Bedding a sporter bbl question.

[SuperCub]

I asked this on another forum, but will seek more thought here .........

How are folks bedding sporter bbls forward if the action?

It used to be normal to bed 2" out of action under the bbl, but I see some that only bed the action and totally free float the bbl. right up to the action.

Thoughts?? ........ What about heavy bbls?

 

[Potashminer]

I am no expert on this, but have set up a few. I think the key is the location of the front action screw. In a Mauser 98, for example, that front screw will pull the front of the action down, and possibly bend or torque it if there is no stock support forward of the recoil lug. On the other hand, like in a Winchester model 70, the action screw comes up pretty much in the center of the action flat behind the recoil lug, so there seems to be good support there. As a result, I have been bedding an inch or so forward of the recoil lug in Mauser 98, but leaving barrel completely free on a Win 70. I have found Mausers to be relatively "flimsy" so prefer to have sold support at rear tang, solid support at front action screw, and "air gap" for the body of the action - including .010" or .015" clearance between action and magazine. Of course, I have a Rem 788 that I glass bedded full contact from rear tang all the way to fore-end tip and it regularly shot sub-MOA 5 shot groups at 100 yards. In all cases, I put a layer of masking tape on front, sides and bottom of recoil lug before bedding to create a bit of "wiggle room" to get action out easily from tight bedding.

 

[guntech]

How are folks bedding sporter bbls forward if the action?

Light or heavy barrels...
If the rifle shoots well with the barrel free floating they aren't bedding the barrel at all. The action will be bedded stress free, no screws or clamps used while the glass cures...

If pressure is required usually bedding will be applied close to the end of the forend to create upward pressure on the barrel. Many methods can be used to accomplish this.

 

[gitrdun]

To start, I pillar everything simply because bedding alone will not compensate for expansion and contraction of wood under varied weather conditions. I also pillar synthetics simply because metal to metal contact basically has no give. After pillaring, I typically bed only 1" in front of the recoil lug. Bedding at the forend is another story, depends if the gun says it wants it or not.

 

[gunpro]

i have never gone wrong with bedding the action and the barrel to about the end of the chamber, or the shoulder area and float the rest. in a wood stock i will float the barrel but line the barrel channel with glass in an effort to avoid that barrel pressure change with temps or humidity.