Question for the "Rifle Smiths", a bedding question.

deadshot2 · Jan 13, 2012

Have had a question for a while and there doesn't seem to be one answer so I'll toss it out for discussion.

I have a .308 with heavy stainless barrel on a Remington action. I want to pillar bed it into a new stock. The question is how far forward should the bedding continue ahead of the recoil lug. Some say it should stop at the junction of action and barrel with just the back of the lug bedded. Another says to bed forward of the lug to at least "the center of gravity for the complete barreled action". The barrel measures .875 at the crown and some say the bedding should extend 2-1/4 to 2-1/2" forward of the lug to "remove stress from the threads". I recently saw a Les Baer custom that had the barrel bedded to approximately the end of the chamber/freebore. The attached target sure was impressive with 10 shots almost fitting into one hole (100 yards).

The question still remains, which is right and will give the most consistent accuracy over a wide range of shooting parameters, 5 shot strings up to 25 shot strings?

All comments and thoughts are welcome.

coop44 · Jan 13, 2012

bedding forward to the chamber area will provide more support, you have a bit of weight hanging out there. To help relieve stress on the mounting screws and the stock I usually bed into the chamber area. I have seen free float jobs that would actually be free floated when the barrel was pointed upward, and touch the barrel channel when aimed down range.

humdrum · Jan 13, 2012

I also bed only to the chamber/throat area, and have had great results on heavy free-floating barrels. Which approach is best would be determined by the stock itself and, of course, personal preference. If bedding a non-free floating hunting or plinking rifle I go the whole length of the barrel. Glassing a barrelled action to the stock substantially reduces temperature-induced stress of the stock (more so if wood) wich will pull the barrel during a shot or cause a pressure point along its length. Pressure points on the barrel create harmonic turbulance (for lack of a better term) which affect trajectory as the bullet passes through the bore. A long ago acquired, but never yet practiced, method (in theory) of bedding a rifle to its full potential, is to bed the barrel in increments of two or three inches if initial accuracy wasn't as good as expected. Do this until groups shrink (or open back up!). The bedding is harmonically dampening the vibrations of the steel until perfection is achieved. Either way you go you can be assured of a more rigid platform without change of bullet impact throughout the seasons. Coke or Pepsi, Ford or Chevy. You make the call, just have fun with it!