Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Can bedding/floating hurt accuracy?

Hello, I have a question that may sound stupid but I need to ask. I recently purchased a used featherweight 270WSM and took it to the range for the first time today and it is shooting very good. First group with 130 TSXs was about .5-.75" and second group after adjusting to the gun and rather heavy trigger pull was one ragged hole. Before I took it out I noticed the forend contacts the barrel on the left side and I believe it also contacts it on the bottom of the barrel out towards the end. I have a friend that does excellent stock work and he told me he would help me free float it and pillar/glass bed it but I was wondering if this could possibly hurt the accuracy? I would like it done since it would give me much more confidence that climate conditions would not be as likely to effect the point of impact during a hunt in bad weather but I also am from the school that says if it ain't broke don't fix it. So what do you fellas think? Thanks, Ryan

Most commercail rifles contac the barrel at the end on the bottm for even pressure. Some rifeles shoot better with it, some better without it. You can always put it back in if needed. The pressure on the side of the barrel has to go though. If it is shooting that good, I would just relive the side pressure for now

Sounds like you have a shooter. My test would be to zero the unit, disassemble action and stock, and reassemble. If it still holds the same zero, I wouldn't fix it. One of the complications with front end pressure is that screws need to be tightened to the same degree to get repeatability across disassembly events.

It it doesn't hold zero, I would likely float and bed. Try things again. If it fails to perform, rebuild forearm pressure. 1Minute

A general rule of thumb with factory rifles is, if they shoot good, don't F with em!

Yes, bedding and free floating can adversley effect accuracy. If it shoots good with basically no load work, count yourself lucky, have something done with the trigger, and load up a bunch of ammo.

Bedding ALWAYS affects accuracy, sometimes good, sometimes bad. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

I figured that I would get this response but since I plan on using this gun as a hunter and not just a fair weather range gun I am concerned that the stock shift in different climate conditions will change point of impact from where it is now at the worst time possible during the hunt. I have taken it out of the stock to look things over and put it back in before I ever shot it so I believe it is consistent as the guy I got it from said it was a very good shooter with everything he tried in it from Sierras to Sirroccos to X's to TSX's(but I always take this with a grain of salt until I have a chance to get them out to the range myself). I was going to try one other load yesterday with the same AA3100 and some interbonds. The first one shot fine and hit about .75" away from the ragged TSX hole but the second one fit a little tight and I realized the interbonds were seated a little too far out for my gun so aborted that until I could seat them a little deeper. I just thought about a Bell and Carlson stock I have that has full alluminum block that I could stick it in and see how it shoots. It would definetely be free floated since it is for a bull barrel but that may give me some insight as to how it would do bedded and free floated?(What do you all think about that?) Thanks, Ryan

If no stresses are induced as the action is torqued down into the second stock, then it sounds like a good test to me. 1Minute

The biggest problem in placing some arbitrary amount of pressure against the barrel from the stock is how to keep that pressure consistent over time and under all conditions.

Probably the best method of using upward pressure against the barrel was the adjustable �Group Tightener� that Remington used on their 40X target rifle stocks.

That is my problem, I know the pressure that is on it now will change as conditions change. I just do not know how it will effect groups or point of impact. If I could free float and bed it I know it will make it more consistant but I am also concerned by doing this it will negatively effect how it is shooting now. If I knew I could do this and accuracy would remain it would be a no-brainer but little affraid of messing up a good thing. Thanks, Ryan

your could glass bed the rifle and put pressure on the forend, then it would be bedded like it is now and less likely to warp I suppose.

Like some say if it ain't broke, don't fix it and that is not bad advise but I would rather have a free floated barrel that shot 1.5 inches than a tack driver that shot 1/4' groups with wood touching it anywhere. Why? because it won't lose its zero with a tad of warp or whatever and 1.5" is plenty good for any hunting rifle. What I want more than accuracy is consistency and dependability.

I would glass bed it myself, and free float it. Most barrel that shoot well will shoot well any way you bed them if they are properly bedded, at least that has been my experience.

Ryan,

One of the nice things about bedding a barrel channel is that it is not permanent. You can always remove some, or add more whenever you want to.

Gale McMillan once said that he had seldom seen a rifle that did not benefit from having the barrel free floated...IF the receiver and bottom metal were properly bedded to support that barrel sticking out there all by itself.

Bedding is like just about everything else. It can be done properly or poorly. I have never seen a rifle that was properly bedded that was less accurate than it was before. The operative word is �properly.�

Against everything I read, tried and believed I started full-length bedding whips a couple years ago and have yet to have one shoot less than spectacularly. Have since done some more ordinary weight barrels and they also shoot. The big difference has been ensuring neutral pressure while bedding. I am not afraid of either now...

Had EXACTLY the same experience after I ran into two lightweight barrels that wouldn't shoot full floated. Up till then I full floated everything. Then I had a guy wanting to float a Model 7 in 7-08, and floated a M70 Featherweight in 300 Win Mag. Neither would shoot less than 3". First time that had ever occurred in 40 years. Bedded them neutral and they both went sub-MOA. Since then I've bedded the lightweights neutral and all have shot. There are no "rules".

Whenever I bed or build a rifle with a light barrel, I ALWAYS start by bedding the barrel with neutral pressure......almost ALWAYS works.

I generally only use one pad about an inch long though; I don't full length bed the barrel.

MM

Speaking of bedding.

The only Acraglass I can find around here comes in a nifty pouch system where you squeeze the two components together and mix in the pouch. It works pretty well, and is easier than stirring, with no mess.

The down side is that you have to waste the entire package for whatever little job you are doing. I did two stocks today out of one package and only used half of it. The other half was wasted.

Does Brownell's still market the old package with the jars of components so that one can just mix the amount needed and have some left over for adjustments?

Idaho Shooter. You can still get the original packaging form Brownells

Ryan Great idea to shoot that barreled action in the B+C stock . Use a torque wrench to set the guard screws up .Then you can remove the stock and replace it the same way.

I've bedded everthing that I've had except one 7mm Weatherby with a #2 contour barrel. I just checked and cleared the top edge of the barrel channel slightly and mounted a scope. This rifle shot into .3 for 5 at 100 with 160 Nosler loads. No load put into this gun ever went over .75 . The wood was not great but it never moved for two years. I unfortunely lent this to a good friend ......it was damaged and traded for a .240 -another story.
So shoot your rifle and do some testing before you change anything.You might be suprised. Not everyone can bed a rifle to Benchrest standards.
Use a Lucas bore guide and clean that rifle properly . You have a very good shooting rifle.
Glenn

Great!

I'll have to order some.

I would just adjust the trigger to about 3.5 lbs and shoot it like it is for awhile. You can always play around with the bedding if it changes. Why fix it until it breaks? Lots of guys would be happy with the accuracy you are getting.
whelennut

Just afraid that I will not know it is "broke" untill I miss or worse yet wound an animal in the field because the stock has warped some and changed the point of impact. Believe me if it was not for this concern and knowing freefloating and bedding it would reduce the likelihood of weather effecting it than I would leave well enough alone. Thanks, Ryan