Rifle bedding query

[Jason6568]

G'day Guys,

Just a quick question on bedding, hope someone can help me!

When you hog out timber from the stock (under and around recoil lug and behind and under tang etc.) there is nothing left to hold the action at the correct height in the stock. When you fill the hole up with your bedding compound and then drop the action in and tighten action screws, what stops the action from being pulled too far into the stock? Should some small ridges of wood be left to make sure that the bedded action ends up at the right height in the stock?

I thought that pillar bedding might be the answer as the pillars are glued in first and then the action can sit on them for final bedding. But I have read from a number of sources that the pillars should not touch the underside of the action and that the gap between pillar and action should be filled with bedding compound.

Any help would be appreciated

Regards

Jason

 

[Darkker]

I took exception with that method of bedding a long time ago. If bedding is stronger than anything else, fine; it's still attached to the wood!!
Ergo: I hog-out the wood away from the barrel and attempt to make the wood surrounding the action as even as possible. The bedding should be there for as filler only.
If bedding is seen as a way of "waterproofing" where the action attaches to the stock(as I once was told) Then don't waste all that time and money, buy a quality urathane finish.

 

[rbernie]

I don't hog out UNDER the recoil lug as much as I do on the sides and rear of it. I also drill small holes (1/16" holes no more than 1/4" deep) at irregular angles into the bottom of the recoil lug recess to help ensure a good mechanical lock between the bedding and the stock.

A key point is not to get too carried away with bedding - I've seen a few rifles with the action permanently attached to the stock because the action was mechanically 'locked' to the stock via the bedding epoxy. In other words, make sure that the action can still be lifted out of the stock when the bedding is done.....

 

[sad sack]

Jason: The pillars are suppose to touch the action. It gives the action a definite stopping point and prevents crushing the stock wood. Mauser used a stock bushing that served the same purpose.

You don't really need to remove a lot of wood to do the bedding right. Leave some of the orginal inletting surface to support the action when you draw the action into the bedding material.

Sadsack

 

[thegodmanson]

I've seen a few rifles with the action permanently attached to the stock because the action was mechanically 'locked' to the stock via the bedding epoxy

Shouldnt the Release agent keep this from happening if used properly?

And i have always gone with a simple rule for most:

If i can slide a dollar bill between the stock and barrel all the way down it was good to go for the most part

Oh not sure if this will help but http://riflestocks.tripod.com/bedding.html

 

[rbernie]

Shouldnt the Release agent keep this from happening if used properly?

Yes, and no. Release agent will help prevent the bedding from sticking to the action. But you can still get into a mechanical lock situation.

Picture a recoil lug with a minor reverse taper, i.e. the bottom of the lug is slightly larger than the top. Now - if I completely surround this lug with bedding up to and around the sides of the receiver ring, how can I get this action back out of the stock? The bottom of the recoil lug will be larger than the opening at the top, and the lug is mechanically prevented from sliding upwards as you try to pull the receiver out of the stock. Oooops...



Now, mechanical lock can also be useful. For example, I drill small shallow opposing holes in the stock bed; the opposing holes fill with bedding epoxy and (being in opposing directions from each other) help ensure that the bedding will not pull out of the stock.

Does this make sense?

 

[Jason6568]

Guys,

Thanks for your replies. Makes more sense now and I now know how to proceed.

For information the rifle in question is an Anschutz 1515/1516 22 Mag. It shoot pretty well considering but I have no idea why as the action is tubular and it sits in a semi-circular bedding area in the stock i.e. only the very bottom of the tubular action is contacting the wood. The gap between action and stock at the sides of the receiver is about 1/16". I see the potential for the action to rock from side to side (probably not likely) but I would be happier if the rifle was bedded to fill this gap beside the action then there is no doubt that it could not rock or move in any way. Hence my question re bedding because if wood was hogged out under the tubular action there would be nothing left to establish the correct height of the receiver in the stock and the potential for the action to be set too deep and therefore locked in to the stock would be high.

So I think I will leave some high spots of wood to ensure proper action height in the stock and then bed the rest and finish of by making sure that the barrel floats.

Thanks again for your assistance.

Jason

 

[ball3006]

You are going to mess with....

the stock bedding on an Anschulz????????????????? why.......chris3

 

[Jason6568]

Why not? I think the current set up is poor to say the least. Why not improve it?

Jason

 

[xring44]

You recieved some good advise from rbernie above. His method is very simular to mine, remove very little wood, if the action drops past centerline you are in deep do do! Very little demand for a quality .22 rimfire that requires a hatchet to remove the barreled action fron the stock! The purpose is to eliminate stress on the action, the bedding material will be held securely by the action bolts, so little strain will be applied in any opposite direction.