Stock bedding question?

[Raythemanroe]

When bedding your stock I see most folks bed past the recoil lug an inch or so. My question is wouldn't this interfere with barrel harmonics?

 

[watercam]

That used to be the norm and many do it because it has been that way for some time. More recently gunsmiths specializing in benchrest and Long Range found that bedding the action and no part of the barrel does not reduce accuracy and may reduce unwanted issues caused by having some of the barrel bedded. I have done it both ways and in one case found that removing the barrel shank bedding increased accuracy significantly. One Savage target action I bedded for a friend had a now-normal straight tapered barrel that was so heavy I opted to bed an inch of it just to take a little bit of pressure off the forward action screw. It is an F-Open/.284 rifle that the owner shoots extremely well at 1000 yds.
It is easy to go ahead and bed the inch or so and then grind it out if you think it needs it.

 

[rayjay]

..was so heavy I opted to bed an inch of it just to take a little bit of pressure off the forward action screw.

Is this a mis-statement [ ] ?? The forward action screw has little pressure on it. The rear one is where most of the pressure is concentrated imo.

 

[Raythemanroe]

I would think it would change the harmonics, would it worsen the accuracy? I would like to hear from people that have tried both or have strong feelings on the subject. I can't decide, I feel bedding in front of the lug would produce more support but then again would effect Harmonics!

 

[Preacher]

These days, I never bed in front of the lug, I have found over the years that they just shoot better that way..

 

[Raythemanroe]

I have that suspicion!

 

[jscandale]

similar topic that can be useful...
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=3820904.msg36259453#msg36259453

JS

 

[Raythemanroe]

Kinda seals the deal for me, I was always taught to full float but every bedding job I see or read about has the inch or so past the lug!

 

[jscandale]

If you're going to bed past the lug, you should get a Mauser 98 action, smoke a pipe, use gas check bullets, and drive a 49 Plymouth to the range. It would also be good to keep a stack of 40s American Rifleman magazines on hand to complete the ensemble. ;D

JS

 

[Raythemanroe]

I am not going to bed in front of the action! I am surprised how many people do though and thought there may be something to it.

 

[Tim Singleton]

The 4 savages I have built for myself I have not bedded in front of the recoil lug. One has a 30" target barrel. They all shoot better than I do.

A friend of mine sent a savage PTA to Darrell Holland to be re barreled and bedded into a new stock.
I was surprised to see when we checked out the work it was bedded an inch and a half past the recoil lug. The depth of the chamber.

Is there some school of thought to think of the chamber area of the barrel and the action as one? Then free float past the chamber area?

 

[BoydAllen]

Not that I am aware of

 

[jscandale]

Is there some school of thought to think of the chamber area of the barrel and the action as one? Then free float past the chamber area?

Not so much a school of though, but opinions quanitified by more opinions. If someone tells you about some hard science to back up either opinion, just nod your head and smile.

JS