Bedding advice needed

[steve white]

In trying to solve a double-grouping problem with my Sako Safari in 375, I read over and over that the solution just might be to relieve the area in front, to the sides, and below the recoil lug. One blogger wrote "and ESPECIALLY UNDER the lug." Advise for other rifles sometimes mentioned re-bedding via pillar bedding. But with the Sako (also my Mannlichers) the front action bolt is IN the recoil lug. If relieved underneath the lug, by definition there is no contact with the top of the pillar. Is pillar bedding then only for actions where the bolt is not in the lug? Or should I look for another solution to the double grouping?

 

[marksman]

the reason to relieve under the recoil lug is so that it will have room to tighten down the action onto the bedding

on a Sako you have rounded as well as flat areas, all flat areas should be relieved by at least one layer of tape except the rear of the recoil lug and under the action where you want a positive contact,
you also want the rear tang relieved so that your rifle will have positive contact on the rear of the recoil lug and not at the tang which will effect consistent return to battery
the action moves under battery and will be inconsistent if not relieved properly
round actions like the Remington do not need to be relieved

this is a Sako AV 9.3 x 62 that l have just bedded for a very good friend with JB Weld and am just cleaning up so the action is relieved in the bedding
the first photo shows the round factory cross bolt shroud that the recoil lug was against

 

[marksman]

so called pillar bedding is not bedding at all, it is anti crushing,
a good idea at the tang IMHO just like in a Mauser, stocks that are hard to bed properly eg, houge stock get pillars
you get that same result from gluing solid rod into the stock between the action and bottom metal
the double grouping could be that the action is too tight in the stock but can be other things like scope or mounts, if it is the action where all the flats fit need to have a light sand till the action will slide out easily from the stock

 

[Mark A Ouellette]

Add strips of electric tape on the front, bottom, and sides of a recoil lug when laying in the glass or DEVCON epoxy.

 

[Nhoro]

This is my personal understanding of bedding and relieving gleaned from lots of reading and working on my own rifle. You are trying to provide consistent pressure on the action and barrel and that includes not bending the action. So the back of the recoil lug should fit tightly against the recoil surface. The entire action should fit consistently along its length without being twisted by the bolts. This means the front ,sides and bottom of the recoil lug should have clearance. Rear of recoil lug should touch and the whole of the action bottom should touch the bedding. Pillar bedding gives 2 consistent sufaces for the action and recoil lug to mate up with but the stock can flex or warp with moisture and create inconsistency in wooden stocks. I used painters masking tape on surfaces that need clearance and bedded the action with epoxy. I just put a couple of layers of tape to get a bit more clearance if i remember correctly.

 

[V.Veritas]

Check out this link. If you contact Nathan directly I’m sure he will help you out.

What is Rifle Bedding?

www.ballisticstudies.com

 

[V.Veritas]

And here:

MatchGrade Bedding Compound Instructions