Aluminum bedding blocks question

SuperCub

SuperCub

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I recently bought a used B&C 700 BDL SA stock with an aluminum bedding block. Never had one before.

Do these generally need bedding or are they GTG as is?


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I don't think it's a necessity to bed for a hunting rifle but it's not going to hurt if you do. I have a couple HS stocks on two of my hunting guns and I've never considered bedding them. I'm undecided on a couple Whidden bedding blocks in a pair of bench rest stocks and I will seriously consider bedding them. Anything that removes one more variable is a good thing.
 
The bedding block is likely machined to be quite true.
The receiver may well be warped from heat treatment.
Bedding might produce a better fit.
 
I have an HS stock on my Rem. 700. When setting the action into it, I have to make sure it's bottomed out completely towards the stock before tightening the action screws.

The slot for the lug isn't a snug fit, so the positioning of the action can vary enough to make a difference...and in my case, not allow the bolt release link clearance and thus block its function.

Skim bedding, with attention to the lug area, is probably a very good idea, as eventually recoil is bound to shift the action within the bed, certainly with heavy recoiling calibers.

I've read that aluminum bedding blocks are subject to temperature changes that can affect it, albeit nowhere to the degree that wood is affected. I tend to think this aspect is tad bit overstated.
 
I skim bed aluminum bedding blocks because I like the idea of a perfect stock to receiver fit. However, if you have a good torque wrench, you can achieve consistent results by installing the stock the same way each time (i.e. fitting the receiver/stock in an upright position - to ensure that the recoil lug is seated all the way back and torquing down the action screws in each hole in same order). The aluminum block is very stable and an excellent alternative to pillar bedding; where a lot guys run into problems is with consistency after disassembly/assembly which is why they end up skim bedding the action.
 
The aluminum block is very stable and an excellent alternative to pillar bedding; where a lot guys run into problems is with consistency after disassembly/assembly which is why they end up skim bedding the action.
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I actually found that the point of impact varied slightly more than normal, with temperature fluctuations,before skim bedding.The v-block/round action combination,results in a very small contact area,which is resolved with skim bedding.
 
Cummins4x4 said:
I have 2 HS stocked rifles, both are great shooters and have not been bedded. Rick at ATRS reccomends bedding them and I am sure he has good reason for suggesting this.
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I do have a VERY good reason for recommending bedding on aluminum bedding blocks.
Time after time we have proven the rifles shoot more accurately consistantly, which makes sense when you look at how little actual area the V blocks touch on the action and how much room there is around the recoil lug.
Typically bedding will cut a grouping by 50% in size is what I have found.

If in doubt loosen the bottom metal screws 1 turn and see how much the action can move in the stock. How can a rifle be repeatable if it is never in the same place in the stock twice?

The REAL reason HS and B&C use the aluminum bedding block is to add rigidity to their stocks, the foam used as a core has NO structure and as they run extremely thin shells need something to make the stock rigid.
McMillan does not use a block as their stocks use a thicker shell for structure and fill with fiberglass chop in the areas that need to be structural.
 
The bedding block is likely machined to be quite true.
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Take a close look at a typical bedding block and then tell us if you think that was machined true? Or even machined for that matter. Most of the ones that come in factory rifles look more like they were saw cut into shape.

To anyone who thinks an aluminum bedding block doesn't need to be bedded, take your rifle out of the stock and have a look at the bottom of the receiver. There will be grey smudges where the stock and action contact. Note how those grey smudges do not cover the entire action nor are the consistent side to side or front to back.

What those smudges mean is that inconsistent pressures are being applied to the action when it is tightened into the stock. Those inconsistent pressures add up to torque and stresses being imparted into the action. When a shot is fired, the barrel rings like a tuning fork, except when the action is stressed and torqued, the barrel harmonics are dulled and accuracy goes to ####.

You spent > $1000 on your rifle and probably several hundred $'s on optics and bullets etc. Wouldn't it make sense to spend a mere $100 or so to make sure all that expensive equipment works properly?
 
You have put receivers on a mandrel, and then applied a dial indicator over the lower surface. Not unusual at all for the receiver to be slightly bowed from warping while being heat treated. It is interesting how much material is sometimes removed if the bottom bedding surface of a receiver is trued up.
A machined bedding block is very likely going to be true. Not having a B&C stock in front of me, I cannot comment on the accuracy of B&C's machining. If they are roughly saw cut, then no assumptions about accuracy can be made.
Some blocks are soft enough and thin enough that firmly tightening the action screws can distort them.
Bedding will address any lack of proper seating between the receiver and the block.
 
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