Bedding receiver question

[mousegunner]

A few years ago I read an article that said the middle of a bolt action receiver should free float and only the front and rear should be bedded. Just for grins I used a couple extra layers of tape in the middle so there was no contact. Once the stock was in place you could slide a dollar bill right in the middle but the front and rear tang was firmly bedded. I dont know if it had any stress in it but my Rem 700 .308 Shot less than MOA with factory match ammo, so the question is does anyone do this? I'm fixing to do a Rem laminated stock that seems a little thin on the sides between front and read and I was going to free float the middle. I've done it both ways before but curious about the free floating middle idea.

 

[watercam]

Really depends upon whom you ask. According the high-speed shots of stocks flexing when being fired, your method would seem best. I have done it both ways on my hunting rifles but confess that for match rifles I pillar and fully bed Winchester and Barnard actions. If you have an aluminum bedding block fully skim bedding would work. Any injection molded stock, front and rear. Laminate, either I suppose but I personally would fully bed these. Sporter walnut, front and rear. Match Walnut, fully bed.
Frankly I think pillars and playing with action screw torque would make more difference.

 

[X Ring Accuracy]

The bedding on the sides of a Rem, Sav, clone, etc can get a bit thin no doubt. We bed the action (Sav no rear tang) and have had great results. What you are suggesting is not a biggie, just easier to bed the action versus front and rear only.

 

[tinkerer]

Personally, I pillar bed with the front stock bolt and recoil block back to the magazine well fully bedded and the rear bolt only pillar bedded so there is no walking after the front recoil area.

The idea is not to induce any stress in the action so it ideally repeatable.

I've seen actions fully bedded and milled out for triggers and such.

I think this is science, but with a lot of unknown variables as of yet. Seems a lot of people are doing close to the same thing, with variations. Also look at bedding blocks.

Larry
Tinkerer