Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Pressure point bedding

I've been trying to get my recent 223AI build to shoot since I got it back in February. The skinny on it, rem 700 McMillan my rifle and a #2 shilen. As it stand now I've chased down a few problems with it, mostly the mag box and I'm thinking it doesn't like the floated barrel. I swapped out scopes as well just to make sure the new to me leupold wasn't wanky

The rifle



Shot this series of targets today and it looks like I still have to file down the mag box and it needs a pressure point bedded in. I used a few wraps of electrical tape to make a make shift pad.

Top two are with the mag bottom 3 groups are with ou the mag box. The two groups on the bottom left are with tape and no mag box.



Just looking for the best way to bed a pressure point to make this rifle shoot.

Looks like you may have other issues with the bedding, which I would try to work out before doing the pressure point.

The way I do the pressure point is to place the gun in a padded vice, upside down. I put a blob of Acraglass Gel in the forearm channel at the tip, hang a 6# wt on the barrel and let it dry. That way I know how much upward pressure on the barrel. If I like the way it shoots, I may fill the rest of the barrel channel.

DF

What do you suggest? I know my mag box is still long and is not helping.

If I was working with it, I'd be sure the action isn't in a bind. Is the stock pillar bedded? Of course, I'd glass bed the action. With a big boomer, I'd use Steel Bed, otherwise, Acraglass Gel. Generally, you want to be able to slightly move the sheet steel mag box up and down. I use a belt sander to carefully remove material until I have some movement with the action screws snugged up tight.

I'd check the trigger to make sure it was light and broke clean. I'd work with the COAL and see how much jump I had. I'd make sure I was using a proven accuracy load.

I'd look down the barrel with my Hawkeye to make sure everything was Kosher. I assume you've cleaned the barrel and broke it in right.

I'd torque the screws to 35 inch pounds front and back.

I'd make sure the bases were on tight, as well as the rings.

I'd do all that before I'd mess with fore end pressure.

The way to do that is to put the gun upside down in a padded vice, holding the stock. Put some glass bedding cmpd. in the fore end channel near the tip and hang 6-8# wt on the barrel. After it dries, you have known fore end upward pressure. If I liked the way it shot, I may back fill the barrel channel.

Keep us in the loop.

DF

I would agree with D.farmer in that the bedding needs to be looked at.
If the action was bedded when the mag box was binding, the bedding has to come out, and be redone.
Place your thumb and forefinger on either side of the reciever, with fingers touching both the stock and barrel/reciever. Move the forward guard screw in and out. If you feel movement in your fingers,the action/barrel moving, the bedding is not neutral. Nuetral is what you`re looking for.
Good luck.

I bedded it with out the mag box in place, it was way long when I got it put together. I haven't really started an load development as I haven't got it to shoot consistent yet.

The talleys were tight when I swapped scopes on Saturday and the trigger is good. I think the mag box is still long and causing shots to land inconsistanly. The two groups on the lower left were about the best it's shot, no mag and and some tape wrapped to form a pad.

Going to take alook on the weekend and trim the mag box again and see what's up.

You gotta be able to slightly move that box, up and down, both the front and the rear.

DF

I do not post alot but saw where your riflle seems to like a pressure point. I have a new Extreme Weather in .270 that seemed to prefer some presuure, but was never sure how much and where to places the shims to help.
I actually saw an add for this (http://www.rifle-accuracy.com/). I thought with the guarantee what heck. I sent my stock out and had it back in two weeks. It is actually pretty interesting to pick a load and dial the amount of barrel pressure with a screw driver. You could watch the groups open and close. I have had this in for a year or so and zero also has not moved.

I know what your saying but it's hard to do on an Adl. Ill check it when I put the leupold back on. Ill pull the tab and see how much move ment I can get with the scope off

My point is that if you bedded the action with the existing long mag box, the bedding mirrors the problem, which means the action imparted the flex into the bedding.
Pull the box, and try my test. I`ve seen this happen many times. Because a rifle is "bedded" dosen`t always mean a proper job of doing so has been done. How do I know, I`ve done it myself..
The rifle should be a tack driver...and my experience with the .223 AI suggest it will shoot with most anything you care to load in it.
BTB...the scope is a proven performer??

I was picturing a BDL, feeling the box movement thru an open floorplate.

I agree with CGPAUL. If you bedded the action with the box in place, you need to cut the bedding out and re-bed. If you bedded without the box, you can often feel some rocking of the action with the box in place. The action just doesn't come down solid at the lug and tang. That can put pressure at mid action and cause some weird things to happen.

DF

it is all in the rifle rest, try using sand bags instead of a p nut butter jar and you are good to go!

Good luck!

Guys, looks like he bedded it with the mag box out: For those of you suggesting he bedded it with it in...Sounds like a bedding issue to me as well. You are also going to have to trim the mag box down a bit like you are aware of, check the action to make sure it isn't bound up. It needs to be absolutely neutral in that bedding. You can check for deflection while torquing the screws down by using a dial indicator on the receiver to see if it moves. Your rifle shouldn't need a pressure point in it to shoot good. It should shoot good without any bedding in the barrel channel (that includes the portion under the chamber). Post a pic of your work. Did you bed under the complete receiver. Remingtons like the whole action bedded with no binding. Here's one I did just for an example (not my best work but you get the idea)....

Here is how I did the lug. My 243AI is done the same and it's very accurate.



I know the mag box is still a problem. I'm going to get it all free and try it. Rebed if needed.

If that's all you bedded, it's probably rocking around in the stock like crazy. No wonder why it shoots better with pressure at the forend...You need to address the bedding (or lack of for use of better words) under the complete receiver/action...IMHO.

The ADL has a screw infront of the trigger-guard. Be carefull you do not overly tighten. That too will warp your action.
Any chance your front guard screw is contacting a bolt lug when the action is locked up? I`m assuming you replaced the wood stock?and the mag box fit fine with that stock?

Lug is tight! There is zero wiggle

CGPaul rifle was build off a LVSF that had seen its share. Every thing fit when it was stock. Front screw hitting the bolt might be some thing to look at. Adl screw is just snug enough to not back out.

Lots of good advise here! If the lug is touching on the bottom, you are in trouble.

Remove the center screw or only have it finger nail tight, bed the entire reciever.

BSA gave you some really good advise.

Really now, do not use the p nut butter jar as a rifle rest!

What he said. I always put masking tape on the front and bottom of the lug to provide clearance after removed. It really shouldn't touch the bottom.

Sask Hunter, everything about your groups point to stress on the action. If you were to post a picture of your bedding job without the groups or any prior knowledge of their size and ask everyone's opinion of how the rifle might shoot, most experienced responses would be something to the effect of erratic. It appears to me as if the only contact area is the bottom of the lug and a very small area around the lug where the the bedding material is visible.

I wouldn't consider a pressure point until the action is properly bedded.