Savage Model 12 F T/R .223 Action Bedding

[Linko]

Hi I have the savage target rifle Model 12 F T/R in .223. Great rifle. If anyone has this rifle or knows about it, I have a question. I have not pulled the action/barrel out of the stock. Is the action factory bedded? I would like to fine tune my rifle to maximize the potential by doing each thing possible, short of changing barrels. ( that time will come after this barrels life is up). I would learn how to bed the action if that is necessary and help the accuracy. My realistice expectations for me and my rifle is to shoot 600yds and below.

 

[jonbearman]

They are not factory bedded. When bedding one the rear section from the rear pillar back is free floated abd from the rear pillar forward is bedded. Leaving the factory pillars in dremel out about a 1/16 th depth of the wood without touching the pillar heaight and sand the rear section from behind the rear pillar area about a 1/32nd for clearance only. The recoil lug gets relieved in front about 1/16th and the same on the bottom. Tape off the sides and front of the lug as well as the bottom to leave a slight gap once the tape is removed after bedding. Do no tighten the action down while putting the receiver in but use bedding studs which you can make out of 3 inch 1/4-28 bolts with the heads cut off. Put the receiver in and with hand pressure seat it down to the pillars and get a bicycle tube and slice it in halves and basically make it into a long strip of rubber and wrap it with some tension so it keeps the receiver against the pillars and tie it off so it cant unravel. Look on you tube for bedding a savage action . Use a good couple coats of neutral kiwi shoe polish everywhere so it doesn't stick the metal to anything. I remove the trigger and use modeling clay to temporarily fill in anything you don't want to actually bed like all the milling cuts in the receiver and another product that works real well is brownells mold release. Which gets sprayed on the whole receiver including the recoil lug. Don't bed the nut in my opinion. Go to you tube and savage shooters forum for good tutotorials to do a good job. Tape off the stock so what oozes out can be removed by q-tips so you don't have to file it off or risk breaking off the edges of the stock.

 

[teele1]

Jon pretty well summed it up. Here's a link with most of that info
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/stress-free-pillar-bedding/
Richard Franklin also has a video for sale
and it's available for rent on SmartFlix
https://smartflix.com/store/video/3666/Stress-Free-Pillar-Bedding

almost as much fun as shooting