Technique advise for Mtn Rifle

[Bigeclipse]

Aluminum block or not I'd bed under the chamber and around the recoil lug at a bare minimum.

I'm to the point I won't bother shooting a rifle at all without first bedding it as I've found going through a couple of dozen rifles over the last decade or so I'm going to end up having to do it anyhow.

Eliminate all the variables you possibly can before trying to work up a load and you'll have far less frustration.

The biggest reason i didnt was because there is literally no gunsmiths near me and although I think I could learn to do it myself, I did not want to try my first time on a 1000$ rifle. The good news is I just found someone who does bedding a lot. I need to figure out a price though. What should I expect to pay for this? I know it probably veries quite a bit but I just want to make sure im not getting ripped off completely.

 

[WildRose]

The biggest reason i didnt was because there is literally no gunsmiths near me and although I think I could learn to do it myself, I did not want to try my first time on a 1000$ rifle. The good news is I just found someone who does bedding a lot. I need to figure out a price though. What should I expect to pay for this? I know it probably veries quite a bit but I just want to make sure im not getting ripped off completely.

It's really not that difficult a process. There are hundreds of "how to bed a rifle" videos on Youtube. If you're handy it's a process that takes about 3 hours total time spread out over a couple of days.

I've bedded all of my rifles myself so I have no idea what "the going rate is". A hundred or hundred and a half I would think to be fair.

The biggest issue is the prep and cleanup and making sure you have good releasing compound and have it in all the right places.

On the first couple of rifles I did I didn't and had a hell of a time getting them to release! LOL. I actually got to the point of being afraid I'd have to take one of them apart with a saw and chisel but finally got it to break loose with leverage and heat.

 

[cowboy]

It's really not that difficult a process. There are hundreds of "how to bed a rifle" videos on Youtube. If you're handy it's a process that takes about 3 hours total time spread out over a couple of days.

I've bedded all of my rifles myself so I have no idea what "the going rate is". A hundred or hundred and a half I would think to be fair.

The biggest issue is the prep and cleanup and making sure you have good releasing compound and have it in all the right places.

On the first couple of rifles I did I didn't and had a hell of a time getting them to release! LOL. I actually got to the point of being afraid I'd have to take one of them apart with a saw and chisel but finally got it to break loose with leverage and heat.

Everything WildRose says above has a lot of truth in it. Price: at 100 bucks is a good deal, at 150 bucks it's on the high side of fair deal. If you 've never done it before, don't have the knowledge or know how I think 100-150 bucks on a 1000 dollar rifle is pretty fair price, and it's a really good deal if it solves your problem.

On a lighter note: what is your trigger like and what kind of shape is your barrel crown in? I don't care if it's new - seen new ones with iffy crowns/triggers. If you are happy with both your trigger and crown then I'd do a little test: get on the bench and run 10 dry fires and watch to see if you have any scope reticle movement when you drop the hammer. If in one of those 10 rounds you see your reticle move you've got other problems to address.

I will tell you this. I have two of the very first (mid 1980's) Rem 700 mountain rifles, 22" barrel (.550") at the end in '06 and .280 rem. I shot the barrel out of the .280 and used the action for a new build. Still using the '06 with 208 gr. Amax's and that will make you pay attention when you light a primer. With both rifles I have to really concentrate to be directly behind the rifle. If you get on a bench, get comfortable, then lean sideways into it - them suckers not only jump up but want to bounce to the right (I'm a right hand shooter).

I've never seen a rifle shoot worse after a good bedding job and it will give you a lot of insurance for future use but I got a feeling with a lot of dry firing you can do nothing but improve your results. Any gun that I own that I would even come close to be called a 'tack driver' weights twice as much as these light mountain rifles - but if I'm headed goat or sheep hunting - the tack drivers ain't strapped to my pack.

Good luck and stay with it.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I've bedded one rifle...a model 70 in 30-06, bedded it in a McMillan stock...first and only rifle I've ever bedded.

Was it hard? No...

Was it nerve wrecking? Yes...worried it would stick or just not turn out right.

It turned out great for a guys first time, and the rifle did shoot better with the bedding...the rifle..



The bedding...I used MarineTex.



Do your homework...watch the youtube videos...don't take shortcuts, don't get in a hurry, plan it out in detail before you start...and use a good release agent....I used Kiwi neutral shoe polish.

Plan your work, then work your plan...prep work is VERY important!