Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Glass bedding Winchester with barrel lug??

I have a Winchester Super Express model 70 .375. It shot great with factory wood, I put in a HS precison stock it has a barrel <BR>lug and I went ahead and full length bedded it. It shot better in factory wood so I free floated it ahead of barrel lug. Still will not shoot as good as factory wood. Any ideas? My other LH Rem. 700 is full length <BR>bedded and will shoot cloverleath groups.

When in the HS or other sturdy synthetic stock, the rifle does not need the second recoil lug. Even if properly bedded in the factory wood it does not need that troublesome lug. A .375 H&H does not need one anyways, since the recoil is actually quite mild when compared to a .458 or .378 or .416.<BR>I would remove the useless lug and float the barrel in the HS stock, then if it still does not shoot up to snuff, try placeing different amounts of fore end pressure till she shoots.<BR>Also check to make sure that the middle guard screw has JUST enouhg torque to keep it from falling out of the gun, if this screw is tight, the accuracy will suffer.<BR>the best way to correct this is to glass a nut of proper size into the stock and shorten the middle guard screw to fit the nut. leaving the receiver un touched by that wothless screw.<BR>.............Celt

I put the Wood stock back on and was checking to see what forened tension was, since it shot so well with that stock. It has some forend tension, then it is free to recoil lug. I will try some forend tension<BR>with HS stock with shims, and see how it shoots. Then if it works bed it that way.<BR>I agree with you that it does not need the <BR>recoil lug, a good glass stock with bedding <BR>block probably would help recoil also.

KK,<P>When you bed a recoil lug the lug must touch only on the rear surface...I agree that a 375 does not really need a barrel lug, but it never hurts as long as its bedded properly..Bed it the same as the wood stock it came out of.<P>------------------<BR>Ray Atkinson<BR>atkinsonhunting.com<BR>208-326-4120

kk alaska,<P>I have probaly owned and shot about 30 M70 375s with second lug. Although I have not used the latest ones.<P>Many of them have barrel problems that can be related back to that brazed on lug.<P>I am a bit different to Ray here but this is what I did with them.<P>Firstly, when bedded and fully floated accuracy tended to be inconsistent.<P>The best way was to bed the action and full float the barrel except for the recoil lug. Next the lug is drilled and tapped and a screw put through the forend.<P>The other way I have done it is the bed and fully float the barrel first.<P>Then reassemble the rifle with epoxy in the barrel lug area but WITHOUT release agent on the bottom of the lug.<P>When you pull them apart they will pull some wood. Accuracy was very good. Have also done this on M70 458s.<P>As they come from the factory they frequently shoot well. However they often go off a bit later. Sometimes they are OK if there is plenty of time spaced between groups. The problem appears to be that the barrel lug does not always relocate properly.<P>Mike<P>

Thanks for every response!<BR>My HS precision stock seems to shoot well now but it was frustrating! I had to bed it 3 times it seemed to have a high spot as it was bedded full length. When you snugged the front screw down forend would seperate from barrel? Checked and rechecked with blacking agent to find high spot could not find any so started over. Seems to shoot well now around 1" so am going to quit while<BR>I am ahead. I am dissapointed with the Winchester in fussiness compared to my Rem. 700 bedded in HS stock also. KK