Anschutz Owners, Pillar & Glass Bedding, Improves accuracy or not?

[Boltpistol]

I have two Anschutz rifles. A 1416 MPR with two stage trigger and Harrels tuner. Also a 54 Sporter from around 1970. It uses only the middle and rear tang screws for bedding. They both shoot in the 2's & 3's at 50 yds. with mid priced target ammo that they like. With all my centerfire rifles I machine stainless or brass pillars, glass bed the action and freefloat the barrel. Before I do anything to my two Anschutz 22lr rifles I would like to hear from other Anschutz owners about their results. Glass bed or not, freefloat or not? I don't want to mess up two fine shooting rifles. Thanks to hear of your results.

 

[DGP4]

I have two Anschutz rifles. A 1416 MPR with two stage trigger and Harrels tuner. Also a 54 Sporter from around 1970. It uses only the middle and rear tang screws for bedding. They both shoot in the 2's & 3's at 50 yds. with mid priced target ammo that they like. With all my centerfire rifles I machine stainless or brass pillars, glass bed the action and freefloat the barrel. Before I do anything to my two Anschutz 22lr rifles I would like to hear from other Anschutz owners about their results. Glass bed or not, freefloat or not? I don't want to mess up two fine shooting rifles. Thanks to hear of your results.

I doubt you will improve on those numbers with bedding. My 1416 in my opinion shoots just fine without bedding, although I did free float the barrel. My CZ 455 had flyer issues and shot well but not great. I bedded the action and found that it improved accuracy and rid me of the flyers.

 

[PWNolan]

Hard to say for sure but, unless the original inletting/bedding is a mess and the rifles shoot poorly, you probably won't see much of a accuracy increase overall. What you might see is a little more consistency day-to-day providing the bedding job is done properly.

I'm a bit a accuracy nut and I even have a brother who does high level gunsmithing that includes beautiful stock and bedding work, Yet my 1416 AV and 1712 still have the original bedding. I haven't bothered him with it because both rifles shoot really well

 

[Frankr]

Yea I doubt you could improve on 2 & 3’s.
I would not touch em.
My 1416 is bedded. It’s a tricky job due to there really is nothing for the bedding. Just a wide open hole with a small edge. The rear trigger screw is a hex nut that the rear action screw threads into. None the less I bedded mine in two different stocks and with a tuner on the end of the barrel. I feel it’s a solid .3 shooter.

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Bedding a rifle is always a positive if it is done correctly.
I have done only one repeater a 64 MPR the rear pillar was rather challenging not much material in the area. here is how I did the bedding. I also replaced that weird rear action screw setup with a single screw. as you can see, I did the rear pillar differently than what is shown in the first picture. the rear pillar picture shows initial bedding to place the pillar. I don't have any finished bedding pictures.

Lee

 

[dstoenner]

Bedding a rifle is always a positive if it is done correctly.
I have done only one repeater a 64 MPR the rear pillar was rather challenging not much material in the area. here is how I did the bedding. I also replaced that weird rear action screw setup with a single screw. as you can see, I did the rear pillar differently than what is shown in the first picture. the rear pillar picture shows initial bedding to place the pillar. I don't have any finished bedding pictures.

Lee

I agree completely. I bedded mine that was shooting similar numbers and it got better and it was more tolerant of different batches than when it wasn’t bedded

David

 

[wkdickinson]

I had a 1976 Anschutz 1413 "Super Match" that kind of "rocked" in the stock when loosened and I just never liked the feel of the action screws when I tightened them up. So I sent the rifle to Alex Sitman at Masterclass and had him install aluminum pillars and bed it with a new recoil lug. The bedding job was beautifully done! I could never objectively prove the gun was more accurate afterward, but it sure fit tightly into the stock and the action screws came up really solid. If nothing else is gave me more confidence in the rifle.

 

[Boltpistol]

Bedding a rifle is always a positive if it is done correctly.
I have done only one repeater a 64 MPR the rear pillar was rather challenging not much material in the area. here is how I did the bedding. I also replaced that weird rear action screw setup with a single screw. as you can see, I did the rear pillar differently than what is shown in the first picture. the rear pillar picture shows initial bedding to place the pillar. I don't have any finished bedding pictures.

Lee

Hi Lee, I was going to do as you did with a single screw at the rear and a pillar like yours. Did the accuracy and consistency of POI improve? Thanks Lee

 

[dstoenner]

You know that when you bed a 54 action you float the very rear of the action. There is no screw in it so it is easy.

David

 

[diyj98]

I bought a used Anschutz 54 once that the previous owner had glass bedded. It shot poorly (for an Anschutz). I blamed his bedding job, but it later hit me that he may have resorted to the bedding because it wasn't a great shooter to begin with!

 

[kevin nevius]

Just some opinion here:

Generally, all rifles perform better bedded (if it's done correctly, and is the correct configuration for the action).

For the round 54 actions, there is another benefit (that's pretty important). Over the years, the wood Anschutz stocks will gradually compress under the constant compression, and the forward bedding screw (under the tennon) can and will eventually contact the barrel tennon. It then strips easily - the actions are purposefully soft in the tennon area so they can be easily pressed / pinned. Anschutz actions shoot well as they "seat" into the stocks through the years though - the connection between the stock and action becomes as seamless as when bedded - but the wood is still susceptible to conditions and subsequent movement that bedding is not. PS - I pillar bed these to eliminate movement.

The flat bottomed 2000 series shoots well pillar bedded also (that's how I used mine for many seasons). The tennon diameter is critical though - if you change barrels and the tennons vary, the corner that carries the clamping screws will move.

Personally, the best shooting guns I have ever built (smallbore or long range) were conventionally bedded, cleaned, and glued into the stocks. The Swindlehurst shoots exceptionally well glued in.

Right now I am using bedding blocks - which honestly I don't like, but the versatility of using the same prone stock configuration for all of my barreled actions pays dividends with hold / fatigue. I have tried to build identical guns for multiple disciplines before - but they always feel different. The only way to cross train and have the guns feel the same is to use the same stock for everything.

Oh, and one other thing - all epoxies are not created equal. The best one IMHO (for hardness, durability and limited shrink) is the Devcon Steel / Aluminum line. Temperature during cure is critical, and mixing thoroughness and weighing the resin / catalyst is also critical. Very small amounts either way (error) equals wasted effort (too much resin leads to softness, too much catalyst makes the bedding brittle).

Sorry, kind of veered off the rails!

All the best,

kev

 

[Boltpistol]

You know that when you bed a 54 action you float the very rear of the action. There is no screw in it so it is easy.

David

David, Thanks for your reply. As I mentioned in my first post my Anschutz 54 Sporter from 1970 has only the middle and rear tang screws. The receiver is drilled and tapped for three screws but the front screw in the floor plate is only a short wood screw. That's why I was asking advice on pillar and glass bedding it. On the 1416 MPR I figured front and rear pillars on it. Also should I bed an inch or two of the barrel or totally free float it to improve accuracy? Thanks for your input David.

 

[Hi-NV Shooter]

Hi Lee, I was going to do as you did with a single screw at the rear and a pillar like yours. Did the accuracy and consistency of POI improve? Thanks Lee

I know it didn't hurt with the bedding. as far as improved accuracy the rifle had a Benchmark 3G put on it. it was shooting really good.

Lee

 

[TRSR8]

I shot a 54 sporter for years in IR 50/50, pillared and bedded, as others have said, done properly no downside.

 

[shoot4fun]

I'm not sure you will buy an Anschutz thru Anschutz North America that isn't bedded. My 1727 came bedded and it is a fantastic shooting rifle.

 

[ddkearney]

I'm not sure you will buy an Anschutz thru Anschutz North America that isn't bedded. My 1727 came bedded and it is a fantastic shooting rifle.

I purchased a new 64MPR from ANA about 2 years ago. Bedding was an option at that time (not sure about today). I did pay extra to have them bed it. Their bedding does not include any pillars.

Don

 

[searcher]

I have a model 141 sporter that I pillar and glass bedded long ago. It helped the accuracy very noticeably. I agree with others - if properly done, it sure won't hurt. After posting this, I realized I have bedded (or had bedded, as the case may be) - every bolt gun I have ever owned. They all realized at least some noticeable improvement.

 

[nulzehb46]

I'm not sure you will buy an Anschutz thru Anschutz North America that isn't bedded. My 1727 came bedded and it is a fantastic shooting rifle.

Any complains on the 1727 overall… I’m considering one of these

 

[shoot4fun]

Any complains on the 1727 overall… I’m considering one of these

Zero complaints!
I honestly had my heart set on a 54.18 in the AIATX chassis (RTR RED.
I made a visit to GSI/ANA and was able to be hands on with all their offerings and, alas, all their stocks/chassis systems offered EXCEPT the Accuracy International. After comparing the 54.18 and 1727 I was kind of heartbroken by the rather large uncharge for a 1727 in the AI chassis (about $1700) and went home thinking I would be just as satisfied with the 54.18.
The look, feel and operation of the 1727 stuck in my head and the day I decided to call ANA to order I found a slightly used 1727 GRS on a forum at a great deal.

 

[nulzehb46]

Zero complaints!
I honestly had my heart set on a 54.18 in the AIATX chassis (RTR RED.
I made a visit to GSI/ANA and was able to be hands on with all their offerings and, alas, all their stocks/chassis systems offered EXCEPT the Accuracy International. After comparing the 54.18 and 1727 I was kind of heartbroken by the rather large uncharge for a 1727 in the AI chassis (about $1700) and went home thinking I would be just as satisfied with the 54.18.
The look, feel and operation of the 1727 stuck in my head and the day I decided to call ANA to order I found a slightly used 1727 GRS on a forum at a great deal.

Thank you for the response