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Old 05-08-2008, 10:39 AM
Mysticplayer Mysticplayer is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2001
Posts: 1,387
There are plenty of articles on the net to help you with bedding. The key is ensuring the action is not stressed/bent during the bedding process. It should lie flat and even as close to the alum bed as possible (should make contact at a few spots) but not be bent to get there.

I have used Devcon epoxy steel but there are other brands. Any quality epoxy with a high steel content will do.

If you have concerns about doing this, any quality smith can do the work. Pay close attention that the recoil lug is fully bedded on all sides. It must be an interference fit to work at its best.

yes, this means harder to take apart but better functioning after. I like the factory recoil lug as the angles make removal a cinch. The straighter/vertical profile of Rem lug makes this more problematic.

When done properly, you will only need firm hand pressure to tighten the action screws which will stay tight during use. If someone says, you need to use a torque wrench and lot of force, run. Properly bedded actions are a glove fit so you just need to turn the screw tight enough so it doesn't rattle loose.

Holding a rifle together using action screw force is a clear sign of bad bedding.

To check if the bedding has been done right, put the action into the stock until it bottoms. Now try and move the action in any direction using very firm force. The action should not move forward or back nor roll. It should not tip or rock. The action should bottom in the stock with a 'clunk' and that is that. Should feel so solid that you wonder if you should bother with the action screws at all.

If there is a hint of wiggle don't worry, the action screws will take up the slack but you get the idea of what it should feel like.

I also like to bed under the barrel nut and maybe the first 1/2" of barrel. This eliminates any load on the action.

Make sure that the forend has lots of clearance around the barrel. These must not touch.

From here, just follow my reloading post and work up a load. I am partial to the SST's as they have shot very well for me over the years. Ballistic tips are also very accurate.

Once you know your rig can shoot and how well, you have a baseline to compare any other bullet more suited to your game or hunting style.

good luck with your project and post pics.

Jerry

PS for all those with alum chassis or fancy dollar stock, take this simple test. Remove the action screws and try to move the action in the stock. I bet you get alot of movement if you haven't bedded the action.

The worse I have worked on was a big name stock where you could move the stock fore/aft 1/8" and rotate it about 15degs. It simply rattled inside the stock.

Worse, when the action screws were tightened you could see and feel the action being bent into the stock. The bedding needed to be almost 1/8" thick at the low spot to level the action.

How's that for stressing an action?
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