GRS KELBLY X-EATER

[ajvanwyk]

I am planning a custom build at the moment and would appreciate any opinions related to the GRS KELBLY X-EATER. Are they worth it or should I rather be looking elsewhere for something else?

I am likely going to go with some 7mm variant and a Barnard action.

Thank you !

[DaveMc]

I have one (as new) blue grey for sale. They shoot well but there are a few issues with them and part of the reason we decided to move ahead and make our own. These issues are fairly minor in the fact the stocks work/ look good and shoot well.
1) The grip is unique in its angle. I am not convinced it is the best way to hold a target rifle as presents the trigger finger at a big angle to the trigger.
2) The forend is a plus and tracks well but for a barnard are very thin under the front end of action/bedding block.
3)The adjustable butt pad and cheek piece are a neat design but a little "loose" for our application.
4) The limbsaver recoil pads literally "dissolve" up here in the tropics (but we will shortly be supplying after market ones in various colours
5) As supplied they take a bit of work for the gunsmith to fit - not a drop in fit. -We did build our barnard bedding block and pillar kits to drop in these stocks.

Matt and Keith have been fitting some of these up so may have other comments.

[AlanF]

Dave,

Do your own brand stocks use carbon fibre reinforcing?

The poster above is a new member at Rosedale, but I'm also interested on my own account.

Alan

[DaveMc]

The coloured stocks currently use CWP blanks from the US so would be difficult with those.

We can however do 2-3 carbon inlays in the natural coloured ply here as they come in thinner sheets and are laminated together here on site.

I am working with a supplier closer to home to produce the blanks so could be an option out of those in the future - this is a bit of a process though so will take a little while with them.

Dave

[KHGS]

I have one (as new) blue grey for sale. They shoot well but there are a few issues with them and part of the reason we decided to move ahead and make our own. These issues are fairly minor in the fact the stocks work/ look good and shoot well.
1) The grip is unique in its angle. I am not convinced it is the best way to hold a target rifle as presents the trigger finger at a big angle to the trigger.
2) The forend is a plus and tracks well but for a barnard are very thin under the front end of action/bedding block.
3)The adjustable butt pad and cheek piece are a neat design but a little "loose" for our application.
4) The limbsaver recoil pads literally "dissolve" up here in the tropics (but we will shortly be supplying after market ones in various colours
5) As supplied they take a bit of work for the gunsmith to fit - not a drop in fit. -We did build our barnard bedding block and pillar kits to drop in these stocks.

Matt and Keith have been fitting some of these up so may have other comments.

In my opinion they are excellent stocks, the grip angle may be an issue with some users, but I think that issue is largely negated by our light trigger pulls. So it is only a matter of "getting your head around it". A lot will depend on your shooting style too. The quality is great.
I endorse them, but like any stock they will not be everyone's cup of tea!
Keith H.

[macguru]

I have the GRS F class stock that was replaced by the X eater.....

What I like about it:
1. The ply is dense and supports the barnard bedding block really well. It would probably work well without the block for a remington, say, but there you go. It also looks great.
2. The stocks are commercially available in numbers
3. The grip position is good for free recoil f open shooting
4. It tracks really well on the bags, front and rear.

What I dont like about it.
1. My gunsmith still had to do a lot of work on the blank to fit it. A pre inletted would be worth a try but for the barnard i really wanted to use the bedding block. He also machined a rebate in the cheekpiece to allow bolt removal.
2. The cheekpiece projects too far out towards the shooter. I had mine modified to sit flush with the buttstock.
3. The f class sits a little higher than the x eater and may torque a bit more.

As mentioned recently I have also added weight to mine (yet to be tested)

cheers Andrew