• PDC Customs Internal Mag Chassis Review


    I recently had an opportunity to give one of PDC Customs aluminum chassis rifle stocks a run on a short action Savage. PDC Custom manufactures stocks in the USA from 6061 aluminum bar stock, very strong stuff, I can assure you. They are available in several colors with a few options that should fit into just about any shooting situation.

    First Impression

    I will admit to a few reservations about the stock from the get go, but many of those reservations were put to rest very quickly. The stock came to me well packaged in a secure carton. Not just newspaper stuffed, but actually bagged in cloth for protection from shipping damage. Upon initial inspection, I found no dings, scratches or scuffs on the powder coated finish. At five pounds, the stock was a bit heavier than I figured it would be (other aluminum stocks I have tried in the past always required a bit of extra weight to make them acceptably steady). Over all, this looks to be a well put together piece of kit.

    My reservations with this stock stem solely from the fact that it is of a modular design, with the forearm and tail-stock assemblies bolted onto the center section. I have had problems in the past with modular aluminum pieces (especially ones assembled with stainless steel bolts), but a quick phone call to Craig of PDC Custom cleared up any misgivings I had. The stocks have keyed steel inserts installed to receive the bolts, thus eliminating the possibility of dielectric galling from using dissimilar materials for male and female threads. On the plus side, the modular design allows for a variety of options that allows the stock to be modified by the end user at a later time. Craig is currently working on releasing a couple of different forearm assemblies for the stocks.

    The Stainless bolts are threaded into hardened steel keyway inserts for serious strengthThe rifle used for the review was a Stevens 200 I just completed for my wife. It will be used for bench shooting and varmint hunting, not really a dedicated position gun, but multi-purpose. The Action was trued, raceways polished, newly barreled, Badger Ordinance recoil lug and with the nearly obligatory SSS trigger and bolt handle installed. Caliber is .22-250 Ackley Improved with a 1:7.5 twist (designed for 80 to 90 grain bullets). This range session would serve to break in the barrel as well as do some fire forming. Fitting the stock onto the Stevens with the aftermarket goodies proved to be a bit difficult.

    Obstacle one was the recoil lug. The Badger is just too wide for the inletting. Off came that one and on went an SSS lug. This one fit very tightly, but did not allow for good screw fitment. I did shave a bit from the front of this action to square it up, and details like this are oft overlooked. I would rather see this area slightly over-sized to allow for bedding and custom fit.

    Obstacle 2 was the aftermarket trigger. The inletting on the stock was set up for the factory trigger (the factory Stevens trigger fit fine as well as a Model 12 with Accu-Trigger). I wanted to block the stock up and relieve the inletting a bit for the SSS trigger, but my new mill didn't have the right accessories to do it without scratching the finish, so out came the Dremmel. About half way thru opening up the inletting, my beloved Dremmel gave up the ghost, and being pressed for time (Saturday night at ten with a range trip scheduled for eight the next morning), I just decided to forgo the inletting (and I was almost there!) and install the factory trigger.

    Once installed, I torqued the action screw (provided with the stock for a perfect fit) to 45 in.lb. and off I went. The action was a very tight fit into the stock. There was no lateral movement and no rocking prior to tightening down the screws. I had no problem fitting a dollar bill in the one inch gap between the barrel and forearm, so the free floating was definitely not an issue. There was no clearance (free floating) on the rear tang at all, and this did affect the groups a bit. Keep in mind, though, that the Savage is a relatively new offering from PDC Custom, and as such they dont have it fully shook down yet. Craig assures me that these issues are being resolved in the machining phase.

    The test stock at the rangeAt Home On The Range

    This stock likes the bench! It rode the brick bag in front very well and was right at home on a Harris bipod (my tester had the Harris adapter and rear bag skie (sic) installed). I used an owl ear rear bag on the provided rail, but a rear monopod is a factory option that is available and looks to be fairly sturdy. After a quick sight in, I fired six five shot groups at two hundred yards.

    The rifle had a great feel, and was a real head turner at the range. Several people came up and asked about it (Craig may even get an order or two from that). The geometry of the AR grip (the stock comes with a Hogue AR-15 grip) was very comfortable, and the stocks adjust-ability was easy to use and well thought out. The length of pull relies on spacers, not just pins or screws, which gives it an over all solid feel. Like most adjustable cheek stocks, if you have the cheek piece too high (big scopes or small shooters will cause a high cheek weld) it will need lowered to remove the bolt and clean. The cheek piece is reversible for lefties. A little side note, if you leave this stock in the sun in Florida for fifteen minutes or so while you go fiddle with your targets, check it before you slap your face down on it. It can give a whole new meaning to cheek weld!

    The results were pretty good, considering. The rifle is capable of much better accuracy, but by no fault of the stock I was shooting right at three quarters of a minute. This was the first range trip for this rifle, so it was shoot and clean for half the day. The chambering is for AI, but I was shooting factory .22-250 Remington Premium ammo, with 55 grain bullets in a barrel designed around 80 and 90 grain VLD pills. A factory, seven pound trigger didn't help matters much, either. Wind was variable from behind me and caused a few flyers, but all in all it was a decent range day.

    Options

    There are several options available for the PDC Custom stock, the tester was delivered with the Harris adaptor and bag skie, as well as the adjustable butt plate (vertical and tilt). As delivered, the price would be $550. A little hefty, but you are definitely getting an outstanding stock for the money. Being of a modular design, features can be added later.

    The standard Savage stock is available in long or short action and includes the following features:

    F325 Pachmayr Recoil Pad 1" Deluxe
    Hogue AR-15 Grip
    Comes standard flat black powder coating
    All fasteners are Stainless Steel
    Internal magazine
    Pull length adjustment 12 3/4" to 14 5/8" on butt stock
    Stock Weight 5 Pounds
    Adjustable in height and reversible cheek piece
    Machined out of 6061 Aluminum Solid Bar Stock

    Available options include:

    Custom color powder coating (see website for color chart)
    Tilt adjustable butt plate
    Vertical and tilt adjustable butt plate
    Versa Pod bipod
    Harris bipod adapter
    Forearm hand stop
    Rear hand grip
    Rear adjustable monopod
    Rear Bag Skie


    Additional Photos:

    This is a comfortable and easy to adjust stock, for big and small shooters alike. No Problems with barrel free floating here!
    A big plus of the modular design, this forearm will soon be an interchangeable option 200 yard groups fired from a new barrel on the PDC Custom stock

    By: hhmag

    Contact PDC Custom via their website at http://pdccustom.com