bedding scope base?

[arthurj]

Hey guys, well after reading around about whether to bed my scope base I decided it couldn't hurt. I read a lot about how actions can be off a little bit. I just recieved a Nightforce scope and a 20moa rail for it, it's going on a rem model 700. When I set the rail on the gun and apply pressure on one side the other does not lift at all. It seems to fit really well. Basically Im asking for someone to talk me out of bedding the base, or should I just go ahead and do it to be sure? Thanks

 

[Brent]

I'd still bed it. If you have access to a dial indicator and magnetic base, you can use it to now see the base flex from one of the front or rear screws as they are torqued down. If the rear edge of the front receiver ring, or front edge of the rear receiver ring sets a little low, when you torque the rear screw over the front ring, or the front screw over the rear ring, it WILL flex the base... this is a scenario where the base will appear to contact fully at the front and rear when in fact it is not. In this situation, it almost takes a dial indicator to establish which screw(s) can be snugged up, and by how much, without flexing the base while you bed it.

 

[arthurj]

Thanks Brent, I don't have access to the dial indicator or the magnetic base. Should I just bed it like I have read, put the screws in just enough to engage threads and sit a heavy bar in the rings to put pressure on it while it cures?

 

[Coyboy]

Sorry to interupt, but I never heard of bedding a scope base. What type of bedding material do you use? Please explain for a newbe. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[arthurj]

Well you just use one of the various bedding compounds to achieve a solid contact under your scope base, so there is no flex in the base, which would lead to stress on your scope.

 

[Glock119]

Ever heard the old saying be careful what you wish for it just may come true? Well heres my 2 cents to try to talk you out of it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Another way you might want to try or consider is to just lap the rings rather than trying to bed. Will accomplish every thing you want or should want which is to align the rings and give perfect matting surface in which to set scope in.

Also I have seen several ways to accomplish base bedding/leveling. I have seen folks do it as you would for bedding a rifle yet i have seen this fail as over time as material gets brittle, cracks and even breaksdown leaving problems to recorrect, I have seen folks use card stock trimmed to size and hardener applied to fit flush under front and back of base and screw are then snugged down slightly causing card stock to compress slightly and when hardener sets up you have perfectly fitted shims that take up any variances between the front and back, take a blueing marker or just a black permanent marker and apply to sides of your new shims and whala you'll have the look of steel shims. Of these two methods if i had to choose one it would be the shim style as it seems to do a better job from what I've seen. But there are several others as well but you did not state how you planned on doing, but assume by your response to another post it would be just using epoxy in a very thin layer.

Just my .02 but, if it was one of my expensive scopes (which I believe you said nightforce, which by the way is not cheap) and the base had no real movement when dryfitting then I would only lap rings as there is nothing to breakdown over time to cause problems in the future and this guarantees a perfect non marring, matting surface.

If you bed you still cannot assume that the rings are in perfect alignment and you would just end up lapping rings anyway to be positive. So I ask, why waste the time, money and possible problems down the road if there is no real reason to do so? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif


Good luck either way, /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Ben

 

[Pete Lincoln]

another reason for bedding a base is to prevent moisture from getting between the base and the action and causing rust. I bed all my bases to the actions with a think layer of devcon. It works well.
Pete

 

[arthurj]

Thanks for the help, now I am completely undecisive! I have some of Brownell's steel bedding compound I was going to use. I was going to apply a thin layer and use the weight of the scope for pressure until it cures. If it did start to break down in the future, that would be a major pain in the a--. The rust under the base does not sound like a good option either, so I guess I will just debate it with myself for little while! Thanks

 

[preacherman]

...just to make it a little more interesting... if you don't bed under the bases, use a good oil between bases & receiver to prevent wicking moisture & rust... just wipe it dry with patch after applying oil, enough oil will remain to help with rusting... sounds scary, but the screws will hold the bases intact; degrease & use proper grade of loctite on base screws... might be a good compromise for you... thanks

 

[Brien]

the scope base is heavy and adds lots of strenth to your action.. it is in fact so strong that it will warp your action (or bind ) if you dont bed it. no longer than it takes and no harder than it is i bed all of mine . no need for undue stress in the action... put the bedding on the base spray your action with release agent start all the screws in the action then tighten one up instead of putting something heavy on it
just my opinion...
Brien

 

[preacherman]

...in your case, since you're using a "high torque" installation with one piece rail, remington & NF scope, the only option you have is to bed the base... the rail is likely to be more straight than the action and it is the action that will flex to meet the rail, most likely... ultimate goal is confidence, if in doubt... go all the way!

 

[arthurj]

Well, I went ahead and bedded it this afternoon. I want to eliminate the possibity of any stress on my scope and action. Thanks for the responses

 

[Glock119]

Brien & Larry question please. In your post you folks write, "it will warp your action (or bind ) if you dont bed it / the only option you have is to bed the base"

Generally a base is bedded/leveled to compensate for machining error between the two and most notably on the two piece bases.

If his one piece base shows no movement left to right or front to back and seams to set level why would you state that the absents of bedding would damage action or is the only option?

Just wondering, maybe I missed something?

Thanks,
Ben

 

[Brien]

no two factory remy actions are alike.. that is why it doesnt work as well to take a stock that is bedded for one gun and put another gun in it... it works but not as well as the one it was fingerprinted for... the bases probably stand a better chance of being machined alike than any two remington acions.. the thing the bedding between the base and the action does is insures there is not stress or torque due to the action and base not being an exact fit... same as an hs precision stock i guess.. they rarely ever fit the action perfectly and could all use a good skim bedding just to avoid stress... but again as they all say.. just my .02$
Brien