Author Topic: Bedding-Full length or reciever only?  (Read 708 times)

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Offline azmike

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Bedding-Full length or reciever only?
« on: October 13, 2004, 08:28:33 AM »
I'm looking at doing some modifications to my Ruger MkII, 7mm Rem  mag. with walnut stock.  Specifically, replacing the horrible factory trigger with a quality afermarket unit , and bedding the rifle.

My question is whether it is better to bed both the reciever and the barrel on a Ruger MkII, or just the reciever.  Some people say the barrel should free float, others insist that such a lightweight sporter barrel would be better served with the barrel bedded as well.

The rifle is 13 years old, and while it has done what I asked of it (mainly deer and bear hunting in WA state), the Savage I traded for it was a vastly superior shooter.  

If anyone has experience or suggestions regarding bedding this rifle type, please share them.  

Thank you,

AZmike

Offline jhm

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Bedding-Full length or reciever only?
« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2004, 09:33:58 AM »
Azmike :  All the rugers I own have had the stocks (wooden) opened up along the barrel channels, they are the older models, the only mkII I own is in a syn stock, I dont like any barrel presure on wooden stocks. :D    JIM

Offline Lawdog

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Bedding-Full length or reciever only?
« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2004, 10:33:46 AM »
azmike,

Bed the action, free float the barrel and replace the trigger with an adjustable one from Timney.  I think that should do it.  Lawdog
 :D
Gary aka Lawdog is now deceased. He passed away on Jan. 12, 2006. RIP Lawdog. We miss you.

Offline leverfan

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Re: Bedding-Full length or reciever only?
« Reply #3 on: October 13, 2004, 10:49:39 AM »
Quote from: azmike
Some people say the barrel should free float, others insist that such a lightweight sporter barrel would be better served with the barrel bedded as well.


If the wood was well chosen, with good grain, it doesn't make the barrel wander near as much as some synthetic pundits would have you believe.  The gun may very well shoot its tightest groups with just a little upward pressure against the barrel, near the end of the fore end.  This pressure point can also help tame a sporter barrel that wanders as it warms up during a shooting session.

That being said, I still prefer to free-float a barrel, especially in a production grade wooden stock.  Your groups may be larger than what you'd get with a pressure point, you don't know until you try both.  However, your groups will almost always be in the same place, regardless of humidity.  The first one or two shots, from a cold barrel, are all that matter in a big game rifle.  A 1.5" group that always lands in the expected location beats the heck out of a 1" group that wanders with the weather.  Production wooden stocks are often found without stable grain, so go ahead and float it.  It will still shoot "minute of venison", and that beats bragging rights at the range.  I also prefer to float because I shoot with a tight sling, and that would change the pressure on the barrel, anyway.

You can also stabilize a wooden stock by hollowing out the fore end and filling it back in with a combination of hollow fiberglass fishing rod sections, epoxy, and fiberglass cloth.
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Offline azmike

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Bedding-Full length or reciever only?
« Reply #4 on: October 13, 2004, 11:14:49 AM »
Thank you for the prompt replies.  The stock on this particular rifle is tight to the barrel along its full length, so I'm thinking of opening it up slightly and free floating as you have all suggested.  The Timney trigger is definitely what I'm going with.  I think this Ruger could benefit from some modification (plus, it gives me something enjoyable to tinker with).

Regards,

AZmike

Offline billy

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« Reply #5 on: October 13, 2004, 11:36:20 AM »
I have a m77 in .280 that has barrel floated and a laminated stock with tinney trigger ,action bedded only . Three shot groups are 1.5 at 100 yards. This work on the gun has made it a shooter.
I enjoy collecting guns, swaping and staying up on all the newest models. I deer, quail, squirrel and rabbit hunt.

Offline Dave in WV

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Bedding-Full length or reciever only?
« Reply #6 on: October 13, 2004, 03:17:05 PM »
I would do the trigger work and float the barrel. Bedding may not be much help. If you tighten the action screws like the owner's manual states you may get an accuracy improvement. Rugers are not easy to bed properly. If you have it done be sure the gunsmith knows how to do it right. Getting a synthetic stock may be a better investment.
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Offline Donaldo

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Bedding-Full length or reciever only?
« Reply #7 on: October 14, 2004, 07:11:25 PM »
If you go the free float barrel and bed the action be sure to also bed about 1-2 inches of the barrel just in front of the action.  You can use a dowel rod or a piece of broom handle wrapped in sandpaper to remove the wood.  Best to go slow and get it right than fast with a electric grinder and get it too big.  Free floating the barrel lets it vibrate without any outside influence each time you fire it.  When you finally find the sweet spot, ie, the particular load and bullet it likes it will probably astound you as to how good it can shoot.  Anyway all that work on the rifle keeps you out of the beer joints, at least this is what you can tell the Ms.  You don't need a smith for this kind of work.
Edit:  You can also pillar bed it but I am not all that convinced that pillar bedding is all it is cracked up to be.  Especially after doing it to two of my rifles.  After all the work, can't tell if it helped or not.  But the Timney trigger definitely did.
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