How much bedding compound do you leave in front of the recoil lug?

[engineer40]

Just as the title of this post states; how much bedding compound do you leave in front of the recoil lug?

The few stocks that I've bedded so far, I have left about 1/4 of an inch in front of the recoil lug to make sure it's in there very solid and won't move.

I have shot Before/After groups with the rifles I have done and my effort has always produced substantial improvements. I'm glad that I put in the effort to learn how to do bed rifle stocks. Besides reloading, it has produced the best accuracy results for me.

But I've been wondering lately if the little bit of compound I leave in front of the recoil lug is messing with the barrel harmonics? What do you guys do?

Thanks!

 

[Edd]

If you are talking about bedding compound that contacts the barrel, most people say you don't want any in front of the lug. You can put as much up there as you want if it doesn't touch the barrel. When McMillan made rifles, they put bedding epoxy all the way to the tip of the forend.

 

[lazylabs]

I go for contact on rear of lug only, no side or bottom at all! Float everything forward.

 

[WapitiBob]

I have maybe 3/4" in front of the lug then it tapers away. Some guys set it to 1" then go to the range with a dremel and shoot/trim looking for the sweet spot. I always have side contact on the lug to help with rotational support.

 

[engineer40]

Thanks everyone!

It's starting to sound like there is not a "standard" way to do this.

But it also sounds like if the bedding compound is touching the barrel at all; even if it's the thickest part right next to the receiver, it could affect barrel harmonics. And that is also why I've been questioning the method I've been using. Maybe I will try to Dremel the bit in front of the recoil lug down a ways to see if I can get it to not touch the barrel on one of my rifles and see if that makes a difference.

That doesn't surprise me about McMillan. I've always heard that barrels need to either be free floated OR secured very well.

Thanks!

 

[Edd]

That doesn't surprise me about McMillan. I've always heard that barrels need to either be free floated OR secured very well. Thanks!

McMillan put bedding epoxy, they used Marine Tex, all the way to the tip of the forend but nothing in front of the recoil lug touched the barrel. The barrel was free floated.

 

[Canadian Bushman]

If its a pretty standard contour ( not too heavy ) i bed behind the lug only. I just feel it doesnt need any more. I would not be opposed to bedding in front of the lug if i thought it would help in any way.

If its a heavy barrel that i personally feel is not well supported by the barrel tennon i bed as much as 2" in front of the lug. A long hv contour or a straight barrel can have as much as 7-11 lbs hanging on 1" of thread. I believe this can stress an action significantly.

I feel with very heavy barrels the stiffness and frequency is less affected by a little more contact and it helps the action support all the weight. The rifle i own thats bedded 2" in front of the lug shoots very well. If its not effective to improving accuracy it can always be removed.

PS - Ever wonder why so many benchrest guys use barrel blocks and float the action?

 

[EddieHarren]

CB, very few short range benchrest guys use barrel blocks. Weight restrictions make barrel blocks very difficult to use in short range benchrest.

 

[Barrelnut]

I have two bedded rifles. Both are bedded to about 1" in front of the lug. One is 28" and .89 at the muzzle. The other is a 24" sporter weight barrel. They both shoot very well, and as far as I can tell, with no sign of barrel harmonics issues. The big one was professionally bedded by a well know smith. Guess he would know what works.

I like bedding in front of the lug. It allows the action and barrel to snap securely back into the stock at the exact same place every time and I don't have to push down on the barrel with pressure to make sure it is snug against the bedding every time.

I like WaptiBob's comment on rotational support too.

 

[EddieHarren]

Between my wife and I we have 10 benchrest rifles. None are bedded past the recoil lug. Several are Remingtons with lugs and one BAT model B with a lug. We have done very well with these rifles over the last 25 years.

 

[Barrelnut]

Between my wife and I we have 10 benchrest rifles. None are bedded past the recoil lug. Several are Remingtons with lugs and one BAT model B with a lug. We have done very well with these rifles over the last 25 years.

What type cartridges? Thanks.

 

[EddieHarren]

308 Win., 30 Doggie, 30 Aardvark, 30x47, 6 PPC, 22 PPC, 22 PPC-.100", 30 BR, 6 BR, 6 Dasher, 6 DJ and a few others over the years. We have BAT, Farley, Stolle, Pierce, and Remington actions.

 

[Barrelnut]

308 Win., 30 Doggie, 30 Aardvark, 30x47, 6 PPC, 22 PPC, 22 PPC-.100", 30 BR, 6 BR, 6 Dasher, 6 DJ and a few others over the years. We have BAT, Farley, Stolle, Pierce, and Remington actions.

Nice. Some of those I have never heard of. I'm sure they are heavy barreled too. Next time, guess I will have to try just bedding behind the lug.

 

[engineer40]

I find it fascinating that so many of us do different things and yet we still improve the accuracy of our rifle systems.

I live in a very binary, black or white, world in my 9-5 career. Accuracy is not like that. My shooting hobby really ****es me off sometimes... and yet really excites me other times.

Hmm, that's interesting... Our quest for accuracy is emotionally comparable to dating a stripper. Never thought about that before.