How Important bedding is

[Lefty57]

I'm know most of you veteran shooters already know this, but proper bedding can make the difference between having a shooter or having a bullet waister.
I had a custom 7-08 built during Covid, my builder could not get a time frame on the stock I wanted so he built and bedded it with a stock that he could get, the gun shoots absolutely lights out…. fast-forward two years I ordered the stock that I originally wanted. I changed the stock myself and thought it was a good fit. The gun went from a <.50" gun to a 2MOA at best. I'm attaching a pic to show the before and after. I'm posting this for the guys like me who may be struggling with a gun that no matter what they do with their load, they cannot get it to shoot.

 

[59FLH]

It amazing how bad a good rifle can shoot with the slightest amount of twist in the action. I also have learned this bedding is important life lesson.
Good post.

 

[Deputy819]

I just went through this very thing with a Savage 6 BR-A. For the life of me I could not figure out why my 500 yard ladders were so "weird" looking. Rounds that were higher in charge weight didn't always "rise" on the target as they should've and back-to-back ladders were extremely inconsistent. I first ruled myself OUT as the problem…Disassembled the rifle and saw that the bedding job (that I paid for) was awful. I completely re-did the bedding and the rifle settled down and started printing at 500 yards like it should've.

 

[FEENIX]

Q: How important is bedding?

A: You provided the answer to your question.

, the gun shoots absolutely lights out…. fast-forward two years I ordered the stock that I originally wanted. I changed the stock myself and thought it was a good fit. The gun went from a <.50" gun to a 2MOA at best.

 

[Bobby Bailey]

Easiest way to check bedding is to use a dial indicator to measure movement between the forend tip and the barrel. You want .003", or less, of movement while you loosen and tighten the front action screw, and the same for the rear action screw.
Over .003" movement and it needs to be re-bedded before it leaves our shop, and we haven't had to re-bed one in over 40 years.

 

[Nomosendero]

Bobby, do you have a gunsmithing service in AR ?

 

[Bobby Bailey]

Bobby, do you have a gunsmithing service in AR ?

Yes, we're in upper southwest Ar. De Queen.

 

[Bob Wright]

I'm know most of you veteran shooters already know this, but proper bedding can make the difference between having a shooter or having a bullet waister.
I had a custom 7-08 built during Covid, my builder could not get a time frame on the stock I wanted so he built and bedded it with a stock that he could get, the gun shoots absolutely lights out…. fast-forward two years I ordered the stock that I originally wanted. I changed the stock myself and thought it was a good fit. The gun went from a <.50" gun to a 2MOA at best. I'm attaching a pic to show the before and after. I'm posting this for the guys like me who may be struggling with a gun that no matter what they do with their load, they cannot get it to shoot.

That target should be hung up to show friends what happens with a poor fit in the bedding. A lot of people would send the gun down the road if they didn't know any better.