I've been glass bedding rifles for many years. I had read that one needs to include the first inch or two of the barrel shank as part of the process. I'm building another rifle and my smith, who has a lot of experience with bench and target rifles, said the latest trend is to free float the barrel all the way back to the action, nothing touching the barrel.

I was wanting to see what you guys are doing?

DF

I generally bed the first inch to inch and a half of the shank and float the rest. I'm far from being a smith, but I've had very good results this way.

If you're into the traveling wave theory of optimal barrel time and OCW loading, you might want the barrel floated all the way back. Otherwise you're sort of making the upper and lower halves of the barrel have different lengths which could muddy the reflection of the wave at the chamber end of the barrel.

Or it might not make a gnat's ass worth of difference.

I have done dozens with the first 2 inches of BBL bedded and every one has shot very well? maybe just lucky?

This is my first post, but for whatever it's worth, I've bedded in dozens of barrels as much as 3"-4" from the recoil lug. If that method has an adverse affect on accuracy, I can't notice it. Personally, I'd be pretty leery about totally free-floating any barrel, but particularly one over 24".

Along with that, standard pre-64 M70's have that barrel screw 6" or so out on the barrel, and they shoot pretty darn good bedded right up to the lug, with the screw turned snug.

Jeff

Well, I'm glad to see that. My most accurate deer rifle, a Krieger bbl 6.5-284 M-70 is bedded like that. And it shoots lights out, like quarter inch at a hundred and 3/4 MOA out to 600 yds.

I'm sure this approach is a high tech, wave theory approach. To us hunters, probably not enough difference to talk about. I think I'll try the smith's recommendation with this latest one, just for grins. I don't see me changing the others that shoot great already.

DF

I think there is something more to it than luck. Prior to doing any bedding jobs myself, every picture of high quality bedding jobs I've seen had part of the shank bedded.

I usually bed the length of the chamber,then float the rest.

that's me

I'm not surprised by these responses. It seems the majority of us bed rifles like we were taught. I don't think it's going to make a difference in hunting rifles, but I find it interesting.

DF

For ultra accuracy (benchrest, 1000 yard, etc) you will see only full free float to the action. Reason: more shooting, more barrel heat-up. Metal expands at a different rate than epoxy. As barrel expands greater than epoxy, subsequent shots may shoot higher. Read this in a scholarly tome, but cannot remember when or where. My gunsmith, Steve Baldwin-Mechanical Accuracy-Jones, OK, is mucho smart/experienced with this and full free floats all barrels, as do I now. The "shank pad" is more cosmetic than anything, and probably doesn't hurt for general hunting.

I generally glass bed the first 3" of the barrel (chamber area) to give the barrel some support and relieve stress on the barrel shank/action area.

There's a difference between a heavy azz target grade match barrel and a flimsy, light, extra thin hunting barrel. Most of the light ones actually prefer the bedding pad under the chamber/shank and a little side support also in this area. I've also noticed that some whippy barrels like a little upward pressure at the forend. Each rifle is an individual but some things are almost set in stone when it comes to how and why you bed a rifle.......There are a few variables to consider before you even start the job....

Many ways to skin the pre 64 cat. I've went just the opposite way with my std weight rifle and freefloated the barrel out and put a dummy screw in where the forend screw is (its just there for looks). It shoots pretty good this way too....

DF, To be honest I bedded my new to me 7mm rem mag (model 70 made in NewHaven) SS/SYN the way your smith has suggested. It's shooting just as good as any of my other rifles

You can get away with this type of bedding on a "stiff" barrel. Absolutely nothing wrong with it.....Some of my more rigid barrels have about 1/2" under the chamber bedded to nothing under the chamber. Works out pretty good this way if you've got the reciever, recoil lug, and tang bedded properly.

My smith is Ray Bowman, Precision Rifle and Tool, Mebane, NC. Ray is a retired Surgery RN. Before that he was a machinist and has always been a shooter. He has a number of patents on surgical instruments. During his career as a Surgery RN, he worked with the doctors and when they needed a special instrument, he went home and made it. Very interesting guy to talk to. He's really high tech into target and tactical rifles and I learn from him every time we talk. When he retired from the hospital, he went back to his shop and is very busy, building rifles. Check him out on line.

I'm going to bed this least build like he said and see how it does. He's not led me wrong, yet.

He has the PT&G .22-204 reamer, chambering two rifles for me. Very interesting round that I think you'll be hearing more and more about.

DF

My smith beds from lug back. Advantage is if I need to replace barrel, I don't have to rebed anything.

On the pre-64's, it's probably more of a reflection on the quality of the barrel than the method of bedding. They typically shoot very well bedded full-length, too.

Sounds like a very cool guy to get to know...Should work out great

Yep, that's why I said many ways to skin that cat Unlike my pre 64 winchester model 100 (semi auto).

Does your M100 shoot? I never had a lot of luck with it's lever brother, the M88. Too finicky or inconsistant.

Like a rock star brother but it takes work. Still running the pos factory trigger. These rifles need to be bedded at the recoil block at the rear of the reciever and also at the forend screw (dissassembly screw):



Shot a 1" 4 shot (total in the magazine) group at 160 yards one day with a guy at the range and he was begging me to sell the rifle to him. I had to tell him no

Look at that! I've had a couple 88's that would shoot close to an inch, but nothing like your 100.

Do you think that 100 is one of a kind, or is it the way you skillfully bedded the recoil block and the barrel?

DF

I'm not sure DF. It's an intriguing rifle and is fun to shoot. I just spent some time working on the right load for it and it about knocked my socks off when I shot this group. It generally shoots around an inch or so now since I loctited everything (mounts and rings). Everything seemed to rattle loose after about 15 shots!!!!! It had me stumped for a while because it would shoot awesome little groups for the first couple of strings and then everything started falling apart. I finally realized everything was coming loose and shifting impact and groups would grow. It was very impressive with open sights at 50 yards and I knew it would shoot better than what it was (at the time I didn't know things were loosining up). I'll be honest here, my eyes suck so I didn't want to shoot open sights and decided to scope it. Here's how it shot at 50 yards with factory open sights and my chitty eyesight:

This is a 4 shot group (full magazine), 50 yards with factory irons:



This is a first year (1961) rifle and it hasn't been used much. I'm really impressed by it

Nothing under any part of the barrel. -Al