Used a heat-gun to straighten the fore-end and flare the barrel channel, then sanded a slight bevel. It was tight on the port-side.

Filled the fore-end with cookie dough but ran out of my beloved Loc-Tite and had to use Oatey for the distal end. Made each compartment spill into the next, and overlapped. Started proximal and worked my way out. Still floated, and I don't mind the extra weight but weight weenies beware. The stock is still weak near the action but the fore-end is much stiffer laterally. Upward pressure will still make contact but not on a rest/bags.

Cookie dough is plenty tough and adheres well but need to beat on it to see if it stays put.

Also got some stainless action screws at the hardware store... 1/4"-28 x 3/4" SHCS.

Could you describe how to do the heat gun trick? Will a hair dryer work?

Thanks for that 4th I'm fixing to do something along those lines with my 308 compact and your method helps the thought process. I happen to have quite a bit of expoxy resin and some thickener and will do something like you've done there. Same issue here btw almost tight on the port side and bigger gap on the right.

DD,

The hair dryer might work. I heated up the plastic until it started to "sweat" on the channel "lips". This is just where it starts to change appearance but only slightly. Don't want to go too far but if you are cautious and start slow its easy.

With the barreled action out of the stock, point the heat-gun into the channel. I heated the bottom of the channel and the port side-wall and lip. Then I turned it upside down, opened a drawer on my bench and stuck the top edge of the drawer front into the barrel channel. I pulled/leevered the stock to "straighten" the fore-end and twisted to flare the lip... focusing on getting the port side fixed. You could also take a wood board (and put in a vice) and do the same thing but the drawer was easy.

Watch out... that sling stud will get hot! Cool with water, or go have a beverage. I also flared the starboard-side, but had the fore-end un-straighten itself with too much heat and leverage.

JUST NOTE...

...the amount of heat I used caused the top edges of the partitions in the fore-end to melt slightly. This wasn't an issue for me since I was planning to fill those partitions but if you're looking to just re-shape with heat its something to keep in mind. If you wanted to just heat and reshape the channel "lips" you might be able to put water soaked paper towels in the bottom of the channels. Just a thought.

Hope this makes sense, if not let me know.

Jason

Salty,

I'm interested in how it turns out with the epoxy. I've done a lot of fixturing with Bondo, resin used for 'glass work, Cerro, etc. for mechanical testing (i.e. breaking things). Whenever I used the resin made for 'glass it shrunk a lot. And didn't adhere very well. Always had to add mechanical fasteners to take up the slop. Not sure if this is the same stuff you have or not.

Have you used this epoxy in plastic stocks before? If not, I wonder if you could test it in some other plastic to see if it shrinks and adheres well? If it doesn't stick, no problem... but if it sticks partially its just extra work to get it cleaned up again.

I do like the idea of something that pours into the compartments and that would be an advantage of epoxy (assuming it "pours")... that was my first thought too. But the beauty of the cookie dough is that it doesn't shrink much and sticks well.

Shot 100 rounds yesterday with the cookie dough but I've also been beating the stock... literally. The bottom of the fore-end has marks from banging it on my bench. No loose cookie dough... so far, so good

Please keep us up-to-date on what you find.

Jason

Jason, was thinking about doing something similar to predator .22 stock. Don't really have any experience bedding tho...Can you expound a little on the loc-tite product? I've never used it but it seems you just knead small pieces into place and smooth out as you go...?

Seems it sets up pretty fast so I assume working quickly is necessary. Also looks like it comes in a 4 oz tube, would that have been enough product to finish your stock?
Thank you..

I'm interested as well - which Loctite product is this cookie dough stuff?

Looks like good work on the barrel channel, thanks for the writeup.

Just FYI on those stainless screws, if you don't already know - they are good for corrosion resistance, but not as strong as a regular carbon steel fastener. Shouldn't matter for this application though.

That's my question also. What is cookie dough?

Also, do you have number on how much weight it added to the rifle?

ballistic studies

Saw this stuff on the web , should work like a charm and is made to fill in hollow foreends

FYI -- Ruger stiffened up the forearm in recent production rifles. I actually handled one today and the difference is very noticeable.

Interesting. I'll have to check new ones out.

Certifiable,

Each tube is 4 ounces as you mentioned (Loc-Tite and Oatey). It took about 1-1/2 tubes to fill the entire fore-end to a level slightly above the plastic partition walls. The barrel is still floated.

Set-up time is listed as 5-10 minutes. There's plenty of time to work with it and it doesn't accelerate really fast at the end like some epoxies. Just cut a chunk off and roll/knead.

Jason

Yondering and Crow hunter,

The Loc-Tite version is called "Metal Magic". Oatey sells something similar called "FIX it STICK". You can see what the containers look like in the first pic. I have used Metal Magic on a bunch of repairs. Oatey is new to me but seems like a very similar product.


NTG,

I used 1.5 tubes so I'm guessing 6 ounces. The fore-end feels a lot better. Before, I could get the stock to touch the barrel with the rifle shouldered and applying a little pressure to the fore-end. I like the balance of the rifle with the added weight.

If you didn't want to add that many ounces, you could fill then drill. Or just fill the first few compartments, and partially fill as you work towards the end.

Jason

Looks good. Like Devcon? Please let us know if you try it and what you think.

SAS,

That's great news. Are you at SHOT this year?

Jason

I did a similar job on my Ruger but added lengths of carbon fiber arrow shafts down each side of the barrel channel. They helped stiffen the forearm considerably.

What did you use for the filler?

The carbon rods would definitely help reduce the weight compared to the epoxy putty that I used... its hard as a rock and dense.

I used Acra glass, not the gel. I wanted it to flow down the inside of the shaft to help fix it in place. I didn't fill the whole forearm up. Just enough to cover the arrow shafts. It does not flex under normal use.

348srfun,

Did you just cut the stock's cross sections out against each side of the forearm?

I did. I thought since I was going to fill the bottom of the forearm with bedding material and the arrow shafts, it wouldn't matter.

I'm thinking of using thin-walled aluminum tube, as big as I can fit in the forend with the ribs removed (maybe 5/8-3/4" diameter?), and fill adhesive around it. That should be not only lighter, but also stiffer, than solid epoxy or arrow shafts.

Still waiting for my RAR Predator to ship though, so I don't know if it will even be necessary yet.

I've used epoxy for various boat projects mainly over a couple decades either to 'glass with it where you use the two part epoxy in liquid form just as you'd use polyester resin for conventional fiber glassing. Or to glue or build up with it in thickened form. You are correct polyester resin will shrink. It also doesn't stick to some substances well. Epoxy shines for glassing over wood it drives right in there and isn't prone to failure like conventional fiber glassing.

Epoxy will stick to basically anything as long as there's no oils or dust. In fact epoxy will stick to cured fiber glass but not visa versa. Figure that one out?? It tends to drive right in to any microscopic pours of a given substance especially when you rough it up by sanding before hand. No I haven't used it on a gun stock before but I've used it on various plastics with different projects with good results.

For sure, if I do this I'll get back with results as requested but it might take a bit I just posted an add up here looking to trade my compact stock for a standard stock for the longer length of pull. If that doesn't come through I'll probably go for it on the compact stock and just deal with it being a lil short The plot does thicken tho... long long drive today got me noodlin an idea of epoxy bedding an aluminum plate countersunk in to the criss crossed struts. We'll see...

The cookie dough is uber-stiff. Think "dang-near rock solid"... you can sand, drill, and tap it. A fella could fill-n-drill if the weight were a concern.

But...

Any of these fixes will make the fore-end become a lever-arm that overpowers the area closer to the action.

Good info Salty.

If you split the tube length wise, it may have a rotational flex to it that you don't get with round shafts. I also was wondering about aluminum 90 degree angle in a size that the barrel would lay in. Lots of options to play with. Maybe I need to get a couple more of these things to fix. I am very satisfied with the accuracy I get out of my 223 compact.

I am.....

The stock I handled today was much stiffer than the Americans I have in the safe.

They're listening.......

Call Ruger first if you have an older one. For $50 I'm sure they would rather send you a free new stock than have complaints going around. Just like on the magazine issue. They seem to just send one out no questions if someone calls on it.

I tried to buy a replacement stock from Ruger and they could not sell me one because all stocks are going to production rifles.

I just wanted to make it clear that I have not been complaining. I realize your statement should be taken in a positive and general sort of way and I agree with it. I am a firm believer of giving the manufacturer the opportunity to make it right first. One of my favorite sayings, before retirement was " I can't fix it if I don't know it's broken".
I think the Ruger American is some of the best money I have spent on a rifle and I have a wide variety of rifles, most don't have plastic stocks. When you can purchase a centerfire for this kind of price that consistently shoots as well as these do it has to be a little embarrassing for the maker when compared to his normal line of rifles. I hope this is a trend in the industry.

Shipping is 27 bucks but I might combine this item and their epoxy for a tikka project and m70 project this spring.

Even with the steel putty, old floppy still rubs. I shot with the front rest towards the action and away from the forearm tip. It was hard to get a good pic, but you should be able to see the crescent shaped mark that goes across the barrel, made by the tip of the plastic stock. And the long rub marks along the side of the barrel.

The stock is weak near the action and allows the whole forearm to flex.

When this topic came up last year I made a comment on that thread that it's important to reinforce the area immediately in front of the recoil lug.

The reason is that is actually the fulcrum point, and the area where the flexing stress is concentrated.

Of course the RAR doesn't have a traditional lug, but that same area in front of the front action screw is vulnerable.

Anyway, at this point you can just Dremel out the area under the action and back close to the mag, (or on either side), and bed about 6" of square tubing in the middle, or a 5/16" hardwood dowel on either side.

Aluminum tubing, square tubing is the same deal. Aluminum tubing is great. It's stiffer and lighter...anything stiff and light will work.

You can back fill that area with a mix of epoxy, carbon fiber strands and glass beads.

Use real epoxy or Marine-Tex.

That would solve it. SAS has reported that the new RAR has a stiffer fore-end.

Viagra mixed in the bedding...maybe?

Are there any visual differences between the old stock and the new one?

Here's what I had to do to my Tikka fore end...........











































































Nothing. Just sayin....

And the cost of your Tikka compared to a RAR? Just sayin.....

+1 ... Was at the local gunstore last weekend and handled one. Only wish I had waited a year to buy.

How can a guy tell if he is getting the new stock or the old one if he is buying a new-ish rifle these days?

SAS will need to respond but he made the comment while at SHOT so the new stocks might not even be available yet.

Is this group with your "floppy forearm" RAR 4th point?







While I agree Ruger should have addressed the warped forearm issue from the get go, their so called "floppy forearm" hasn't prevented myself and many others from shooting sub MOA groups constantly with their RAR..

From the above target looks like you don't have much of a problem shooting good groups with yours..

Group size isn't the issue.

The issue is changes in point-of-impact that occur when the stock flexes and applies pressure to the barrel.

A free-floating barrel needs to remain free-floating under common field conditions, so some minimal effort needs to be paid to insure that a stock that won't bend on various rests.

It is feasible to manufacture a cheap plastic stock from used grocery bags that is still stiff enough to work, but Ruger didn't do it.

Ruger screwed up!

Ruger's head of product development passed that info on to me at SHOT. Unfortunately, I didn't ask "when". The stock on the rifle I handled from their display was noticeably stiffer.

I don't shoot groups from field positions..
I just shoot what I am aiming at and so far no problems there..
So I am happy with mine..
Get it!
I don't use a bipod however..
Maybe that is what is giving you grief..

Having said that I agree with your statement that Ruger screwed up on the forearm design..
From my experience with 77's and No 1's Ruger screws up a lot, esp. when it come to chambering..

But the RAR STILL shoots great and it seems as per SAS that they are redesigning the forearm..

Nrut,

That was shot with the OEM stock with no mods.

I got numerous tight groups, sometimes with occasional flier, or an entire group printing in a different spot. I found that with all-the-stars-in-perfect-aligment... the RAR 223 shot lights out. BUT, my rest had to be the exact same for every shot. And consistent form was critical. These things are always important but the RAR was hyper-sensitive.

I think TopCat is correct in his comments... the stock flexes depending on rest and allows the barrel to make contact.

That's why I used the cookie dough in the fore-end. The rifle and load seem accurate, but the floppy stock is holding it back.

Jason

This past weekend I shot with the cookie dough in the fore-end, but also changed to a different rest, and used a CCI 400 instead of Rem 7-1/2.

Dug some targets out of the trash. Sorry about that first one... it already had part of it cut away above. But you can see how shot #3 was low. It might be the load, but given that the stock was contacting the barrel I'm focusing on the stock for now. I could always go back to the Rem 7-1/2.

Once the stock situation is fixed I suspect it'll be shooting great and the rifle will be much more forgiving.

For giggles one of you should tightly wrap the forearm and barrel together with electrical tap and see how that works for your groups.

I finally got to monkeying with my new RA compact mounted some Talley LWs and a vx2 3-9. I've had the stock off for a couple days theorizing and thunking a few ideas through. I did pop the recoil pad and there's a rectangular chunk of Styrofoam jammed in there and as we know a square peg..... I sprayed some foam in there to fill the voids. I'm going to shoot the thing this WE floppy stock and all as is. But I'm thinking of filling the forstock with same foam level to the criss cross struts letting that cure and then glassing on top of that with a couple few layers of biaxial cloth and epoxy tying it in to the edges to stiffen things up. That's the latest plan..

Sounds good to me. Keep us posted (with pics) of your work.

I was going to wrap layers of tape around the barrel to create a pressure point with the stock... but never did it.

That's great news SAS.

Jason

You get what you pay for!

Just sayin

Shod

IMHO with a Tikka you pay for more than you get. Tikkas are great rifles but share a lot of the materials of the Ruger American for instance. Yes the action is smoother I get that yes they are accurate but so are a lot of the entry level types these days

Yeah, that's kind of my point. The VALUE of the RAR is the winner, but feel free to buy, spend and shoot whatever you want.

Some have been paying $60+ on Ebay for the factory take-off stocks. One green one went for $130. So, if you can get the factory to send you one for $50, you aren't out much. Probably people are swapping short and long stock with the compact and standard guns. Or buying a second stock to use the same gun with both lengths.

As requested here's a little report and some pics of what I came up with. Cleaned up the inside well with ammonia based cleaner aka Windex as they recommend for polymer. I scuffed up the stock to give the epoxy a good surface to grip on.


I mixed up two part marine epoxy thickened with microbaloons and filled the forend bedding a layer of biaxial fiber glass cloth to add strength. Then I attached the barrel centered properly using tape on the barrel and let it cure


Looked like this when I took it apart after it cured. 'scuze the crappy pic and it is flat just weird glare here


Mine hugged the port side before now not so much


But I've got more work to do I shot a couple groups real quick on the way home and one was like before a couple contenders and the third flyer opening up to a couple inches. I'm using factory 150 ssts all I've tried yet. Then it sprayed 3 around 4 inches. WTF? Looking closely I think I know what happened I forced the barrel to the side a smidge for an uber perfect center fit then cranked on the bolts to cheat things a bit. After the schit show at the range it looks like it shifted a whisker. Thinking about that a V has to fit inside a V you can't cheat that so I'm going to take it apart open up the channel some (haven't touched it yet) to make good and GD sure that its free floated and its sucked in tight to the bedding blocks with no monkey business. Then start loading for the lil pecker and see.. Fun little project polishing this turd

The RAR I agree is the better value if one is looking for an entry level rifle so long as one doesn't start sinking $ into it.

From what I can tell so far is most are not happy with the RAR as is and the next thing you know you end up with a Tikka price tag

If I'm going to spend the $ anyway......and I would.....I'll take the rifle that has the glass smooth action, feeds like butter, has an exceptional trigger, and has a higher resale value than most rifles.

Shod

I don't think you do. For the money, the Tikka should have a metal magazine and bolt shroud. Also, it should have an actual recoil lug. There's more to a rifle than just shooting straight, IMO.

It's built much the same as the RAR for nearly double the price ETA: Sorry, 1.5X the price....I dont find the injection moulded stock all that much better on a Tikka anyways.

My Predator arrived last week, direct from Ruger, with the stiffer forend. It seems reasonably stiff to me, although it still needs some relief in the barrel channel at the front end.

Have it spend a little time down in the "Now that we know what ..." thread in the Miscellaneous forum.

tag

Thanks for that first new and improved stock I've seen that's a better design with all the diagonals looks like thicker guage material too.

Wonder how much that's going to make the price go up?

Shod

The small dealer wholesale price at my favorite wholesaler went up $20 recently, on the Predators and Ranch Rifles that change was from $310 to $330. Don't why, but it did.

I'm going over to Cabela's after I shower and buy a couple of RARs; Predators in 204, 223, and 6.5 Creed. 3 RRs in 223, 'cause 2 guys in CO and 1 guy in KS asked me to buy for them if they are available. The gun counter guy a Cabela's told me that they had Predators and RRs, but he wouldn't (or couldn't) tell me if they had them for all chamberings cataloged.

Straw purchase?

Assume much?

Send them to their FFL, all legit. Seems the liberal poision may be leaking in to your water supply?

The RAR RR's were going to be gifts, but Cabela's didn't have any when I was there at 9:00 AM. No RAR Predators in 204, 1 in 223, and 3 in 6.5. I ended up with a 6.5 Creed and decided that I'd get the 204 and 223 when Ruger is able to produce enough RAR Predators to meet demand.

EDIT: Got the RAR Pred in 6.5 Creed home, cleaned, and mounted/bore-sighted with a Redfield Revolution 3-9x40 in Warne Maximas. Hope to get to the range and give it a try when the weather cooperates.

The Predator I bought in Decemebr from Cabelas has a stock that looks just like the one above. (I.e., the new stye.)

It was $420, so reflected the $20 increase.

I posted these comments and pictures on the thread about mechanical issues, but it seems relevant here also.

I think my stock was still touching sometimes, so I put some steel bed in the five inches of the fore end. (Starting at the tip.)It added two ounces to the rifle IIRC. But the problem with the stock tapping the barrel and getting two groups is gone.

I made it to the range yesterday. It was WINDY. 10-15 and gusts. It was coming down the mountain at me and causing some weird vertical in all four rifles I shot. I tried to shoot between gusts, but it was impossible and you can see some extra vertical in the targets.

The first picture is the same load I was shooting previously. The first picture says "sighter", and the bullet hole on the bottom right was my first shot. I corrected up and left and shot the four round group.

The second pic is of the same load, but seated deeper. Then there are two loads with Varget. I am certain the groups would be better on a less windy day.

For the cost, I'm very happy with the rifle. The "fix" cost $6 and a few minutes.

The dots are one inch.

Thanks for the update IDMilton. Steel-bed and the new forearm seem to be working.

I'll be interested in hearing how it does once you start shooting from field positions. I think shooting uphill, downhill, off of different surfaces, and in contorted positions can affect the plastic stocks. Hopefully you've cured the problem and can just shoot it.

I'll probably go plywood, but will take another look at a band-aid later today.

Yeah, I need to shot over my pack and see how it does. I was out of time and it was too windy yesterday so I'll have to try it later. I did shoot from the bipod right before I left. I was wasting so much time waiting for the wind to stop gusting I stopped at three. (And I was already late!)


Here's a picture of the rifle. Now its shooting well, my gun A.D.D. will probable kick in and I'll sell it and try a stainless one in 7-08. It's a sickness!

The bipod is a great test. Seems fine, especially the conditions.

Did you dork with the trigger yet? You can pitch the trigger spring, if you keep the blade for reset. I pitched the blade, but had to add a wimpy trigger spring for reliable reset. Easy to take all of it out for a trial... then decide what you like from there.

Pic below shows the wimpy spring used for reset, but its been cut in half, at least. Pick points to the new spring before getting chopped (with OEM spring below it)... and blade is now gone.

What cartridge?

4th_point, are you going to try taping the forearm to the barrel like NTG suggests above?
Sounds like to me that it might work for those that are having problems maintaining their POA/POI..

4th Point, I haven't touched the trigger springs. It feels good to me so I just left it alone.

260Remguy, mine is in 6.5 Creedmoor. With the H4350 I'm at about 2650. With the Varget, I'm at 2560. (With an ES in the teens.) Both with Hornady brass, Tula LRM, and the 140 A-max.

Yeah, NTG made that suggestion awhile back. At the time I thought about adding a pressure point, separating the barrel and stock, but never considered squeezing them together. Would be interesting to try.

Seems like the wrap would be a good way to verify a rifle/load is in the ballpark. But I'm thinking my RAR and load are going to shoot well based on what I've seen so far and don't know how I'd incorporate a wrap in to the longterm fix (i.e. pulling the barrel down into the stock). Although the gist is to stiffen the barrel/stock assembly I don't know if pulling the barrel down is the same as pushing it up.

Thoughts?

My suggestion is not a permanent fix, mostly just a test to see how it will shoot after taking the variability out of the stock by isolating it's movement in relation to the barrel.

That's what I figured. Good idea for the future.

It seems I read somewhere where someone wrapped the barrel a few times so the electrical tape had constant contact with the stock and then heated the stock with a heat gun just enough to reset the plastics memory (ideally). I don't remember reading that they tested it out before and after, however. Just sharing another idea that someone may want to play with.

Taping the barrel to the forend of the stock will make the wandering zero problem worse.

If someone doesn't want to bother to fix the problem by reinforcing the fulcrum point of the stock, the simplest method to eliminate any changes in zero due to erratic stock flexing is to simply remove material in the forend to provide sufficient clearance in the barrel channel so that when the forearm flexes it doesn't touch the barrel.

The heat gun idea is the same principle.

I fixed the Flop at the Fulcrum but won't be able to shoot until next weekend. I'll post an update then.

I called Ruger today and asked about the availability of left hand stocks. It was an older lady I talked to. I told her I was interested in ordering a standard left hand stock to use on a compact left hand 243. She said "we don't make a compact left hand". I explained Davidsons has 60+ in stock, as an exclusive. Anyhow, she said I could order a standard left hand stock for "around $30". I should have ordered right then but probably will call back this week. I decided on a 243 compact and will order the spare stock for proper LOP.

IDMilton or 4th point, have you guys worked any more with your Rugers?

I haven't done a lot of shooting with mine (American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor) and don't even have a decent scope for it yet, but had some surprisingly good results with the 123 Amax this weekend.

The only modification I've made to the rifle was opening up the barrel channel, it's got about 1/16" gap around the barrel now, so no chance of contact at all.

This was only the second load I tried, using RL-17 in reformed 7.62 military brass, and the 123 Amax set out to max mag length (~2.845"). I'll be doing more fine tuning when I pick up another scope, but it looks promising.

Your rifle is shooting great!

I haven't shot mine again, because I sold it. A buddy was in town visiting. He liked mine, so we went into Missoula looking for one and couldn't find one in stock anywhere. Since I think I'll try a stainless one next time, I sold him the rifle and all my stuff for it.

I liked the rifle and the ones I've seem to be shooters once they get figured out.

Since I have an FFL, I very seldom buy current production guns at retail, but none of the wholesalers that I regularly buy from have had any RAR Predators, so I ended up paying about $60 over wholesale to buy the Creed for $380 on Cabela's recent sale. The Cabela's sale ran for 11 days, Feb 5 thru 16, but they kept running out of inventory and replenishing inventory, but wouldn't give me a "rain check" for the 204 and 223 RAR Predators that I wanted to buy. Kind of annoyed at Cabela's, but even if they knew, they wouldn't care.

The way mine is set up, Redfield Revolution 3-9x40 in Warne Maxima rings, it weighs in at exactly 8 lbs. and balances nicely. Due to cold weather and snow drifts, I haven't taken it to the range yet, but am looking forward to doing so.

My lefty all weather compact has the new criss cross pattern of spacers. Does have a little flex but seems decent. Have ordered a standard length lefty stock which Ruger said would ship right away. Probably will Ebay the compact stock or save it for when the kids are old enough. I'm assuming the standard lefty stocks are also the current version. I thought of using silicone rubber for filler

Yondering, your RAR looks to be shooting well. I ordered a plywood Boyds for mine and put the rifle aside for a bit.

Im grabbing one soon, are you guys bedding the stock also or just messing with the forends? It looks like their version of bedding is working but I am always looking to tinker and improve performance.

Also regarding gaps on spaghetti noodle forends, a quick check is to put a little ball of modeling clay between the forend and the barrel. If you set up on your rest (bipod, pack, sling pressure etc) or shot and the ball is compressed you know you need to open it up some more. I tend to run at least a full 1/8" on an injection molded stock.

The weather is going to be nice today, sunny and no wind, so if I can get away from my daily rounds, I'm going to take the RAR Predators in 204 and 6.5 Creed to the range.

If/when you decide to sell that compact stock, please let me know! My 7yo will probably end up with a Standard American this year and I was planning on buying a Compact stock for it. I may trim the 22" back a bit, but think the 18" might be a bit too loud for him.

On mine (6.5 Creed Predator) I only opened the forend channel, and deburred the stock, no other modifications to the rifle at all. Seems to be shooting well so far, see my target posted above.

I usually bed most of my rifles, but not sure I'll bother with this one. I'll have to use it more before I decide that though.

I got my stock today from Ruger. LH SA standard stock. The gun dropped right in perfectly. The stock seems stiffer in the front than the compact one that came on it. Both are the improved criss cross style. Barrel is perfectly centered. Considering foaming the butt and possibly filling the forend with either epoxy putty or black silicone.

The clay ball is a good idea. I sanded and rasped a fairly large gap between barrel and stock, more than 1/8", and it still rubbed.

I used epoxy in the fore-end but it allows the fore-arm to flex near the action. I hate plywood but ordered a Boyd's last week. They are way behind on filling orders.