Bedding the barrel channel or free float?(Test results on pg. 3))
- Thread starter pyscodog
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brdeano
New member
Originally Posted By: joedI'm with Rich in VA, never owned a rifle that didn't benefit from free floating. Even my model 70 featherweight is free floated.
Factories aren't going to take the time/cost associated with full length bedding a standard production rifle.
I know you said you've never owned a rifle that wasn't better off being floated, but him many full length bedded rifles have you owned? I've seen it both ways.
I've had 3 Mountain Rifle contoured rifles that have benefited from FL bedding. I do all my own bedding and all of them were tried floated first. Here's the above pictured rilfe, a 243 wearing a fixed 6x42 and a pic of a 5 shot group at 500yds with moly'd 75gr vmax's. I've ran this rifle to 700 with the 75's but the wind is a little rough on them. This rifle shoot's my 90gr ScirocooII load and 75gr Vmax's with 1/2MOA of each other and both loads agg sub-moa, no doubt that its attributed to the FL bedding. I guess my point is that not every statement, or generalization, with rifles is an absolute.
Factories aren't going to take the time/cost associated with full length bedding a standard production rifle.
I know you said you've never owned a rifle that wasn't better off being floated, but him many full length bedded rifles have you owned? I've seen it both ways.
I've had 3 Mountain Rifle contoured rifles that have benefited from FL bedding. I do all my own bedding and all of them were tried floated first. Here's the above pictured rilfe, a 243 wearing a fixed 6x42 and a pic of a 5 shot group at 500yds with moly'd 75gr vmax's. I've ran this rifle to 700 with the 75's but the wind is a little rough on them. This rifle shoot's my 90gr ScirocooII load and 75gr Vmax's with 1/2MOA of each other and both loads agg sub-moa, no doubt that its attributed to the FL bedding. I guess my point is that not every statement, or generalization, with rifles is an absolute.
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Jay Cummings
New member
Being a mountain rifle I would bed the first 2-3" under the barrel. Those mountain rifles do have a "pencil" barrel and I think they need a little something to control the whip action of such a small barrel.
The action is bedded and a little in front of the recoil lug. I switched to H4350 and a 120 Nosler and got pretty good results. Its looking like my main problem was the scope. I haven't had time to really run through the load work up but rifle season is over so I have plenty of time to work on it.
Originally Posted By: RBO11In my experience, lightweight barrels have performed more consistently with full length bedding, or a pressure point near the end of the forend. There are several variables that will make differences though, as others have stated. A good solid laminate, kevlar, or fiberglass stock is a must if you plan on bedding the full length of the barrel. The cheaper plastic stocks are not stable enough.
Varmint/heavy barrels do perform better when free floated, because they are much stiffer than a pencil/sporter weight barrel. Properly full-length bedding a sporter barrel will decrease vibrations and barrel whip, and give you more consistent accuracy. Someone else mentioned this is what Melvin Forbes does with the NULA rifles, which are incredibly accurate. But the kevlar stock he uses is stiffer than steel, and helps decrease vibration.
Sorry for rambling. Anyway, I would start by adding a slight pressure point near the end of the forend, and see if that makes the rifle shoot more consistently. I've done this with cardboard or plastic before, just to see what the rifle likes before using bedding compound as a permanent fix. Good luck. I have done the latter, ended up with just the action bedded...
Varmint/heavy barrels do perform better when free floated, because they are much stiffer than a pencil/sporter weight barrel. Properly full-length bedding a sporter barrel will decrease vibrations and barrel whip, and give you more consistent accuracy. Someone else mentioned this is what Melvin Forbes does with the NULA rifles, which are incredibly accurate. But the kevlar stock he uses is stiffer than steel, and helps decrease vibration.
Sorry for rambling. Anyway, I would start by adding a slight pressure point near the end of the forend, and see if that makes the rifle shoot more consistently. I've done this with cardboard or plastic before, just to see what the rifle likes before using bedding compound as a permanent fix. Good luck. I have done the latter, ended up with just the action bedded...
Well, the scope is fixed and holding zero,(fingers crossed). Now back to bedding the barrel channel. I loaded three rounds each of 120 Noslers, CCI Primers, Win brass and 44.5,45, 45.5 grains of H-4350. Went to the range and at 100yds, Good enough to kill a deer but not to impressive. Smallest group was inch and a quarter. I went back today with the same loads as above with the only difference being the thickness of 4 index cards under the front of the barrel. The 44.5 load produced a group just under and inch, the 45 grain load had a nice triangle group well in the half inch range, maybe a tad under and the 45.5 opened back up to one and a half inchs. What do you think? Build a pressure pad under the front of the barrel or keep working on a different load??
Well, I went ahead and built a small pressure pad with bedding compound. After it cures in a few days, I'll try my loads again. If I'm still not happy, I'll grind it out and start a new load work up. Its going to be my "go to" hunting rifle so I still have most of 2017 to find a load or burn up the barrel trying. Might just have to give the guys at X-Caliber a call.