Full Length Bedding??

[mram10]

Just got a 308 Baer from a friend and put it in a custom aluminum epoxy stock. The barrel is a 28" AMU and I wondered why it wouldn't be the most accurate to fully bed the barrel and stock since they are both very sturdy. I have always been a 1" in front of the recoil lug guy, but it doesn't make sense to me on this one.

 

[Larryh128]

You are better off totally free floating the barrel. Full length bedding was done to a lot of hunting rifles years ago & it worked OK. The issue is that as the barrel heats & expands, point of impact is going to change. It might be slight but still enough to cause cold barrel/hot barrel groups.

 

[BoydAllen]

Other than the fact that I have never heard of any competition rifle being bedded that way, you should be good to go. Just kidding. Float it, all the way to the action.

 

[mram10]

Maybe they would win more competitions if they did full float them

Thanks guys. I didn't think heating would affect an AMU contour much. Partial float it is.

 

[jscandale]

I think it was an old tradition, most likely based on local opinion, the guys on the east coast traditionally bedded about about 1.5" forward of the recoil lug and the guys out west only bedded the action.

About 13 years ago, I was shooting a 1000 match at Camp Perry with a .300 Win mag prone rifle that I recently built. I bedded it in front of the lug like I learned (east coast). I always have some issue with throwing an 8 out the top for no reason at all. I sat in the bleachers talking to Earl Leibatrau and told him my problem. He asked me if if I bedded in front of the lug, naturally, I said yes. Then he asked if I had a match the next day, I said yes. He instructed me to remove the bedding under the barrel that night. I went to my team truck that night and removed it. The problem went away.

Today, I don't recall if I know anyone who beds under the barrel. I certainly don't and never would.

JS

 

[NO-GO]

Purchased older (50's-60's) custom FN Mauser , Bliss Titus barrel (25-06), it had been full bedded with barrel tension adjuster in forearm and as stated above it would start to move and by 3rd shot 3"'s high and left. removed gizzmo and cleaned barrel channel out. It now shoots 1/2"to 3/4" 4 shot groups. I'll be keeping this one, paid to much to start with, but much happier now.

 

[mram10]

Now I am considering removing some bedding from my other rifles to see if it improves accuracy. How do you get an AMU barrel to stay in the stock if you only bed the action area?? It seems like it would not be very secure with only the action bedded. Please explain what I am missing here.

 

[jscandale]

If the action is properly bedded, the concern of movement is a moot point and a non issue.

JS

 

[BoydAllen]

One other point, particularly for rifles with magazines, but also including single shots, well executed pillar bedding is for me, the only alternative to gluing in. It allows higher screw torque than is otherwise possible without compressing the stock, distorting the bedding, and stressing the action, which of course is detrimental to accuracy. Actions with magazines are a bit short on bedding area, and being able to increase the unit loading in the areas that are available, enhances bedding stability significantly. This is very old information, but just in case.....