. This is strictly working on plastic, both on the stock and on the bottom "metal" itself; at no point was I doing any actual metalwork. I wasn't rushing.

I have Accurate Magazine and Magpul mags, as well as MDT mags in plastic, steel and a combo of both. All of them now fit and feed perfectly. Having done this one, I am certain that I could repeat the job within a couple hours if I desired. The mags, especially the plastic ones, are a snug fit that require a firm push to engage and they will not drop free upon activation of the lever...which is fine by me. I wasn't aiming for rapid-fire competition-style shooting; I just wanted this gun to utilize all those AICS-pattern mags I have that work in several other rifles. Mission accomplished; I am a happy camper. I might at some point put a few finishing touches on the installation to remove a wee bit of the friction on the mags...maybe...

Both accuracy and also POI are indistinguishable from what they were before the mod. No pics of the actual steps of the job; not much to see anyway. Here is the finished product; well worth doing, IMHO.

 

[roadglide1]

Nice job jjohnwm !! I have always like the look of the Hogue overmoulded stocks.

 

[jjohnwm]

Nice job jjohnwm !! I have always like the look of the Hogue overmoulded stocks.

Thanks! I'm a fan of the simplicity of the Hogue stock as well; it has the traditional, compact looks-like-a-rifle shape that I prefer, and I find the ergonomics of the stock and the "feel" of the overmolding delightful. I've never had one of them get sticky and start to melt like so many similar-feeling finishes and coatings from other makers.

Yeah, yeah, I can hear it now: they're a bit less rigid than is considered ideal. But I don't think of them as a component of a "precision" build, but rather as a general-purpose, utility-hunting-rifle thing. When hunting, I use various assorted rests, both natural and otherwise, and I will not be loading a bipod...usually won't have a bipod. Any rests or supports I can find to use are inconsistent, so my resting of the rifle on or against them is very light, just enough to help stabilize the shakes. Used like this, the Hogue stock is plenty stable enough. If flexing is a concern, the old carbon-fibre-arrow-shaft bedded into the fore-end thing works quite well...I'll probably do it to this one for gits'n'shiggles.

A lot of folks don't realize this, but the Hogue stock can also be had with a molded-in aluminum chassis, just like the MDT's and all the other fancy-shmancy chassis that are so hot nowadays. Heavier, more expensive...but completely rigid. If you are a fan of the Hogue "feel", it's the best of both worlds...you just don't get to monkey with it and do as much DIY stuff.

By the way, for anybody contemplating this easy and relaxing project for themselves: the Hogue stocks are dirt-cheap, often less than $100 on the EE and not much more when purchased new. And the Magpul bottom "metal" actually comes with one Magpul 5-round AICS-pattern magazine for .308-family cartridges included in the $120 price! It's a terrific bargain, IMHO, and you're not risking much if you completely screw it up.

 

[Hungry]

^ THIS….

I’ve done several SPS M700 stocks with Magpul SA bottom(s) metal(s) and I use a pot of tea to grind, fit, grind, fit, process. All great fun. Uhm…. The pot of tea is for drinking and relaxing before picking up that beloved dremel tool, once again!


Kudos to you JohnWM for sharing your experience!!

Peace Be The Journey!