bedding advice needed

[nwcatman]

bought an unfired mod. 70 22" (?) bbl. in 30-06, made in 1972. want to bed the action and recoil lug area and in front of lug and forend. OR full length and NOT float the bbl. the bbl. is not a real thin one but not a bull bbl. either. and...steel(aluminum) bed or regular? will be used in humid climate at ranges of 150 yds or less so MOA is fine. did the some in the 80's and when floating the bbls. just wrapped tape around the bbl. where was to be floated and gave me 10thous. clearance. any thoughts/advice from you experts appreciated. THANKS

[mark5pt56]

Not an expert with bedding, however for the ranges you will be shooting, I wouldn't worry about it. Go out and shoot the ranges and see if you have any shift issues when it's hot and humid. (in theory the wood will swell and change that, heat also) How much? and will it matter. You may consider a slight opening of the barrel channel, re-seal it though, otherwise it will really swell.

Mark

[JStor]

I used Marine-Tex to bed a Model 70 .30-06 in a McMillan stock. Relieve material and undercut at the bottom of the recoil lug and the broad flat area behind the recoil lug. I used Johnson paste wax for a release agent. Also place some bedding material in the tang area. Use some clay to plug holes etc. Protect the stock well with one inch masking tape, as in cover it well. Take your time. I did the first two or three inches forward of the receiver into the barrel shank area, also. Make sure there's plenty of wax on the action screws.

G.A. Precision uses Marine-Tex, and they've bedded some heavy barrelled rifles for me with aluminum pillars. That's why I chose the gray/black Marine-Tex for the .30-06 hunting weight rifle. If it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

[Jerry R]

I am certainly not an expert, but I have done one. Did my model 70 300 WinMag. Used Brownells Steel Bed and aluminum pillars. They mix powdered stainless steel in the epoxy, final product can be milled. Brownells also offers a piloted drill bit so you can be certain the pillar holes are perfect.

It turned a two and a half incher into a one and a quarter incher. I was very pleased with the outcome. BTW, I free-floated the barrel from 1.5 inches in front of the recoil lug.

[nwcatman]

cool. i have actually done about 25, but was way back in the 80's. none since then. i think i am going to do the steel bedding too, and free float the bbl. not sure about the pillar part though. did you also do the reciever?

[Jerry R]

not sure about the pillar part though. did you also do the reciever?

I used aluminum pillars on both front and rear action screws. I also "hogged out" the wood under the receiver and bedded from the rear tang to a point 1.5 inches in front of the recoil lug as a single mix of bedding compound. This included bedding the pillars and the recoil lug mortise. When done, I used a Brownell's barrel channel rasp to free float the barrel. Some people just put a couple of business cards under the forend tip while the bedding cures. Probably works okay, but I have not used that technique. Mark is correct on re-sealing the barrel channel, that is VERY important. I taped the stock well and used Birchwood Casey spray urethane stock finish to seal mine.

In addition to the piloted pillar drill bit, Brownell's also offers action bedding screws that really make it easy to do.