Bedding...To Remove The Puddle, Or Not?

[yukonal]

I just finished pillar bedding one of my custom 223 Tikka barreled actions into a new GRS Hybrid stock. I did the same thing to a 308 last winter.

After checking the bedding job for stress, I had .005-.006 stress. This is the most I've ever had on a bedding job. I had left the puddle there.

I ran over to the mill and chopped out a few thou all the way around and came up with only .002 on the indicator, on the front screw. None on the rear. What a difference.

I know Alex will be shaking his head at .002, but this is very acceptable to me. I usually leave the puddle ahead of the lug if I have less than .003 stress on the bedding job, and have had good shooting rifles.

Do you guys knock down the squeeze out puddle ahead of the lug, or leave it? Seems I leave half of them, and have to cut out the other half.

 

[DickE]

2-3 layers of heavy 2" masking tape around barrel and neutral shoe polish on top, leave the puddle.

 

[yukonal]

Must be a trade secret. Maybe I shouldn't have let the cat out of the bag...

 

[bigngreen]

I always remove it as it's ugly IMO, I put a layer of tape on the stock so I just take a pass with a small end mill across the front of the recoil lug area down to the stock and the puddle just pops out and leave a nice clean looking job.