Stock Bedding

Hi everyone,
I am looking for some input on stock bedding. I am starting my first custom build and decided to try 7mm PRC. I have a zermatt arms origin long action with a 22'' proof research carbon barrel. I'm leaning towards getting a Mcmillan A-3 Stock. Mcmillan states that the stock is drop in ready, bedding not required. They use precision fit aluminum pillars. Does anyone have any pros or cons in regard to not also bedding the stock.

I have had rifles that shoot great without bedding, and some rifles that need bedding using McMillan stock. If you are using a GS and building the rifle I'd pay for bedding for sure. If it's a prefit barrel, put together in your garage, shoot it, if it does well and stays consistent on multiple range trips you're all set, if it doesn't, take it to get bedded.

haisardao said:

I have had rifles that shoot great without bedding, and some rifles that need bedding using McMillan stock. If you are using a GS and building the rifle I'd pay for bedding for sure. If it's a prefit barrel, put together in your garage, shoot it, if it does well and stays consistent on multiple range trips you're all set, if it doesn't, take it to get bedded.

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Good idea! Thanks for the advice

Unless the stock has a chassis, it gets pillars and bedded. That's just a personal thing. Some will never bed then and they still shoot well.

I just like to eliminate all variables i can

Consider upside gain, down side risk. For the incremental cost of bedding, do I want to go the range after getting my long awaited rifle have it shoot below expectations and say "****", I should have paid for bedding.

Remember, all manufacturing processes have tolerances; bedding ensures a closer fit.

I've bought all my Mickies with the pillars installed. But, I still bedded them afterwards. They can't get the inlet as perfect as a good bed job. Even if it is just a skim coat.

I'd bed it every time. Besides the performance benefit, it's one of the more fun things I've done.

Right. Its a lot of fun sweating to get it all bedded before the compound sets up. And hoping you got enough everywhere, and have nice squeeze out. It's fun cleaning up all that crap with q-tips and getting the compound all over everything...no matter how hard you try not to. And it is especially fun trying to get sleep that night, hoping that the next day when you try to break it open...that it actually comes apart!!!...lol

But, when it pops apart, and you see a perfect bedding job, it's all worth it. And you can tell yourself how much fun it was...lol

Yeah I'm going to let my gunsmith have all the fun with bedding haha.

I bedded my first Zermatt build. Was a little apprehensive about ruining a couple of amu's worth of parts on my first attempt. Watched a few you tube videos, viola it turned out great! My edges are not perfect, because I saved a few bucks buying the smaller container of marine Tex. The messy squeeze out is important. I say go for it!

JMM1990 said:

Mcmillan states that the stock is drop in ready, bedding not required.

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Bear in mind that McMillan is competing head to head with all the chassis manufacturers that claim 'no bedding required'. So their advertising rhetoric is carefully crafted to match those claims by the chassis manufacturers.

JMM1990 said:

They use precision fit aluminum pillars.

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Wonder how they get that. Pillars are pillars. Without an action, the fit will be generic just like any other inlet. Maybe close depending on how good the action dimensions are.

Remember, every manufacturer is competing for those BIG bucks, $1,000 or more per stock depending on the model chosen. So spending some additional funds on the written claims will simply stand to benefit the manufacturer whether they are absolutely true or not. Most folks won't understand the entire process anyway.

I have made it a practice to bed every McMillan stock I use for builds, pillars or not. I have skipped their house pillars in favor of the ones I make and install. Chassis can be hit or miss depending on the machining (programming). Some are really good while others can be a little sloppy. These days there is no excuse for a v-block chassis to be off at all.

Enjoy your build!

yukonal said:

Right. Its a lot of fun sweating to get it all bedded before the compound sets up. And hoping you got enough everywhere, and have nice squeeze out. It's fun cleaning up all that crap with q-tips and getting the compound all over everything...no matter how hard you try not to. And it is especially fun trying to get sleep that night, hoping that the next day when you try to break it open...that it actually comes apart!!!...lol

But, when it pops apart, and you see a perfect bedding job, it's all worth it. And you can tell yourself how much fun it was...lol

Click to expand...

yukonal said:

Right. Its a lot of fun sweating to get it all bedded before the compound sets up. And hoping you got enough everywhere, and have nice squeeze out. It's fun cleaning up all that crap with q-tips and getting the compound all over everything...no matter how hard you try not to. And it is especially fun trying to get sleep that night, hoping that the next day when you try to break it open...that it actually comes apart!!!...lol

But, when it pops apart, and you see a perfect bedding job, it's all worth it. And you can tell yourself how much fun it was...lol

Click to expand...

Fun and misery sometimes have alignment

It's worth the $150 IF you can see previous bedding jobs from the GS. I have had a few disappointments when handing over that kind of money for a stock just to have some hack job slap material in it and call it a bedding job.

For fit and confidence in stability, a real bedding job is definitely my preference.
One and done.