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Should I rebed my rifle?

Adurity

As a long time woodworker, I know that even the most stable of mahoganies move over time to take on different dimensions, even if just slightly. And so I assume that every wood stock - even laminated stocks - moves over time. I also assume that movement will change the shape of the bedding material.

My question is this: Should I be rebedding my rifle every year or few years to accommodate this?

Art
 
Adurity said:
As a long time woodworker, I know that even the most stable of mahoganies move over time to take on different dimensions, even if just slightly. And so I assume that every wood stock - even laminated stocks - moves over time. I also assume that movement will change the shape of the bedding material.

My question is this: Should I be rebedding my rifle every year or few years to accommodate this?

Art
Click to expand...
Is there any material like a marker you could use on the bedding surface or action to see the points of contact? My guess is if it’s a laminate in a good bedding to that action it’d be rare that you’d need a rebed if done right the first time. But every 3 to 5 years couldn’t hurt..... the biggest questions are how often and how is it used? And has it’s accuracy fell off?
 
Depends on how it shoots. If you bed the gun and, say, it shoots consistently under a MOA and the groups are round with no fliers. Then it starts to scatter shots or shifts zero, then perhaps a rebellion might help. Usually when a barrel goes the groups open up and may actually become hollow. But fliers and or zero shift point to bedding going south.
 
Put your rifle barrel upside down in a vice close to the foe end tip. Put a dial indicator on the around where the front swivel would be. Carefully loosen and tighten each screw individually. More than .002"-.003" movement and it's time to re bed. If it's a competition rifle .001" or less is max.
 
An indicator test will tell you if there is a bind. Less than .001" movement of the stock when loosening a screw is the goal. That test will not tell you if bedding has shrunk or pulled away. And yes stocks can and do move over time. The less laminations the more the chance, but the humidity content may be the biggest issue. It can take a very long time for wood to dry. If you have the abilities, do it. I used to rebed my stock every couple months or any time I had a flier :rolleyes: It gave me confidence that it was perfect, but in reality I was only fixing my head and I knew it.
 
Dykem is really, really useful whenever you are dealing with matching surfaces in contact and need to know how much and/or where they contact.
 
"Dykem sticks pretty well. Its not going to rub off just by putting the action in the stock"

Riflewoman and Alex are on target here. Dykem dries fast and hard, Prussian blue or stock makers lamp black applied thinley will stay moist and transfer to high spots that are making contact.

Geo. Ulrich may comment on how tool and die makers "spot in" and hand scrape surfaces to perfect contact.
 
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