Bedding single shot 40X actions

L

Lucky Shooter

Guest
I'd appreciate some knowledgeable advice on the best method of bedding the 40X actions to the rear of the recoil lug-----not a glue in job.

The standard method of bedding the lug itself is to have clearance around the front, bottom and sides of the lug, with contact only at the rear of the lug----no problems with that.

One method of bedding rear of the lug is to bed as much as possible all the way back through the tang.

Another common method is to bed to the rear of the lug back to about an inch or so behind the front action screw and under the tang----leaving the remainder of the action floated.

Do either of these methods have an advantage over the other ? I have a couple of guns to bed in wood stocks and am curious about which way to go.

Would appreciate any information.

A. Weldy
 
I think both methods work equally well as long as no stress is imparted by screws/clamps while the epoxy is curing...
 
I prefer a full length bedding job on the action for the simple reason of rigidity.
In my mind, more surface contact area equals more rigid and it really doesn't take much more time or bedding material to do it that way.
 
I use plan C. On my 40x centerfire I drilled and tapped the 'front trigger guard screw hole' to 1/4-28 and use it as the rear action screw. I float the tang the same way you do a Savage.

The first 40x I bedded was my rimfire and while I was grinding away the bedding in the area of the bolt release bits I came to the conclusion that there had to be a better way. Didn't seem right to have that big expanse of unbroken bed in front of the trigger and then the hacked up area from there on back to the rear pillar. I eventually rebedded the rimfire using the original sized fastener in the trigger guard screw hole. Then I floated the tang. Since a rimfire normally uses a lighter contour bbl than a centerfire I felt the small screw would be adequate. Also, at the time I did the conversion I didn't have the means to drill and tap it to 1/4-28.

On my 40x CF bedding job I bedded all surfaces of the recoil lug. In the past I always put tape on the bottom surface of the lug but I don't know if this is really needed with metal pillars. I haven't shot the new gun enough to see any problems. I do always chamfer all the edges on the recoil lug AFTER the bedding has hardened. I want the bedding bearing on the flat surfaces, not the edges.

Bedding the action is my least favorite part of building a rifle which is why I am working on my own concept of Shelley's Tinker Toy:D

ETA: If I ever bed another Rem [ especially a 700 ] using the original rearmost screw I will just bed the rear pillar and the area from the front pillar to the recoil lug. I will float the rest.
 
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I found that it helps when bedding a round action to relieve a 3/8" strip right along the length of the bedding at the lowest point (screw line). I do that by taping with a strip or two of masking tape.

I started doing this when I noticed signs in older bedding jobs of more (or harder) contact pressure in that area than on the rest of the bed. Clearing there gives the rest of the bedding a V block effect which keeps the action aligned and equalises tension over the whole of the bedding.

I have been know to tape off a strip each side on the waterline too, as that part of the bedding doesn't benefit the setup all that much either.
 
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Thanks for the replies

There were some techniques I'd never known about----plenty of ways to get th job done.

A. Weldy
 
40x

Hi Alan,
Take a look at www.scorehi.com with his pillar beding system. I have used it on 2 40X rimfires and some Rem 700's and love his system of using the non binding pillars on the action screws. This is the best I have seen and will continue to use them.

If you want to talk about it give me a call. You may still have my phone number.
Gene Stroyan
 
Pillars

Hi Gene,

I'm aware of these pillars but haven't used any.

Haven't heard much out of you and Don lately. Hope you're shooting them into the right hole.

A. Weldy
 
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