Bedding and free floating rimfire bolt actions

[ARW]

For those that have had their bolt action rimfire actions bedded and barrels free floated, did you have an improvement in accuracy or no improvement at all.

 

[1813benny]

For those that have had their bolt action rimfire actions bedded and barrels free floated, did you have an improvement in accuracy or no improvement at all.

Bedding (pillar bedding) made my rifles more consistent day to day.

I cannot comment to not having a free-floating barrel before and after as I would never own a rifle that did not have a clear well defined space between the barrel and stock from the get go....

 

[Schutzen2]

I just put pillars in a friend's Savage .22. It seems to have alleviated the vertical stringing issues it had before the pillars were installed.

 

[jsof]

Bedded a CZ455 to just forward of the lug. It was already free floating. There was an obvious improvement in the consistency.

 

[Pyscodog]

The only rifle I had adverse effects from floating a barrel was a Ruger 77/22. Accuracy went from not to good to bad.

 

[USMCDOC]

The only rifle I had adverse effects from floating a barrel was a Ruger 77/22. Accuracy went from not to good to bad.

on that rifle, does the front action screw also on an angle?

 

[Pyscodog]

on that rifle, does the front action screw also on an angle?

In all honesty, I don't remember. Its been a while since I owned that rifle.

 

[USMCDOC]

In all honesty, I don't remember. Its been a while since I owned that rifle.

there was a thing about rugers in one of the Gunsmith Kinks books about after bedding a 77, if it did't improve shooting, to put a 5K shim under the action behind the recoil lug.. well in the past, i've owned two 77's, one was a 22-250 and the other was a 243. I bedded both of those rifles, and i did the shim trick.. make both rifles go from half moa @ 100 yards to one hole groups @ 100 yards. two different rifles, at two different times, two different calibers and both got the same treatment and incurred the same results. So there really must be something to putting a shim under the action after bedding a ruger 77

 

[Schutzen2]

For those that have had their bolt action rimfire actions bedded and barrels free floated, did you have an improvement in accuracy or no improvement at all.

You didn't mention what rifle you're thinking about bedding. There are a lot of talented people here that may have experience with your specific rifle and may have a suggestion.

 

[ARW]

You didn't mention what rifle you're thinking about bedding. There are a lot of talented people here that may have experience with your specific rifle and may have a suggestion.

It's a Ruger 77/22 with a laminate stock and a Hart sporter barrel.

 

[skeetlee]

I build lots of 22’s here in my shop and I always bed them. It’s a must do!
Lee

 

[rebs]

What exactly is pillar bedding ?

 

[Tony K Harper]

What exactly is pillar bedding ?

True pillar bedding is when one installs metal pillar(s) between the bottom of the action and the stock. This is normally done by making two round post with a hole through them for the action screw(s) to pass. These post are glued in place and when the actions screws are torqued the pressure is taken by the pillars rather than the action bedding. Many make the pillars stand a little higher than the bedding material meaning the action only touches the top of the pillars. Now days many people install the pillars and fill the bedding up level with the top of the pillars meaning the action sits on the pillars and the bedding material and has support along its entire length.

In the picture you can see the pillars have been contoured for the round bottom action and the pillars are level with the bedding. These pillars are not round but most are.

TKH (4628)

 

[rebs]

True pillar bedding is when one installs metal pillar(s) between the bottom of the action and the stock. This is normally done by making two round post with a hole through them for the action screw(s) to pass. These post are glued in place and when the actions screws are torqued the pressure is taken by the pillars rather than the action bedding. Many make the pillars stand a little higher than the bedding material meaning the action only touches the top of the pillars. Now days many people install the pillars and fill the bedding up level with the top of the pillars meaning the action sits on the pillars and the bedding material and has support along its entire length.

In the picture you can see the pillars have been contoured for the round bottom action and the pillars are level with the bedding. These pillars are not round but most are.

TKH (4628)

Thank you for the explanation