Getting the most from my 300 RUM

[Chilly Willy]

I currently have a S/S Remington 700 BDL barreled action (300 RUM)in a HS Precision sportster stock with the full action length aluminum bedding block. The action is not glass bedded as I was told by HS that it was not advantageous. Atop the action I have Leupold two peice bases with medium rings holding a Bushnell 3200 Elite 4-12x40 AO. I'm looking for any suggestions to maximize accuracy as I am building this rifle for long distance moose hunting shooting 200 grain Accu Bonds that are hand rolled with Retumbo powder.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

I hate to be so bold as to disagree with HS Precision but their opinion MAY be a bit biased.

If you are getting good groups than the barreled action and stock may be mated adequately. However, I never did believe in a "drop-in" stock for accuracy. A quality bedding job almost always helps and at the very least, it won't hurt.

All of my HS Precision stocks (which were like yours) have been bedded, as suggested by my smith. The gunsmith who did the work was a good buddy who did not charge me for the bedding work. I placed more faith in his opinion than HS Precion's who were pumping their product.

Don't get me wrong, HS makes a very good stock for the money. But like any other good stock, bedding is important.

Just my 2 cents - VH

 

[Mysticplayer]

To back up what was just said, try this test. Remove the action screws and see if you can move the action in the stock. I bet you can move it 1/8" front and back, and it will roll from side to side.

Good bedding this is not. The design of that style of bedding depends on bending, yes bending, your action to fit in the v-groove blocks. Very little contact is made with the bedding (you will see two lines on the bottom of the receiver) and the action is under stress (so much for lapping lugs and truing the action). This is the reason why these stocks need to be torqued down. The action screws are the only thing holding the action and stock in place. Bad idea.

Another test is to tighten and loosen the action screws with your hand on the top of the receiver. I bet you can feel the action bend. If you can feel something, that is more then a few thou.

I have worked on a few HS stocks and they all had the same problem, inconsistent groups with flyers. After my bedding, groups were nice and round with no flyers.

When bedding the action, make sure that you or your gunsmith do not torque down the action screws. You want the action to sit flat in the bedding with no strain. When done properly, the action will drop into the stock with a nice "klunk". There will be no movement of the action even without the action screws. The action screws are then tightened hand tight and will go in 1/2 turn from loose to full tight. No torque wrench needed.

Now have a look at how much bedding is between the action and the V blocks. In one Rem 700, the amount of bedding was over 1/8" thick. How is that for stress?

With a free floated barrel and good loads, your rifle will now shoots its best and be consistent in all weather conditions.

Unless the CNC machine is set up for your particular action, all of these stocks from any manufacturer must be bedded for best work.

Jerry

 

[Chilly Willy]

The bedding block in the HS stock I have does not have a V in it. It is a flat aluminum block starting behind the recoil lug and running the length of the action.

Although HS has advised me not to bed the action I am still considering based on the info I have received from others.

I also have a custom stock coming in for my BDL 700 in 270. win. It will be a laminated wood with aluminum bedding pillars. Is bedding this stock advantageous??

 

[Guest]

Bed it... I have not seen one yet that didn't perform better after bedding. I have bedded about 30 HS stocks in the last few years for buddies and haven't had one complain yet....

 

[Mysticplayer]

ChillyW, so you understand, bedding must be a perfect fit to be advantageous. Any gaps negates its value. The action sits in the bedding as a glove fit under zero stress or bending. The action cannot be moved by hand in any direction and may require some effort to separate action and stock.

In the old days, stockmakers would spend weeks skimming the surface so that the metal to wood fit was perfect. Today, with epoxy bedding compounds, that task is simple IF done properly.

So when a company says that their bedding is CNC machined, consumers assume that they are built to exact standards. They are, but what exactly are their standards.

There is tolerance in all manufacturing so unless, the stock company machines the bedding off your actions dimensions, they are simple using robotics to get them in the general ball park.

With most Alum beds, that is taken to the extreme with usually big gaps and spaces. Guarantees a drop in fit and most will not have a clue if it is good or bad. Cheaper too. Besides could you imagine the screams from gunsmiths if the stock company erred on the small side. How do you inlet hardened alloy by hand? Besides, everyone knows they need to torque the crap out of those screws for that "tactical" fit.

As a rule, unless inletted by an old school master stockbuilder (ie cost a small fortune), bedding any and all stocks will pay dividends.

For the question about pillars, these will help eliminate the crushing of the wood stock. Usually not a big deal in quality composite stocks since the material used is already dense and hard.

The pillars still have to be sized properly so that the screw heads bottom on the pillar, not the stock or action.

Whether the hole in the pillars should be a tight or loose fit will depend if the bedding is done properly. If done properly, a loose fit is fine as there is no lateral load on the action screws - all load is in the bedding and recoil lug mortise. The action screw simply keeps the action and stock from falling apart.

If done improperly, send it back to get redone.

If a stock is very well bedded, it can be fired without any action screws with very good accuracy. It will eventually shake itself apart but is a great test of the bedding. Same point of impact, etc.

Jerry

 

[Len Backus]

Jerry

That is so well explained. Thanks.

 

[Perkules]

Well just guess what I´m doing right now. This obviously can not work, it moves around like ... like a Sako.

Some more interesting contact places up in the front:

I´ve bedded several wooden stocks before but this is my first synthetic... making it snug now, luckily I´ve got some tough epoxy stuff for use with boats.

If I was smart, I´d throw this *** out the window though, too spongy and temperature sensitive plastic, an unbelievable recoil lug. Sako factory still does not admit any problem... Lord don´t let me drive down to the factory tomorrow! Sorry for the rant but I´m tired of all this BS from all too many manufacturers. Fancy brochures,yeah.


Had I known this I would have merrily spended three times the price on a quality rifle, this TRG-S cost me $1500 last year, including an italian disposable cardboard case.

My Last Sako, do NOT buy these. Only the brand is left - I have old ones in my safe to compare.

Now sanding...