Sako bedding

[Zebra13]

Al,
Any thoughts on reducing the contact area on actions like this. I would have the tang, the bottom and rear of the recoil lug and maybe 5/8" under the front receiver touching. Free float the rest. There's a lot wood that could move affecting the bedding.

Dave,

On a 700 type action, do you "two point" bed, or bed the whole action?

Justin

 

[Al Nyhus]

What am I missing? The last two pics show the magnetic base mounted to the barrel AND the stylus contacting the barrel. When checking the bedding, I have always set the stylus on the top edge of the stock, just behind the fore-end tip - am I still, "all screwed up" following my last episode? RG

Randy, you're not missin' a thang! I hung the wrong pic Thanks for catching it.... always good to have a pard watchin' yer back trail! I've since corrected it.

Good shootin'. -Al

 

[Al Nyhus]

Al, any thoughts on reducing the contact area on actions like this. I would have the tang, the bottom and rear of the recoil lug and maybe 5/8" under the front receiver touching. Free float the rest. There's a lot wood that could move affecting the bedding.

Dave, I can't see any reason that wouldn't work. I spent some time around a couple of the V block varmint guns that Darrell Holland used to do. They had a short, large diameter straight section of barrel shank ahead of the receiver that was actually pillar bedded into the stock. The entire length of the action was free floating.

They shot really, really well. -Al

 

[alinwa]

What am I missing? The last two pics show the magnetic base mounted to the barrel AND the stylus contacting the barrel. When checking the bedding, I have always set the stylus on the top edge of the stock, just behind the fore-end tip - am I still, "all screwed up" following my last episode? RG

That's perty funny......

I thought the same thing but then I think that way about most things so I din't say NUTTIN!

Just happy to see someone take the time to use Wilbur's Board as it's intended

 

[Dave Tooley]

Dave,

On a 700 type action, do you "two point" bed, or bed the whole action?

Justin

I make my own 5/8" pillars for a 1.350" diameter actions. They are ever so slightly undersize. I mask off everything except a strip 5/8" wide on the bottom of the action and the rear of the recoil lug. Assuming all bedding shrinks some, the action is sitting in what amounts to V-Blocks with the undersize pillars. The pillars are easily cut with a fly cutter in a mill. My cutter hasn't been changed in 37 years. 1" wide electrical is your friend.

 

[penn63]

Well, those Coopers are generally fine shooting guns...no doubt.

I would say this: what happens when the action screw that threads into the lug is tightened and the lug has clearance on the bottom? The action flexes (common on the Coopers). And the stock flexes. Neither is good.Also, when the action flexes even a bit up front, the bottom of the recoil lug is tipped rearward....so now the back of the lug isn't making good contact.

Keep in mind it's time consuming to bed a threaded lug receiver correctly. As the Coopers are a semi production gun, I expect there are limits as to what they can spend time on. I've only done one Cooper and bedded the bottom with a short pillar and .040-ish of bedding compound between the pillar and the action...just like this Sako. It removed all the vertical it's owner had struggled with.

Hope this helps. -Al

Al, thanks for taking the time to clear things up for me. I only participate in club shoots, so I will probably leave things as they are. Les

 

[Al Nyhus]

I make my own 5/8" pillars for a 1.350" diameter actions. They are ever so slightly undersize. I mask off everything except a strip 5/8" wide on the bottom of the action and the rear of the recoil lug. Assuming all bedding shrinks some, the action is sitting in what amounts to V-Blocks with the undersize pillars. The pillars are easily cut with a fly cutter in a mill. My cutter hasn't been changed in 37 years. 1" wide electrical is your friend.

Dave, even on the 700's I do just a two point bedding job....back of lug, reciever ring to the mag cut and the rear tang....nothing on the sides.

I'm going to take your idea and try something on another bedding job that's in process. In fact, I milled the bedding I'd done out this morning. Yikes! -Al

 

[Dave Tooley]

Dave, even on the 700's I do just a two point bedding job....back of lug, reciever ring to the mag cut and the rear tang....nothing on the sides.

I'm going to take your idea and try something on another bedding job that's in process. In fact, I milled the bedding I'd done out this morning. Yikes! -Al

I'm sorry!!

 

[Al Nyhus]

I'm sorry!!

Too funny!

 

[Al Nyhus]

Finally got to the range with the Sako today. It was nasty...damp, humid and 18-22 mph fish tailing winds from about 11:00 to 1:00 o'clock flag position. I'd loaded up 10 rounds of Benchmark and some ancient Sierra 53gr. HPBT Match bullets to get on paper (no idea where they were for seating depth) and do a 'fire 1-and-clean thing' for a couple shots, just to get a feel for the barrel. After eyeball bore sighting, the first shot was 2" high and 3" left....always a good indicator. Ran the scope dot to the bullet hole for the second shot and it made the first hole about twice as big. Cleaned with two patches of Butches and a couple strokes with a wet bronze brush, then did the same after the next 3, firing those into the berm.

The remaining 5 rounds made a tidy .480 with a little vertical and l-r showing. With those conditions at my range, I'd have a hard time shooting .250 groups with a good 30BR. I left feeling pretty good. The sear needs a wee bit more engagement but other than that, all is good and I'll back out as soon as conditions are a bit more favorable for vertical.