BROWNING 78 Bedding Advice

[elkaholic]

I'm building a b-78 custom and was wondering if anyone has any bedding advice for this action. Since they don't have a barrel lug I'm guessing that the tang bedding is quite critical. What I've done so far is machine out a piece of aluminum, drilled out the tang area and epoxied in the pillar. I then put a thin layer of epoxy on all the wood to metal contact around the tang and it seems to fit perfectly. When I get the new bartlein barrel installed, I plan on torquing it down pretty snug. Am I on the right track? Is there more that I can do? Thanks in advance!.......Rich

 

[NesikaChad]

There's lots of ways to peel the skin from a cat.

Since your having a barrel installed, why not just add a recoil lug and bed accordingly?

 

[elkaholic]

There's lots of ways to peel the skin from a cat.

Since your having a barrel installed, why not just add a recoil lug and bed accordingly?

Is that something that has been done with a B-78? Where would you put it?....Rich

 

[NesikaChad]

Honestly, I have no idea. I'm not familiar with the action at all so if I sound like an idiot I apologize. I built a Sako once that used no recoil lug. It was keyed into the front guard screw hole. I didn't like it so I just modified the barrel tennon and cut the face of the action enough to provide something for it to shoulder up against. (the recoil lug) I chambered the gun in 6mm BR and it shot well so I guess I did ok.

I just kinda made the assumption this action is similar. Got any pics?

Chad

 

[elkaholic]

Honestly, I have no idea. I'm not familiar with the action at all so if I sound like an idiot I apologize. I built a Sako once that used no recoil lug. It was keyed into the front guard screw hole. I didn't like it so I just modified the barrel tennon and cut the face of the action enough to provide something for it to shoulder up against. (the recoil lug) I chambered the gun in 6mm BR and it shot well so I guess I did ok.

I just kinda made the assumption this action is similar. Got any pics?

Chad

A B-78 is a falling block single, similar to a Ruger #1. I really don't see any possible way you could add a lug to this kind of setup. There is a steel bar that extends almost a foot out of the front of the receiver that the fore end attaches to which pretty much rules out any modification....... Rich

 

[NesikaChad]

There are multiple levels of feeling dumb.

I have now achieved the level of "Grand Master" and shall go forth a humble little man from now on.

 

[elkaholic]

There are multiple levels of feeling dumb.

I have now achieved the level of "Grand Master" and shall go forth a humble little man from now on.

Been there done that

 

[Bulseyetom]

I believe it was on 6mmBR but maybe Benchrest.com a month or so back where somebody had a picture of a custom 78 that was a true one holer! My out of the box 78 in 25-06 is about 3/4 moa and I bought one for my hunting partner that is probably 1/2 moa. If you can find the owner of the rifle I saw online he could point you in the right direction as he had pictures of his groups that would shame most bolt guns. I remember he said Kreiger set up the tooling for his octagon barrel and would never do it again as it was so expensive so maybe a call to Kreiger would get you started. I cannot remember who his gunsmith was. Good luck with your project. My 78 is my hunting rifle of choice and the only time it ever failed me was when I fell and got snow in the action and the hammer froze! I thought I was going to have to build a fire to thaw it enough to fire but working it for about two minutes got it where it would work most of the time. 15 minutes later I killed the biggest mulie I have ever taken. I was sure glad that the gun fired when I pulled the trigger! Tom gun)

 

[Bulseyetom]

I just went to 6mmbr.com and went to the forums and searched "B-78" and right off the bat it gave me the forum topic to find the information about the rifle. It is a work of art two years in the making! Tom gun)

 

[elkaholic]

I believe it was on 6mmBR but maybe Benchrest.com a month or so back where somebody had a picture of a custom 78 that was a true one holer! My out of the box 78 in 25-06 is about 3/4 moa and I bought one for my hunting partner that is probably 1/2 moa. If you can find the owner of the rifle I saw online he could point you in the right direction as he had pictures of his groups that would shame most bolt guns. I remember he said Kreiger set up the tooling for his octagon barrel and would never do it again as it was so expensive so maybe a call to Kreiger would get you started. I cannot remember who his gunsmith was. Good luck with your project. My 78 is my hunting rifle of choice and the only time it ever failed me was when I fell and got snow in the action and the hammer froze! I thought I was going to have to build a fire to thaw it enough to fire but working it for about two minutes got it where it would work most of the time. 15 minutes later I killed the biggest mulie I have ever taken. I was sure glad that the gun fired when I pulled the trigger! Tom gun)

Thanks Tom, I'll check out a couple of those sites and see what I can come up with. Sounds like you like yours pretty well. .....Rich

 

[Bulseyetom]

People bad mouth the trigger on B-78's and mine has some creep but I have never felt the need to pack any other rifle for deer, antelope or hogs. I bought an adapter to allow me to use a Harris Bipod with the rifle and I probably carry that rifle on 85% of my hunts. I have never had an animal get away and have only had to reach into my pocket once when I missed on the first shot. I learned real fast and went from the kneeling position to the sitting position after that miss and dropped the buck with the second shot. Since I added the bipod, it is back to 100%. Mentally I think I take my time more with that rifle and make the first shot my last. I had several 1885 Brownings but they were heavier and in magnum calibers so I never liked them as much. I always drooled over the Lo-walls but never found a good enough deal on one to buy one and now they want a fortune for one. Tom gun)

 

[elkaholic]

People bad mouth the trigger on B-78's and mine has some creep but I have never felt the need to pack any other rifle for deer, antelope or hogs. I bought an adapter to allow me to use a Harris Bipod with the rifle and I probably carry that rifle on 85% of my hunts. I have never had an animal get away and have only had to reach into my pocket once when I missed on the first shot. I learned real fast and went from the kneeling position to the sitting position after that miss and dropped the buck with the second shot. Since I added the bipod, it is back to 100%. Mentally I think I take my time more with that rifle and make the first shot my last. I had several 1885 Brownings but they were heavier and in magnum calibers so I never liked them as much. I always drooled over the Lo-walls but never found a good enough deal on one to buy one and now they want a fortune for one. Tom gun)

I picked this one up because a buddy of mine had an '06 years ago that would shoot 1/2 moa all day long. They are spendy, but a really nice quality rifle. I'm putting a 28" Bartlein 5r gainer on mine. It's a custom cut modified Palma in 300 Sherman which is my own design. The guys at Bartlein are really good to work with. I make my own bullets and have a nice 190 gr. rebated vld with a brass ballistic tip which has a .747 B.C. I can't wait to get it all together and go on a spring bear hunt ....Rich