Bedding My Mossy...Am I right?

[arnott1t]

Before Christmas I bought this rifle....

Its a Mossberg 100ATR in 30-06
I have been practicing at the range and can now shoot groups about like this...

Federal 150gr Power Shock The bottom one wasn't part of this group

Rem Core Lokt Express 180gr a few loose ones this time

Rem Core Lokt 150 gr. Seems ok...

And am now trying to improve the accuracy even more by bedding the rifle. I bought some Devcon plastic steel and plan on the following.

Here is the stock with action removed

And here it is with the areas I plan to add compound to highlighted. Not included is the recoil lug. I should note that the interface is good now but there is some forward backward play when the action screws are removed. Just wondering if I should only bed the lug or do all the spots. Should I remove some material or just skim coat it. Also at the tang I bed it but ensure there is space at the back by using masking tape? I think I'm on the right track. I hope to tighten my groups some by bedding the stock.

Any thing else I'm missing?

Thanks,

 

[gunasauras]

Definitely remove some material and do all the areas you have indicated. You want a good rough surface for the bedding to adhere to inside the stock. I would say you are going in the right direction, but I would not skim coat.....you do not need to have space at the back by using tape either. I've bedded a lot of different rifles, and have only ever used tape to get clearance on the recoil lug bottom and front to aid in removal of the stock from the bedding for cleaning, etc. This clearance will keep the bedding from chipping upon removal....

 

[Levi Garrett]

If those bread crum tracks are bedding areas, their kinda messed up.

got the tang right, but be certain the metal does not make direct contact at the back.

Forward, at the lug, you want no contact in the depths of it,or ahead , just at the back to take recoil, and on the flat of the rx, back of the lug.

The sides there at the rear action screw , don't want bedding on the sides.

Want a patch of bedding compound forward of the rx, in the channel (size of a looney) which extends about an inch or so.

Release agent , I use motorcycle chain wax, works perfect.

And as mentioned , need to remove material, a dremel works fine , good idea to take a good look at how deep the metal fits in the stock prior to starting, as a guide.
Then once the clean up is done , all is dry, removed action from bedding , all went well, you can float the barrel channel to the patch of bedding just forward of where the barrel comes out of the action.

Looking at the photo again, the rear screw there, looks like a flat area to the rear, if it were me, I might even bed that flat area, hard to tell from here.

 

[280_ACKLEY]

Bed the front recoil lug and a few inches of barrel ahead of the lug as well as the rear tang... don't bother with the rest.

I've never used tape to aid in removal... simply release agent and then pull it out.

Why put extra slop in a bedding job? I bed mine all snug and they shoot great.

With a plastic stock, you will gain by doing the following as well:

1. Bed a few aluminum or carbon arrow shafts in the forend... greatly stiffens up the stock.

2. Drill holes at sharp angles to the stock where you'll bed it... at opposing angles to eachother (helps lock the bedding in place). As well, use a torch to heat the plastic up first or degrease the plastic (bedding sticks better that way).

Finally, when all done be sure that the screw holes are drilled out again... you want no contact between the action screws and the sides of the drilled holes.


Good Luck

280_ACKLEY

 

[BCWILL]

Bed the front recoil lug and a few inches of barrel ahead of the lug as well as the rear tang... don't bother with the rest.

I agree 100%
More then likely that plastic stock will flex like a bugger anyways.

Bed the Lug and as suggested the "chamber" area of the barrel, float the rest. Tiny bit of Gum works good for a dam to keep the bedding compound where you want it too

This will at the least tighten things up abit and should make it more consistent.

Enjoy your project and please post your results eitherway

 

[arnott1t]

So just for clarification I've got some better pics. I plan on removing material from the action screw areas along with the tang. I also am going to bed the area highlighted at the back action screws on the sides. This seems to interface with the reciever. Now you also had some ideas about bedding arrow shaft and stuff. I like that idea so I figure I should do that too. What about the loonie sized area forward of the recoil lug. As you can see I have very little in the barrel channel. I would need to bed a wooden block and then bed that area an inch or so forward of the lug? I also have already floated the barrel.

First Pic hilighted....

And the non...

I hope these pic show you the stock a little better. I feel very little flex in the stock now but would like to increase its stiffness. What about bedding shafts in the butt to stiffen it too?

Thanks for all the help. I'm a total newb.

 

[arnott1t]

After another quick look I figure I should bed forward of the recoil lug up to the notch in the stock. That little notch that is on both sides....Is this what your were talking about LG

 

[sunray]

As mentioned, fill in around the recoil lug and under the chamber area of the barrel. Use an Acraglas kit and just follow the directions on the box. And don't forget the release agent.