Bedding vs. full barrel block mounting

[hemiford]

Why is it a sin if any bedding compound goes past the recoil lug,
but it's totally fine to bed 10 inches of the barrel in a block ?

I can only presume that the free-float argument only applies to
flimsy lightweight barrels (?)

 

[Joel Russo]

Why is it a sin if any bedding compound goes past the recoil lug,
but it's totally fine to bed 10 inches of the barrel in a block ?

I can only presume that the free-float argument only applies to
flimsy lightweight barrels (?)

It's not a sin if any bedding goes past the lug, in fact, some rifles shoot better when chamber bedded.

 

[Rich Coyle]

My favorite gunsmith preferred to bed to precisely 3/4" in front of the recoil lug. Alas he retired. My experience with other 'smiths have been terrible.

 

[WildRose]

Why is it a sin if any bedding compound goes past the recoil lug,
but it's totally fine to bed 10 inches of the barrel in a block ?

I can only presume that the free-float argument only applies to
flimsy lightweight barrels (?)

It's no sin to bed in front of the recoil lug. Some barrels will shoot much better with the bedding extending from the lug to the end of the chamber while others will not. The harmonics of each barrel are a little different so you have to do a little bit of experimenting to find what works best for yours. At a minimum I think it's best to bed the recoil lug so as to take the stress of the recoil off of your action/trigger guard screws

I have never seen a bedding block that extends forward of the recoil lug more than an inch much less ten inches, what block are you talking about?

 

[ohnomrbillk]

It's not a sin if any bedding goes past the lug, in fact, some rifles shoot better when chamber bedded.

I bed the entire straight shank with great results

 

[WildRose]

Here's an interesting article on how and why to bed a rifle action. Note the author shows that he beds his to the full length of the chamber and perhaps a bit further.

Hunting etc.: Reinforcing Your Big Bore Rifle's Stock

He covers some things such as using a "wrist pin" that I'd not seen or considered in the past.

 

[Joel Russo]

I have never seen a bedding block that extends forward of the recoil lug more than an inch much less ten inches, what block are you talking about?

Pretty sure he's talking about a block set up that was used on bench rest rifles in years past. Some still use the same set up today.

This is a picture of my .30-.416 Rigby improved with a "mini block". This rifle shoots like it has eyeballs. I bedded the block and free floated the action and barrel.

 

[Rich Coyle]

Pretty sure he's talking about a block set up that was used on bench rest rifles in years past. Some still use the same set up today.

This is a picture of my .30-.416 Rigby improved with a "mini block". This rifle shoots like it has eyeballs. I bedded the block and free floated the action and barrel.

Darrel Holland used to do something like that.

 

[WildRose]

Pretty sure he's talking about a block set up that was used on bench rest rifles in years past. Some still use the same set up today.

This is a picture of my .30-.416 Rigby improved with a "mini block". This rifle shoots like it has eyeballs. I bedded the block and free floated the action and barrel.

Interesting, thanks for posting it Joel. I've never seen anything like it.

 

[Bravo 4]

Joel,
Do you do that to keep a long heavy barrel from stressing the action?

 

[MudRunner2005]

Why is it a sin if any bedding compound goes past the recoil lug,
but it's totally fine to bed 10 inches of the barrel in a block ?

I can only presume that the free-float argument only applies to
flimsy lightweight barrels (?)

Most of mine have full aluminum bed blocks and are skim-bedded with DevCon under the whole action, including about an inch in front of the lug to support the barrel tennon.

 

[toddc]

Joel,
Do you do that to keep a long heavy barrel from stressing the action?

Go much over 30" with a heavy contour and eventually the screws holding an action to the stock will give you issues, whether it be loss of accuracy or stripping.
Barrel blocks are pretty common past 30" or any heavy barrel for that matter.

 

[Dosh]

Interesting, thanks for posting it Joel. I've never seen anything like it.

Several years ago there was a You Tube video for bedding using a barrel block. If I recall the video was quite extensive and was for a benchrest rig. Perhaps the OP saw that video, hence his question?

 

[hemiford]

Thanks Gents, and Yes to Mr. Russo, you illustrate exactly what
I was referring to.

I have several heavy barrel projects. All the free-float arguments
I've read about over the years seem to be repeated without question,
or seemingly without understanding the original reasons even.

Primary argument: Thin barrel in a wood stock, stock gets wet and
swells, enough to touch the barrel and change it's vibration, or even
push on and actually bend the barrel. POI is changed.

I simply don't believe ANY stock is strong enough to bend a thickwall
1-1/4" OD steel tube.

In fact, bedding in general does not hold the machinery into the
stock, only two little screws do that. The barrel can still jump off
the bedding during firing. I contend that even more is needed,
perhaps some sort of strap(s) to hold the barrel down.