I own a Weatherby Vanguard Sub-MOA in .308 Win. This rifle is on pillar bedding and NOT floated. Weatherby claims that their testing has shown that Weatherby their heavy barrels with a #3 contour, as on this rifle, need to be supported and they do not recommend floating the barrel. Does anyone have an educated opinion about this statement? Is this sales hype? Should I not aluminium bed and float this rifle? Ill be speaking to some smiths about this, but, the more information I have the better. Thanks for your information.
To float or not to float my heavy barrel
- Thread starter rumblefish237
- Start date
Perhaps I will need to get an already aluminum bedded B&C stock and replace the entire stock.What do you mean by "aluminum bedding"?
Are you talking about a V-Block?
If it is already pillar bedded a v-block isn't going to make a lick of difference. If the entire barrel is bedded just machine or sand out the barrel channel to 1-2" ahead of the recoil lug and you are good to go.
Are you talking about a V-Block?
If it is already pillar bedded a v-block isn't going to make a lick of difference. If the entire barrel is bedded just machine or sand out the barrel channel to 1-2" ahead of the recoil lug and you are good to go.
Pillar bedding is generally done with and on top of steel or aluminum pillars. So I'm not sure why you'd take those out to add in anything else. Rifles that have aluminum blocks in them are generally already in the stock ie HS Precision. I think it would take a lot of work to add in an aluminum bedding block to the average stock and if you are already pillar bedded its totally un-needed.
I was told that pillar bedding is not as stable or long lasting as aluminium bedding. Plus, my barrel is not currently floated and I think this may be affecting long range accuracy to some degree. I will keep the stock as is for now and perhaps later, I will purchase a B&C Medallist stock with aluminium bedding and then float the barrel. Thanks for the insight people.
Even if you use an aluminum bedding block it is advisable to skim bed the action to the block as it may or may not make contact the entire length of the action. My Savage LRPV was contacting the V-block moreso on one side than the other which was evident by the marks on the block.
Pillar bedding is every bit as good (if not better) than using a bedding block and will last just as long. Not sure who is feeding you info that says otherwise.
Pillar bedding is every bit as good (if not better) than using a bedding block and will last just as long. Not sure who is feeding you info that says otherwise.
Obviously there is no reason to assume that Weatherby has any idea about how its rifles shoot best.
It would be possible to leave the pillars alone, open out the bedding area, an apply bedding compound for a full action bedding job. Bedding the first 1 1/2" or so of the barrel is a good idea.
You could remove the factory barrel bedding pad and see what happens to the rifle. If accuracy is reduced, it could be built up again.
It would be possible to leave the pillars alone, open out the bedding area, an apply bedding compound for a full action bedding job. Bedding the first 1 1/2" or so of the barrel is a good idea.
You could remove the factory barrel bedding pad and see what happens to the rifle. If accuracy is reduced, it could be built up again.
