Bedding question

[Varmint Hunter]

I've got a custom rifle that I recently started working with. While a few good groups were attainable, they were not repeatable. The results seemed more like an optic/mount issue. Yesterday I grabbed the scope by hand and tried to move it and was shocked to see the entire barreled action roll in the stock. I was able to roll it clockwise and counter-clockwise a small amount and was even able to slide it forward and backward at least an 1/8", maybe more.

Went home and removed the screws, which were only finger tight, and looked at the bedding. The bedding looked very well done but I could easily move the action around while holding it down into the bedded stock. None of my other bedded rifles will allow the action to be moved when set down into the bedding.

I installed the action screws and torqued them to 65 in/lbs and everything seems tight but I just can't believe that this is right. What do you guys think?

 

[243winxb]

After tighting the screws, the target will tell you if all is ok.
The 1970s Remington 40X has very little bedding in their wood stock model. Front lug only. . Its possible to shoot groups under 1" @ 300 yards.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I understand that it is customary when bedding a lug to leave the front and bottom of the lug free of bedding compound. This rifle obviously has no bedding along the sides of the lug which allows the action to roll. Is this the way lugs are bedded now?

 

[Rick Richard]

All of mine are a snug fit with no play. Sounds like it needs to be rebedded.

 

[sierracharlie338]

In my experience no but I'm not a gunsmith either. All of my bedded rifles are snug to the point it takes a little tap to get them to come loose sometimes.

 

[David Emerson]

I leave room in front and under the lug but the sides are tight. And not much room. When I bed I use plumbers tape on the bottom and front. About .005 thickness. And make sure your screws are tight. The old way was front tight and the back tight but not real tight. And if a 3 screw the middle barely snug. When I bed the action is bedded front to back. So screws are tight but if a 3 screw the middle not so much. The object of bedding is a perfect fit, reduced vibration, and no torque on the action. And of course screws not tight when you put the action in. I tighten it to hit bottom and back off a quarter turn while the glass is setting up.

 

[archangel485]

I'll say I think it's fine and done properly. I have read quite a bit on forums as I was wanting to bed a few rifles myself, and it seems most say only the back of the recoil lug should contact the bedding (no sides, not the front, not the bottom). So when I bedded those rifles that's how I did it, and they all shot phenomenally well. What really cements the idea that you only want the back of the lug contacting the stock for me is looking at chassis. If you look at the popular chassis available (they say no bedding required) the only place where the recoil lug contacts the chassis is in the middle of the lug on the back of the lug. They generally have a slight cut on the sides that go behind the recoil lug making it where the back side of the sides of the recoil lug don't contact, just right in the center.

I think you discovered the issue which is the fact your action screws weren't torqued down. That would definitely mess up your repeatability.

Here is a picture of the popular bravo chassis, you can see how the recoil lug area is cut, in my mind the only reason to have this additional cut towards the back is to ensure the sides don't touch at all.

 

[xsn10s]

Torquing to 65 in/lbs might not be the best solution since some actions have a "method" of torquing and "tuning" the action. A call to the smith who made it would probably help or some research on the action. I'd tighten the stock making sure the recoil lug is seated to the smith's or manufacturer's specs and test it out. The actions I bedded were pretty tight, but what really matters is how it works when everything is tightened up properly.

 

[archangel485]

Torquing to 65 in/lbs might not be the best solution since some actions have a "method" of torquing and "tuning" the action. A call to the smith who made it would probably help or some research on the action. I'd tighten the stock making sure the recoil lug is seated to the smith's or manufacturer's specs and test it out. The actions I bedded were pretty tight, but what really matters is how it works when everything is tightened up properly.

Good point on the torque. I generally use 35 in-lbs on my rifles that are in stocks. I only used 65 on an MPA and a Bravo chassis because that's what those companies recommended.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

This is a Stiller action bedded to a Manners EH1 stock.

 

[xsn10s]

This is a Stiller action bedded to a Manners EH1 stock.

If you have aluminum bottom metal then 65 in/lbs can crack it. I learned that at Remington's 700 Armorer's school. But of course I torqued my PSS to 65 in/lbs before I went to the class because the interwebs suggested doing that lol. I'd just shoot it and see how it's doing, it'll probably be just fine.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Bottom metal was milled from billet aluminum. I'll drop the torque down to 40lbs.

 

[xsn10s]

Bottom metal was milled from billet aluminum. I'll drop the torque down to 40lbs.

Billet aluminum is probably far better than what I have. I'm sure mine is cast. I'd play with the torque. What cartridge is the rifle chambered for? What is it's intended use? Sounds like all great components, I'm sure you're GTG.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

6.5 PRC - the rifle wears a brake and is a pleasure to shoot.