Sako Pillar Bedding

[fshaw]

I just had a Sako 461 trued and rebarreled to 6x223 by a top gunsmith. I'm sure the next step to get it to shoot well is a good bedding job. A couple of questions. The 461's had a recoil lug that was integral with the action. The front action screw is threaded into the bottom of the recoil lug. It is my understanding that on Rem. 700's and custom BR actions the bottom, front and sides of the recoil lug are taped to provide clearance with the bedding compound. Since the bottom of the recoil lug is the connection point for the front action screw, I assume that the bottom of the Sako lugs aren't taped. Am I correct? Should I try to set a pillar to contact the bottom of the integral recoil lug or just epoxy bed front and back of action. In short, how should I bed it? The gun has a Hart Barrel and the action, bolt and barrel were done right. I'm trying to get it to shoot Barnes 85 TSX and 80 TTSX with H335 and H4895,but it's giving me fits.

Thanks,

Frank Shaw

 

[John Kielly]

Frank,

I've bedded Remington type actions & Mauser Style with the front screw threaded in the action. All of them needed the bottom, sides & front of the recoil lug taped.

When I bedded my L461 with the heavy Sako barrel, I tried to get as much of the bottom flat around the trigger & tang bedded as I could & still maintain trigger clearance. I figured that with such a short action, I might need to lean some on the back screw - more than I might usually do.

John

 

[Dennis Sorensen]

The idea of taping relief on the bottom, sides and front of a lug are so nothing may scrape off and build up underneath and keep the action from being tightened into the bedding correctly...

Stress free bed the front and rear of the action and about 2 inches of the barrel... you can add pillars if you feel 3 pounds of screw force is compressing your stock...

In the world of accuracy those actions are not the greatest regardless of how they have been worked.. and the caliber is a challenging one... good luck with it...