now for something completely different!

[rbertalotto]

I built this rifle and had a heck of a time getting it to shoot under an inch. I tried free floating the barrel and adding a bit of barrel pressure at the forend. In both cases it shot 1.5", 3 shot groups.

I decided to try something radical. I bedded the whole action and the barrel in GE Silicone Seal. I kid you not! I simply coated the action and the barrel with release agent, rigged up a couple of action screws to hold the action a 1/8" out of the stock, filled the stock with silicone seal, and sqwished the action and barrel into the goop. After everything dried for a couple of days, I cleaned up the excess silicone and tightened up the action screws to 35 inch pounds.

Went to the range and put three shots into the same hole! Worked for me!

 

[NeilNE]

Interesting. I have thought about filling the barrel channel, but never got around to doing it. My interest is up. Your using a rubber type silicon, right???

 

[rbertalotto]

Correct, regular clear GE Silicone like you would use to seal around a window.

 

[larrykramer]

rbertalotto: Congradulations on your practical, cost effective innovation, and especially, the great results! Also, thanks for sharing this valued information. The silicone method just may be a more efficient and effective method of bedding and also reducing barrel vibration resulting in better accuracy. Keep up the good work: Larry Kramer, Victoria, Texas.

 

[rayjay]

I have wondered how this would work out. It will be interesting to see if there is any deterioration with age and use.

Mopar sells some awesome Silicone Sealer that has given me better results than any other brand I tried back when I was doing mechanic work.

 

[jackieschmidt]

My thoughts would be that the originol bedding was really bad, you achieved a 100 percent bedding job with the silicone.
While the silicone seems on the soft side, it is probably giving enough support to avoid flexing the action when it is pulled down into the stock......jackie