Stock bedding question

Hey guy's, I have been researching forum for bedding advice but have a specific question regarding how far forward I should carry the bedding. Should I stop the bedding at the recoil lug or carry if forward to support the chamber portion of the barrel? I will be bedding a AGComposite Hunter stock for a Defiant action/Proof CF sendero profile barrel. The stock delivered from AG is free floated from the recoil lug forward.

ewnanney said:

Hey guy's, I have been researching forum for bedding advice but have a specific question regarding how far forward I should carry the bedding. Should I stop the bedding at the recoil lug or carry if forward to support the chamber portion of the barrel? I will be bedding a AGComposite Hunter stock for a Defiant action/Proof CF sendero profile barrel. The stock delivered from AG is free floated from the recoil lug forward.

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I have two DVD's on bedding rifles, Richard Franklin's and a Darrell Holland's. Both DVD's show them wrapping/tapping the barrel with 2" or 3" PVC or vinyl tape in front of the action to free float the barrel. Darrell Holland's shows him milling out/relieving the bedding compound in the same area after bedding.
Added information:
On Richard Franklin's bedding DVD, he mentioned he bedded a portion of the barrel only if it was a heavy large diameter target barrel to support to the action due to the barrel weight.

Stop at the lug. Wrap enough turns of masking tape around the barrel at the front of the fore end to make the action level in the stock and keep the barrel centered in the barrel channel. Use bedding pins, not action screws.

I have to bed two rifles here pretty quick and have been researching the same subject. I've never done it myself. YouTube has many different vids showing how this is done. I watched many and I feel I have pieced the knowledge needed to complete the job.

From what I saw, and I may try this myself, you can dam where you want the epoxy to stop with clay or playdoh. Or, clean up later as mentioned previously.

ewnanney said:

Hey guy's, I have been researching forum for bedding advice but have a specific question regarding how far forward I should carry the bedding. Should I stop the bedding at the recoil lug or carry if forward to support the chamber portion of the barrel? I will be bedding a AGComposite Hunter stock for a Defiant action/Proof CF sendero profile barrel. The stock delivered from AG is free floated from the recoil lug forward.

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I have always had mine done about 2 inches forward of the recoil lug. now I have the same stock on order but for a Rem long action and in talking to AG they suggest not bedding it as they get lots of reports of 1/2 in group shooters without any further bedding. they suggested to wait and see how it shoots before doing anything. mine is about 2 months out so I'll see when I get it

I like to put tape under the barrel from 2" ahead of the recoil lug. Put release agent (neutral shoe polish) on the tape. Much easier to stop the bedding than to carve it out later.

I do not bed beyond the recoil lug except when the stock is an extremely lightweight one without an aluminium bedding block.
2" forward of the lug works well, but however long the knoxform is in parallel with the stock also works.
I bed the recoil lug/knoxform first, then the tang separately.

Cheers.

MagnumManiac said:

I do not bed beyond the recoil lug except when the stock is an extremely lightweight one without an aluminium bedding block.
2" forward of the lug works well, but however long the knoxform is in parallel with the stock also works.
I bed the recoil lug/knoxform first, then the tang separately.

Cheers.

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Interesting. Two part process? What benefits?

When building my dam in the barrel channel where I want the barrel proxy to stop running , I use a layer of cling film on top of the clay and I gently press down my barrel action , till it gently come resting on the tang reference point and the barrel portion wrapped in tape that touches the tip of the fore end . Ounce it rests there in a neutral position with no stress I can then pull out the barrel action with out having the clay of the dam sticking to the bottom of the barrel and you have a perfect mould of the barrel contour in the clay . You just then pull out gently the cling film, et voila ,you can now wax your barrel action and get your epoxy ready. You will a very minimum flow of epoxy forward of your dam once the barrels action is in place .

Being from the time of the mauser action's popularity, I was taught to bed ahead of the recoil lug on any action where the front action screw was ahead of the lug. Anything behind the lug we did not bed ahead. Never use the action screws, only action pins and surgical rubber tubing. Leave the front of the lug un-bedded by applying tape beforehand. stress free is the way to go. Any mold release product works well for release agent.

FireFlyFishing said:

Interesting. Two part process? What benefits?

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This technique ensures that the action stays in its initial height and is level. I draw lines on the action when it's stock and use those to set height during bedding. Many wood stock stocks would fall .050" when bedding, this is what I learnt on and continue doing today on all stocks. It has never failed, even when putting pillars in, recoil lug is bedded first…

Cheers.

hydehunter said:

I have always had mine done about 2 inches forward of the recoil lug. now I have the same stock on order but for a Rem long action and in talking to AG they suggest not bedding it as they get lots of reports of 1/2 in group shooters without any further bedding. they suggested to wait and see how it shoots before doing anything. mine is about 2 months out so I'll see when I get it

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I bought a McMillan gamewarden stock for mine. Couldn't ever get it to group. Sent the scope back to nightforce. A buddy came over and we bedded it with JB weld. I'm shooting sub 1/2" groups now. I am a firm believer in bedding all rifles.

For sporter contours like the sendero, I stop the lug.
Heavy, long barrels in varmint and bull contours, I bed the barrel an inch or so forward of the lug. Relieves some of the moment force from the face of the receiver. Just how I do it...

Have had great results one inch forward of lug. Always always use good coverage of release agent.