Bedding 40X action

L

Lucky Shooter A

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I'm getting ready to bed a 40X action into a HS Precision stock----aluminum bedding block, 3" flat forend, magazine cavity filled with foam, very good Kreiger barrel. This combo is already a good varmint gun but I'd like to improve it for an informal BR gun.

I normally bed Rem actions under the front receiver ring, behind the recoil lug and under the tang---usually with good results for a varmint gun.

The single shot 40X action offers much more bedding surface behind the receiver ring and I've seen pictures of beautiful bedding jobs---fully bedded receiver and cleaned up with a mill.

Does this full bedding produce better shooting results than just under the receiver ring and tang ?

I've also thought about bedding back to about the trigger-----any gains or losses in this ?

Would appreciate any opinions.

A. Weldy
 
I D&T'ed the front trigger guard screw to 1/4-28 and then floated the tang when I bedded the action.
 
I normally bed 700s as you described, and single shots bed the full action. There are those that are convinced that full bedding is best for all bolt guns. Whether or not it helps, it certainly does not hurt . If you carefully remove the "squeeze out" from the edges where the action meets the stock with a plastic scraper and Q tips before it sets, there should be very little clean up.

Scott
 
OK, but bear in mind this is just an opinion. No real proof.

When you have a barreled action, 40X or otherwise, the barrel puts a load on the action. The usual way of bedding is to support the barrel from below. When that support is removed, there will be some residual stress on the action, imposed by the now unsupported barrel.

Accordingly, you need a fixture to position the barreled action, so bedding is done with the barrel is in it's natural position -- i.e., exerting a small force on the receiver ring.

I prefer using the scope rings and a rod like a scope ring truing bar to support the barreled action. Then the stock too needs to be in some sort of a fixture to hold it in place... A nuisance to make, but once made, can be used for all subsequent bedding work.
 
Interesting point Charles. Not sure I want to build another fixture of any kind though!!!!!!!!


I like to pillar bed my rifles first then do a glue in.

Maybe I'm paranoid, but Dad once told me he had a glue in fail and the stock hit the ground.

After that.....I've been a firm believer of screwed and glued.


To answer the original question.....for a solid bottom action......I bed full length.

Repeater......front ring, recoil lug and tang.
 
Thanks for the replies

I appreciate all the replies plus Boyd's PM.

crb---This sounds like a good way to go but I don't currently have access to all the needed equipment.

Charles E---There is a thread, started by Zebra13 on 10/4/11 that discusses much of this-----some of the same posters.

Boyd----I did put an indicator between the barrel and forend and found that the bedding block had a high spot forward of the front action screw. More torque on the front screw lifted the barrel away from the stock, rather than pulling it down.

The gun now sits with some temporary bedding which floats the action for bedding----won't allow any rotation or any fore-aft movement. Doesn't address the need for barrel weight during bedding of the action.

I need to think about this a bit but I think I can remove the temporary barrel support to load the action during bedding.

I'm in no hurry with this-----just want to get a good shooter to do better. The "no action stress" during bedding works pretty well but maybe there's an even better method.

More later.

A. Weldy
 
Charles E

I removed the temporary supports from under the barrel and bedded the action from the recoil lug back into the trigger area----didn't bed the tang since there appeard to be pretty good contact between the tang and the bedding block.

The indicator now shows that the barrel movement tracks the front screw torque. Once tightened down, the indicator dosen't show any movement when the rear screw is loosened and even removed.

The gun still shoots most groups in the 2's and 3's but there initially appears to be fewer of the larger groups----certainly didn't hurt anything.

Thanks for mentioning the need for barrel weight while the bedding is wet----it was worth trying although I have no solid comparison to bedding with the barrel supported.

A. Weldy
 
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