August 21st 2022Sunday gunday: F-Open rifle with McMillan StockKestros ZR stock — Impressive design for competitionReview by F Class John
McMillan stocks are common at rifle competitions. McMillan is a top choice for tactical marksmen, competitive shooters, hunters and competitors. McMillan now wants to dominate F-Open using the Kestros ZR stock. Although there are many models in the Kestros range, the ZR is the most exquisite model. Each model is hand-crafted by one craftsman and takes four times longer than other Kestros. McMillan offered me a chance for me to try one. It takes approximately four times longer to make than any other Kestros. I was impressed by the precision and sharpness of the rails. I took 1000-grit sandpaper to the rails and lightly rounded the corners. This was in order to avoid any potential damage to my gear or myself. After seven months, my ZR arrived and I felt like a child on Christmas. The Kestros ZR is a different experience than traditional wood stocks. You can’t help but feel special when you hold it. I chose three shades that shifted from the darkest part of the butt stock to the lighter fore-end, creating a stunning flame pattern. McMillan offers thousands of color and pattern combinations. These color/pattern combinations can be found on McMillan’s Gallery Page. The Kestros ZR is fully inletted with columns. My Defiance action was easily bolted into the stock without any bedding. McMillan states that bedding is not necessary, but most Kestros owners will make the effort. I put my action in, tightened it down with a few action screws. It was amazing how well it fit together, even the small details like the port cutout that was perfectly aligned with my action port. I packed up some.284 Win rounds, and headed to the range at 100 yards to test the stock.
Here are some examples of targets I shot with the Kestros at 100 yards. The smallest was.08? Vertical. I completed the testing by shooting a 200-11X at my club match the following week. It was the smoothness of the stock’s tracking, with its lower center-of-gravity and shooting free recoil that stood out. This translated into success on target.
Low-Rider — Because of the low Kestros ride height and the extra length due to Z rail, you may need an extension for your front rest. CONCLUSION — A great modern Low-Profile F Class Stock
Overall, the Kestros ZR exceeded all my expectations. It was easy to use and performed well after a short learning curve. I believe in muscle memory and found that each time I switched between my Kestros and my traditional wooden stocks, there was a slight adjustment period. However, it wasn’t enough to affect accuracy. It is worth noting that every Kestros is made from the same dimensions. This makes it easy to switch between guns without needing to adjust. If you are patient and willing to practice, the Kestros ZR may become your favorite stock. The Kestros ZR is a great choice if you’re looking for an F-Open stock. Norm Harrold won the 2018 USA F-Open National Championship using a.284 Shehane. Norm’s F-Open rig uses a McMillan ZR stock and Bartlein bartlein barrel that are chambered for a.284 Shehane. This barrel has a bit more capacity than a standard.284 Winchester. Norm loaded Berger 184gr 7mm rounds in Lapua brass. Norm shared his load in an Erik Cortina YouTube Video. Tips for ordering a Kestros ZR
McMillan’s online ordering form makes ordering the Kestros ZR easy. McMillan offers a helpful guide to help you choose the right option for you. F-Class John writes: “While filling my form, I realized that I have a custom designed action and needed some assistance, so I called McMillan. I was greeted by a friendly staff member who was knowledgeable about all the major actions. They were quick to answer my questions. I like the fact that there isn’t a fixed price for any stock. Customers can get exactly what they want (within certain limits) and not pay for unnecessary or unnecessary items. “Similar Posts:Tags: Defiance Action, F-Open Stock, Kestros Stock, Kestros ZR, Low Profile Stock, McMillan Stock
