Bedding Action - In Front of Recoil Lug?

[NealWright]

I've read every article I can find ... and still think this one is the best:
http://www.6mmbr.com/pillarbedding.html

However, none of them address the issue I'm questioning. In the picture it appears he's bedded the stock ~1" in front of the recoil lug. I can understand full encapsulating the recoil lug (front, back, sides). But, it appears he's extending it underneath of the barrel.

I am to actually bed this small portion of the barrel (and barrel nut ie. Savage F'Class)?

Using Devcon Steel Putty and Kiwi Neutral.
Thanks, Neal

 

[Preacher]

I never bed any of the barrel for whatever thats worth..
They all seem to shoot just fine that way....
Probably the best test is to bed the barrel and shoot it, and them dig it back out and shoot it again and see for your self what works for you...

 

[NealWright]

So, to never bed the barrel ... do you not bed anything in front of the recoil lug? Just the back, and 2 sides?

Thanks, Neal

 

[watercam]

Most folks in the know will say not to bed anywhere in front of the back of the recoil lug. Descriptions include tape on the sides, bottom and front of the lug so that when snugged into the stock the recoil lug bears tightly to the bedding where it needs to be holding best - against rearward recoil.
I have encapsulated the lug, or not. Bedded under 1-2" of barrel, then stopped when Alan Warner said not to. One can always bed the rear only, shoot it, then bed some more and see if it helps or not. Frankly, the match rifles where I bedded from the back of the lug rearward, leaving space behind the end of the tang, shoot really well. That's what I do these days and I am digging out any and all barrel bedding on my other rifles with the exception of my son's 10-22 - it needs all the bedding it can get.
Mike T.

 

[ronemus]

It depends on the action and barrel you're using. A relatively springy action (large port, magazine cutout, light tang) combined with a heavy barrel profile can lead to problems; that's why I bedded the first inch of the barrel on my Mauser '98. With a stiff single-shot target action, it's a non-issue and bedding the barrel has no benefit. So the answer is "it depends."

 

[NealWright]

Well, I guess I have both ... which is leading into the next question I had.

I'm bedding a stock Savage F'Class ... So a fairly stout action, single shot, small loading port RHRP ... and a HUGE barrel (stock 30" stainless).

I guess I'm understanding that I should NOT bed on the side or in front of the lugs though?? All bedding compound should be behind the main lug.

The next question coming is with the rear tang area. With the 3 bolt Target Action, I'm thinking I should only bed the area in front of the trigger guard ... and float the rear tang? Does this sound correct?

Thanks, Neal

 

[NorCalMikie]

You need a space under the rear tang. I bed just to the nut then cut the high spots off in the flutes so the barrel can be switched later if I want. The action rests on pillars.
This is for a repeater action that will get a single shot adaptor. The mag well has been filled in and will get full bedding when the adaptor gets here.
This is the way I do it. YMMV, Mike.

 

[bheadboy]

Neal,on all my Rem action, including 40x / 700's i have Hart bbls, all heavier than factory, and longer, Hart bedded all 1.5 "
in front of recoil lug and all fully enclosing the lug,

none fail to shoot well under anticipated, i find no falt in this bedding process. 22-250 sub .200, 280ai sub.400" etc.

Bob

 

[nhm16]

This is for a repeater action that will get a single shot adaptor. The mag well has been filled in and will get full bedding when the adaptor gets here.

What kind of single shot adapter are you using? I have a Savage long action with a blind mag that I'd like to convert to single shot.

 

[NorCalMikie]

This one happens to be one of the newer "center feed" (left hand) actions. Fred @ Sharp Shooter makes the adaptor. He also has the single shot follower for the older blind mags. (I use them on my older bench rigs) It fits on top of the spring plate and works slick. Sure beats dealing with feeding problems on some of the different calibers. Take them back out and you've got a repeater again.

 

[NealWright]

As far as bedding in front of the recoil lug ... I'm just wondering, if I remove the barrel. Would the barrel nut always be in the same place with a different barrel?

 

[NorCalMikie]

Neal: Probably not. That's the reason I knock off the bedding that sits high in the barrel nut slots. That way it will sit back in any position and still rest on the bottom of the action and in my case, the pillars. You could bed just in front of the recoil lug, or you could tape around the nut and that would leave a space under it. You just want full contact on the bottom of the action. Just make sure you use "lots" of release agent.

 

[NealWright]

I think I'm getting a pretty good picture of how I'm going to bed the recoil lug then ...

Everything behind and on both sides. I'll use a small amount of electric tape around the barrel nut to center the action ... and to keep bedding compound away from under the barrel nut. So the recoil lug will be bedded ~1/2way up on the front side. This will fully bed the recoil lug, and keep away from the barrel and nut.

Any suggestions on the back action screw and tang? I'm still thinking that I am supposed to stay away from the tang area, and leave it floating after the action is bedded?

Thanks, Neal