Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Muzzleloaders Bedding

So I was looking at my new CVA Elkhorn and thought the stock seemed REALLY tight. So even tho I don't think it will pass the dollar bill test I tried anyway. The results were worse then I thought. I couldn't get it even to start at the top of the forearm. So I'm not talking just a little, I mean absolutely NO room between the barrel and the stock. It's just the black synthetic stock. It's like it was heated and set in it to cool....lol

Now I don't really want to get a blank laminate for such a cost efficient gun, but I think it should hindering on performance. Now even if I shave out some of the forearm to make a little room and float the barrel I'm sure that will help, at least some. Don't know cause I haven't even shot the thing yet, awaiting a breech plug.

So I thought I might scrape it out and figured while I have it out and I need to bed a different gun I thought I might do some practice......LOL

But I don't know if it will attach really good to plastic like laminate/wood, or would I just waste good bedding?

is the barrel in full contact through its full length now ?
The dollar bill check works to see if your barrel is floated .
If its properly bedded , the trick wont work as the barrel will be in full contact down the full-length of the stock,.

So really it depends on what line of thought you think will make the gun shoot better . IE bedding and floating .
But if your come back and bed the stock , unless your just bedding the action . then all your going to do is bring the barrel back to full contact

IMO, Leave it as it is until you shoot it.

http://gandersmuzzleloadingblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/free-floating-your-barrel.html
You really don't have to do the epoxy around the barrel lug screw area of the stock, but if you have the stuff, it certainly wont hurt.

Well yea, but this thing is stuck in there all the way up WELL past the lug screw I mean to the forearm tip! You can't even think about getting something between the forearm and barrel at all! I have never seen a rifle barrel stuck in a forearm that tight. It blows my mind! I figure in the least to do a free float job on it.

You right, I should wait to shoot it so at least i can get a before and after, just thought I would ask while I await a breech plug. It will be a fun project, I could post up shot groups and info as I do the mod's. And for the price I paid for it, who cares!

I even use files and a sanding block to open the sides of the barrel channel on the stocks. Sometimes it helps accuracy improve, other times i wasted my time on trying to improve something that didn't need it. Thats why i threw in the, shoot it first! LOL.

check out the 385gr hornady great plains bullets with 80-90gr pyrodex rs.