Stress Free Bedding

[Jud96]

I'm getting ready to bed one of my personal Remington 700 BDL Varmint rifles. I am wanting to try a different bedding technique than what I've done in the past. I want to bed this rifle as stress free as possible. I'll be using Marine Tex Grey and aluminum pillars. Let me explain my thoughts and then see if my ideas are good or bad or what you would do differently.

I plan to prep the action like normal but bolt the pillars on to the action with the action screws. I'll put tape around the barrel to align it in the barrel channel and set the height correctly. Then fill the bedding into the stock and around the pillars. I'll sit the action down into the stock and use the pillars to align everything. The pillars are around 0.480" and I'll use a 1/2" drill to open the stock up for them. I'll apply pressure to the action to press it down into the bedding by hand, then leave it sit in the vise with no clamps or anything on it. I want to leave the action sitting with its own weight just pressing on the bedding with no other stresses or forces applied. After the bedding sets up, I'll clean everything up. Then I'll bed the bottom metal next and just use the action screws to align it and keep it from falling out. Does this idea sound good and will it work out? My only concerns would be the action being rocked in the bedding and the action screws not lining up correctly. If I leveled the stock, then leveled the barreled action when it's in the bedding then I would think everything would align correctly. Thoughts? Thank you!

 

[WapitiBob]

I bedded my pillars first then did the action. I've done mine about a half dozen times now. The most accurate results were when I taped the barrel at the forend and used a cpl layers of tape at the end of the action tang to set the depth and stock clearance. I then set the action into the bedding and used stretched electrical tape around the assy at the center of the action to provide some continuous compression while the bedding set up. I centered my trigger laterally to get the rotation correct but your idea of leveling the stock and top of action would probably be more accurate. I did the pillars first so I could get bedding between the action radius and top of the pillars.

 

[Danny1788]

I bedded my pillars first then did the action. I've done mine about a half dozen times now. The most accurate results were when I taped the barrel at the forend and used a cpl layers of tape at the end of the action tang to set the depth and stock clearance. I then set the action into the bedding and used stretched electrical tape around the assy at the center of the action to provide some continuous compression while the bedding set up. I centered my trigger laterally to get the rotation correct but your idea of leveling the stock and top of action would probably be more accurate. I did the pillars first so I could get bedding between the action radius and top of the pillars.

I would not tape off the tang of the action EVER. If you leave clearance under the tag of the action when you tighten down the rear action screw you would be putting stress on the rear of the action and it would not be stress free. Bed the whole action with no gaps anywhere. i tape off two place on the barrel to center it in the stock and to help support the weight of the barrel. Tape on the front and bottom of recoil lug only

 

[WapitiBob]

. On this last job I taped on the last .100 or so of the tang, there's bedding under the rest of it.

 

[Tiny Tim]

I realize this is a Remington 700, but its relatively common practice to "float" a portion of the tang on Savage actions due to action screw placement.

 

[Bucklowery]

Yep tape around barrel for alignment and clearance. I use long bolts with no head for action screws while bedding and alignment of pillars. I push everything together by hand then tighten action up with wraps of electrical tape to keep from over torquing things. If your bolts are smaller than pillars id you can add tape to make them real snug. This will help center and give you extra space to make sure action screws are not pushing against pillars. Make sure you dry fit everything so there is nothing touching or binding

Thanks

Buck

 

[Dr. Vette]

If it's a wood BDL stock, I recently did one using Ernie's pillar kit:

Bed Heads Aluminum pillar Bedding Kit Rem. M-700 BDL

For Remington M-700 BDL Rifles. Ready to use, with no cutting or adjustment necessary. They are also a perfect depth guide when inletting custom stocks. Cut to finished length, and contoured on both

erniethegunsmith.com

You need to follow his instructions online, and yes I wish his pictures were larger, but it worked great!
I did not, and do not, use surgical tubing or anything similar to hold the action as I find the epoxy is stiff enough I don't need to.
I've bedded a lot of rifles but this was the first time I used his system with the pillars on a wood stock. I would highly recommend it.
In addition, since he's "not that young" I recently purchased a couple of spare kits for future use in case I need them.

Additional instructions here:

N0. 5. Aluminum Pillar Bedding for a more accurate rifle.

Pillar Bedding for Accuracy, a step by step guide in 25 photos. In a stock of wood or fiberglass, you must first build a solid foundation. This "2 step" installation process is designed spec

www.erniethegunsmith.com

 

[Dosh]

96, your process sounds good. Many miss leveling the stock/action to the same axis. The rubber strap used on the arm when I have blood drawn works very well to hold the action and leave no marks. I asked the nurse for it and she gave me six.

 

[Pdvdh]

I think I'd hold the barreled action down with slight pressure with electrical tape or some stretchy rubber bands or rubber tubing. Would hate to come back and find the barreled action had tilted forward due to barrel weight and gravity.

Out of curiousity, which parts of your recoil lug are you planning to tape prior to placement in Marine Tex? Front, sides, or both?

 

[codyadams]

Jud, that is how I do mine, accept I use craft putty and tape off the stock to make clean up easier. I always worry I'm gonna leave a small fingerprint of epoxy somewhere on the stock, so I tape a lot of it off. I attached the pillars to this action after taking these photos, do dry run to make sure it drops down in without resistance, then add the epoxy. Tape on front of barrel, but only enough to keep it level with stock and not compress against the sides of the barrel channel. On more complicated actions like rugers and a few others, I epoxy the pillars first, then after I'm satisfied with that, I bed the action.

 

[Jud96]

Jud, that is how I do mine, accept I use craft putty and tape off the stock to make clean up easier. I always worry I'm gonna leave a small fingerprint of epoxy somewhere on the stock, so I tape a lot of it off. I attached the pillars to this action after taking these photos, do dry run to make sure it drops down in without resistance, then add the epoxy. Tape on front of barrel, but only enough to keep it level with stock and not compress against the sides of the barrel channel. On more complicated actions like rugers and a few others, I epoxy the pillars first, then after I'm satisfied with that, I bed the action.View attachment 247793View attachment 247794View attachment 247795View attachment 247796View attachment 247800

Awesome! Thank you.

 

[Dr. Vette]

I think I'd hold the barreled action down with slight pressure with electrical tape or some stretchy rubber bands or rubber tubing. Would hate to come back and find the barreled action had tilted forward due to barrel weight and gravity.

That's why you put tape around the barrel just before the end of the forend. It centers it, but also keeps it all in line.

I also have learned to put tape along the side of the action to match the edge of the stock. When the action is pressed into the epoxy such that the tape line is level with the side of the stock, we're good.

 

[ZSteinle]

Why tape up the recoil lug? I thought one would want that to be as snug as possible in the bedding compound?

 

[nksmfamjp]

Why tape up the recoil lug? I thought one would want that to be as snug as possible in the bedding compound?

Tape on front, sides and bottom do you can get it out....the lug should only locate axially.