Stock bedding question

[ntsqd]

I'm very far from being an expert, but I've come to the conclusion with wood or composite stocks lacking a bedding block that bedding without pillars is a waste of time. I bed in a two step process too. I bond the pillars in place to set the height before relieving the stock for bedding material.

As to the OP's actual question, I've long felt that bedding to roughly the body to shoulder corner of the chamber is a reasonable RoT if I'm going to bed forward of the lug at all. As to when I do or don't bed forward, I don't have any RoT for that. If the barreled action looks like it should be, then I bed forward. If it doesn't, then I don't. It's not a Rule, it's an intuition.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Well. Here's my first attempt. We'll see how it turns out in 24 hours.

 

[Laguna Freak]

Like @Charles Duke , I bed the recoil lug and about 1 inch forward of the lug plus the tang. Be sure to prep the stock well with abrasion and cleaning the bedding areas. As mentioned by others, secure the barreled action in the stock with tape and action screws only finger tight. I use electrical tape. Modeling clay works great for dams and is cheap at hobby stores or amazon. Use plenty of neutral shoe polish as release agent. I just brush it on.
I also prefer Devcon Steel putty for bedding because you can produce effective pillars at the action screws.

My old Steyr Pro Hunter always shot sub moa with every ammo I shot. After I bedded just the lug and 1 inch forward, because the abs stock and safety assembly do not permit bedding the tang, it became a 0.3 moa rifle with my handloads.

 

[Hudge76]

Lots of good ideas here. I am going to bed my first action in the next few days. I'm actually doing two rifles. One I don't think will be a problem, but the Savage 11 has noting in front of the recoil lug. I saw an old YouTube video of someone bedding a Savage stock like mine, and they put bedding compound down from the recoil lug forward about an inch. I think I will do the same. If it doesn't improve this particular rifle accuracy, I think I may get rid of it. Really hoping the bedding job will help it though, as it's a .260 Rem and was a gift to myself when I retired from the AF.

 

[ewnanney]

Thanks guy's, all good info. I will definitely be using bedding studs and not the action screws. I know AG says they should shoot great un-bedded, but I don't like how much play there is in the action prior to torque the action screws down. Consensus seems to suggest to stop bedding at recoil lug so that is the way I will go.

 

[bigbull]

Amazing thing the internet so much information

 

[William W.]

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.

I bed a bit forward. This shows the clay bedding block and the piece of plastic that I used to raise the barrel for the first step of casting the lug support.

 

[Rflshootr]

Well. Here's my first attempt. We'll see how it turns out in 24 hours.
View attachment 571009

Well?

 

[JuddL]

I allow bedding to flow forward…but I have .010 of tape around my barrel about 2" in front of the recoil lug. Once the action is pulled out of the bedding and all that's removed, I still have clearance and it looks good. Once you start sanding on bedding it starts looking crappy. I use a thicker tape then I finish it with a smooth tape that looks similar to packing tape and has a real smooth texture.

It's taken me a lot of experimenting and I think I've finally got my process down where I like it. Near zero stress and something I don't mind a customer pulling apart and posting a picture of or showing a buddy.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Well?

Well, turned out pretty well. I used playdoh for dams and plugs and jb weld. I also used Hornady one shot as the release agent. No issues there. I had to dremel and clean up the mag well area. I also used electrical tape to center and free float the barrel.

I made it harder than it needed to be. Next stock will be a piece of cake. I'm stoked to have the first one under my belt!

 

[Kmccord]

Well, turned out pretty well. I used playdoh for dams and plugs and jb weld. I also used Hornady one shot as the release agent. No issues there. I had to dremel and clean up the mag well area. I also used electrical tape to center and free float the barrel.

I made it harder than it needed to be. Next stock will be a piece of cake. I'm stoked to have the first one under my belt!

Have you shot it yet to see if any improvement were made on group size?

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Have you shot it yet to see if any improvement were made on group size?

I did shoot it yesterday and it seemed to tighten groups slightly. The rifle is a REM 700 Sendero SF II chambered in 300 WM. The stock is an HS Precision M40 with an aluminum bedding block. The rifle already shot sub MOA, but I thought why not try and squeeze a little more out it. It certainly didn't hurt my groups. More testing to come.

If asked, was it worth doing the process, I say yes. It didn't hurt the accuracy of the rifle. I now have the peace of mind the stock and action will not deviate. I recall when I loosened the action bolt when starting the process how easy and sloppy the rifle came apart. Not now! Tight and repeatable when reassembled.

 

[Kmccord]

I did shoot it yesterday and it seemed to tighten groups slightly. The rifle is a REM 700 Sendero SF II chambered in 300 WM. The stock is an HS Precision M40 with an aluminum bedding block. The rifle already shot sub MOA, but I thought why not try and squeeze a little more out it. It certainly didn't hurt my groups. More testing to come.

If asked, was it worth doing the process, I say yes. It didn't hurt the accuracy of the rifle. I now have the peace of mind the stock and action will not deviate. I recall when I loosened the action bolt when starting the process how easy and sloppy the rifle came apart. Not now! Tight and repeatable when reassembled.

Yes, that is what I noticed on a build I have using an AG stock, the action and barrel would be sloppy when loosen the action screws, I had sub moa without bedding. Now with the action bedded, it doesn't wiggle when you loosen the screws. I used JB weld as well and it worked fine and Hornady one shot too. However, I have started using Brownells Arca release. I have another bedding job to try and see if the release is any better. Glad to hear it worked out great for you.

 

[FireFlyFishing]

Yes, that is what I noticed on a build I have using an AG stock, the action and barrel would be sloppy when loosen the action screws, I had sub moa without bedding. Now with the action bedded, it doesn't wiggle when you loosen the screws. I used JB weld as well and it worked fine and Hornady one shot too. However, I have started using Brownells Arca release. I have another bedding job to try and see if the release is any better. Glad to hear it worked out great for you.

I tried to do it on the cheap with what I had on hand. I had to buy some JB weld…but that's it. I had everything else. I'm glad I found a use for the Hornady one shot. I don't use it on cases anymore after having a couple cases stick. It's been lying around looking for a use.