Float or bed a featherweight?

[BigSwede]

I have a featherweight in a mcmillan stock, it's a winlite 280. The barrel is glass bedded and looks to be done well. The action is partially bedded front and back but nothing in between. I think there is airspace under the action in the belly around the magazine. Will this create/cause accuracy issues? Or should I refloat the skinny barrel and bed the action/magazine/bottom metal. I must admit that I am getting acceptable accuracy (moa...ish, with a few better) for a featherweight. Thanks...

 

[FearNoWind]

Just curious - did you get that through GunsAmerica?
Seems I read about a full-length bedded Model 70 Winlite on their site a while back.
What you describe is generally known as "full length glass bedding" and if it's done well it can help with accuracy. But it's not the most popular method of bedding a rifle these days.
Appears to me that the work was done to simply stabilize the mechanics. Is the action pillar bedded or just sitting on top of some bedding material? Is the recoil lug recess area included in the bedding?
IMO, if it's not pillar bedded it should be.

 

[BigSwede]

That's same rifle ...yessir. Just picked it up recently on GA. I assumed the full length bedding would enhance the accuracy but the action is not sitting on anything other than contact with the stock material so I think its not helping like it should. It fits tight but I think the action needs to be pillar bedded along its full length not just the 2 action screw contact points.? The lug is bedded very tightly on all sides.

 

[FearNoWind]

The lug is bedded very tightly on all sides.

Well, at least the most critical bedding point was addressed. In your case I might go ahead with the pillar bedding and make sure the action is solidly and properly bedded, as long as the barrel's glass bedding didn't generate a bind in the action/barrel center bore alignment through over tightening the action screws in the bedding curing process.
Not sure if I'd try free floating the barrel until the newly bedded action was tested. If it ain't broke, they say, don't fix it.

 

[MagnumManiac]

It is normal to leave the area above the mag box un bedded, it is really unneccesary for consistent bedding because it can bind the action as the screws are tightened.
If the recoil lug is tight, you can relieve the area and rebed using electrical tape on the sides, front and bottom of the recoil lug, I find 2 layers works well. I also bed the first 2" of the barrel under the knox form, it works very well on lightweight hunting barrels.
Pillar bedding is a good idea, as is bedding the bottom metal.

Cheers.
gun)

 

[mtnkid85]

Ive got a Ruger M77 mkII with a light skinny barrel that has never really shot very well. I bedded the action, which helped a bit. So then I thought I would float the entire barrel... That was the wrong thing to do, that skinny barrel did not like being floated. I then went back and just bedded a small pad at tip of the stock, which brought it back down to normal. I think next I will go back and bed a few inches right under the chamber as well.

 

[BigSwede]

Have a look. Suggestions?

 

[EddieHarren]

Typical Winchester factory "Hot Glue" bedding. I recently acquired a "Ultimate Shadow" in 308. Took it out of the synthetic stock and the bedding stayed on the action.