To glass bed or not to glass bed?

[SRE]

I recently picked up a project gun. A new old stock savage model 111 chambered in .22-250 Remington. It's a blind mag sporter barrel configuration without the accutrigger. Wood stock and top mounted bolt release.

Right out of the box it really was a tack driver.I am a rifle guy so I do not use this term lightly. For a cheap rifle it was shooting 5 shot 100 yard groups right a sub MOA. Considering these factors, I classify this as a tack driver within the realm of the sub 500 dollar guns. Anyways, the project I am undertaking is to make this gun a coyote/ predator gun. Basically all I wanted to do was put a different stock on it and dress up the bolt as well as barrel. Trigger job. Remove iron sights and put on a Nightforce. A mid to semi-long range coyote killer.

I swapped out the stock. Losing the cheaper press checkered wood stock and upgraded to a Boyd's featherweight thumbhole. I received the Boyd's stock and I needed to set it up in my mill to make it fit how I really wanted (another topic all in itself). In this new stock, the barrel is free floated and the barrel nut is even free floating as well. When in the stock it is sturdy. Really sturdy actually, no slop at all.

I guess my question is... is free floating necessary if the stock fits well as is and it shoots sweet? I almost feel in the grand scheme of things, too little of the stock is being supported, but just enough to make it sturdy. Recoil lug fit is good. Slightly touches the wood in the mortise I believe. Should I glass bed it to make more of the receiver touch the stock since so little of the (ugly savage) barrel nut and the actual barrel is free floating?

PS.. stock is not pillar bedded but it is a heavy laminated wood stock. Anyone who knows the building/ constriction trade... it's pretty much a good looking stock made out of a micro-lam. So pillar bedding really may not be needed.

Thanks in advance and feedback would be helpful,

SRE

 

[Bart B.]

Epoxy bedding only the receiver and recoil lug (back and sides only) with the barrel well clear of the fore end by at least 1/16" ensures two things. The receiver will fit the stock more repeatable from shot to shot. Normal fore end bending from external forces that change with shooting positions won't let it touch the barrel changing the way the barrel wiggles while the bullet goes through it. Barrels have to wiggle the same for every shot fired without external interference for best accuracy.

 

[Dixie Gunsmithing]

I am a firm believer in free floating all barrels. When a gun heats up, either from shooting, or from direct sunlight, it can cause the barrel to slightly swell, and the wood to move too. The contact between the two can cause a loss of accuracy. If the wood can't tip the barrel, then there is no worry.

The main reason for bedding, is so the receiver can not eventually move in the wood from repeated recoil. Also, if you are used to the sighting with a stock, and something moves, then it can throw off the accuracy. Thats why we have fitted or adjustable stocks, so as to suit the shooters build, and facial profile. If the receiver was to move, after one was fitted, or adjusted, it would throw that off. A slight movement at the shooter, can mean a good bit at 100 yards or more. Here, I am speaking of seconds of a degree.

There are several good books on stock fitting, which covers the whys and hows for a stock to work at its best. If you can find one at a public library, its a good read.

 

[tobnpr]

I guess my question is... is free floating necessary if the stock fits well as is and it shoots sweet?

My #1 rule is "if it ain't broke..."

You spent all the time to custom-fit the action to the stock...it shoots well...leave it be.

Laminates aren't as susceptible to dimensional change as natural woods, but they will compress over time from the action screw torque. They're birch laminate, and the glues are very strong. Without pillars, I would probably relieve torque on the action screws, and re-torque them to whatever you have them at where the gun's shooting well.

Like the rear tang, many float the barrel nut on Savages, I have them bedded on both of mine. Like I said, whatever's working for you, is right...every rifle's different.

 

[olddav]

I tend to favor pillar bedding. It gives you a more stable platform as temperature changes between shooting sessions. As far as barrel floating is concerned it again comes down to repeatability, no contact now equals no contact later.

 

[Bart B.]

Pillar bedding came about when the first synthetic stocks' core was too soft to support conventional epoxy bedding. It was the only way they would shoot as accurate as wood stocks with conventional epoxy bedding.

When synthetic stocks finally had harder cores in the receiver area, there was no longer any advantage with pillar bedding. If there is a difference, why do match winners and record setters do so without pillar bedding? From what I've observed, there's no need to pillar bed receivers any more. I don't think it's worth the time and expense. If it makes you feel better, do it.

 

[gunnut69]

Pillar bedding also keeps the wood between the action and bottom metal from compressing over time and ruining a well fitted action/stock fit..

 

[Bart B.]

All bedded rifle actions need their stock screws torqued to spec before each shooting session. Wood or synthetic, pillar or standard; doesn't matter. Especially if one wants best accuracy and zero's not wandering.

Does it matter that more high power match rifle records have been set and matches won with conventional bedded rifles compared to pillar bedded ones?

Or, go modern, high tech with a tube gun. They eliminate all the bedding and screw torquing problems.