Gunsmithing Savage bedding question

[jbell]

I have bedded quite a lot rifles that do not use a barrel nut but never one with. I am doing a bedding job for a friend on his Savage and need some feed back please. Do you (those who have bedded several Savages) bed the barrel nut or float it? I am going to put a pad under the barrel as it is a 26" straight taper. I am thinking I will float the nut and start the pad just after the nut, but have no experience with it. Thank you for your help.

 

[Temp9]

Re: Savage bedding question

I completely float the nut and barrel. If you're going to pad the barrel, I would float the nut with a layer of electric tape. It's easy to create a mechanical lock in the barrel nut grooves. Just as a side not, Savages usually don't like having the rear tang bedded, so it's a good idea to stop the bedding before then.

 

[6brshooter]

Re: Savage bedding question

Done 20 plus savages, float the nut for sure. The actions that have had 27-28 straight contour barrels were either older model 12 single shots or target action single shots. I have never bedded anything in front of the lug. I normally tape the sides, front and bottom of the lug, couple layers on the bottom. Typically i wrap 3-4 layers of tape around the nut and forward on the barrel so i don't have bedding get inbetween the nut and barrel at the front of the nut. Also put a few layers under the rear tang as that needs to be floated. Wrap the barrel multiple times towards the forend so it centers up good. I use studs that hold the action centered in the pillars, between the tape layers at the rear tang and out at the forend around the barrel, the action just sits down in the fresh bedding and induces no stress during the bedding process. Typically i wrap a couple layers of black tape around the action and stock after i drop/push the barreled action into the bedding.

 

[Wannashootit]

Re: Savage bedding question

To each their own...

I've bedded the nut, on both my Savages...and both shoot 1/2 minute...

I can't see how bedding the nut would have any effect on barrel harmonics- I see it as part of the receiver, not the barrel.

Same as the "to bed, or not to bed", the rear tang...
Some guys say absolutely not...me, I do it...
IF properly done- as in "stress free", the rear tang resting on the bedding shouldn't induce stress into the receiver when it's torqued down.

 

[6brshooter]

Re: Savage bedding question

Whatever works, i am going off what Kevin rayhill and Fred moreo told me. Mysavages have all shot under1/2 moa also and my 6 br is hammering in the .1s and going 1.75"@600. 28" no bedding contact in front of the lug.

 

[jbell]

Re: Savage bedding question

Thanks guys! I was going to float the tang and the sides, bottom, and front of the lug (like on all the others I do). I thought about just plugging the recesses in the nut and bedding the OD of it, but was not sure. I have good luck with putting a pad under the barrel on my other jobs and think I will here. I think I am going to float the nut, bedding it just gives me an uneasy feeling but I dont know why. Well I hope it works out well. Time to go and grind out all the old bedding, thanks again!

OH this is an older 12 action with a aftermarket barrel chambered in 340 Weatherby. The stock has been bedded in Acraglass and has a singleshot follower glued into the stock. So this should be interesting.

 

[2156SMK]

Re: Savage bedding question

I would leave the nut and the shank unbedded simply for the reason of changing barrels.

 

[tomcatfan]

Re: Savage bedding question

You've got to let us know how the job turns out.

 

[sandwarrior]

Re: Savage bedding question

Both of my current Savage stocks have the aluminum bedding block, so all I did was skim bed.

However, on an older Savage I had, I bedded all the way from where the chamber ends back to the rear tang. I did wrap tape around the barrel nut so as not to create a mechanical lock. But, the bedding is continous.

As for the rear tang, I think what happens too often is movement during set-up or something and I often find people now have a teeter-totter. The bed isn't flat and so the action gets sprung as it's being torqued down. You have to check for that after it sets up.