I relied heavily on this thread and few others to make my choice of "bottom-metal" to use for my new boyd's laminate stock.

To all who read this thread, let me tell you - YOU RUN THE RISK OF CRACKING YOUR STOCK CLEAN UP THE MIDDLE if you use the plastic version and it has to be shimmed to keep it from binding the action!!!

Even with manufacturer supplied pillars and washers, the composite "bottom-metal" used on my M11 Trophy Hunter XP action with a Boyd's laminate stock did not fit correctly. Even with screws correctly tightened, the action was BOUND TIGHT SHUT !!!!!!!!! The composite bottom-metal-frame-surround (whatever!) that holds the DBM in the action is apparently too thin to mate correctly in the Boyd's stock inlet for it.

In attempting to shim it in a variety of ways and keep the screws tightened (even under 24in#), the stock CRACKED at a laminate join lengthwise at the rear screw hole.

I don't know what to attribute this to: Boyd cutting inlet for the thickness of ONLY THE METAL version of the "BOTTOM-METAL" or the composite version being just not thick enough in this case. The composite may work in some instances, I suppose. But not in this case, and shimming made it worse ... real worse! I ruined a $260.00 stock that Boyd's is likely to tell me to whistle for, vice supply another cut for the thickness of the plastic version.

And in the end, the weight of the whole package with plastic frame was 8.8# s. The metal versions (I am told) will push this over 9#s.


I just thought this "old" threat should get some new information attached