Gunsmithing Bedding pad for barrel

[XLR308]

I'm in the process of prepping a stock for bedding and am uncertain of one thing.
Should I bed the small straight section of the barrel in front of the recoil lug at the same time I bed the action ?
Or should I just bed the action first and still have the option later if I want ?

Is there any real quantifiable advantages to bedding that section of the barrel other than additional support and relieving some stress on the action ?

It is a Kelblys Atlas action and a M24 profile barrel

 

[Mordamer]

No to your first question. There is no benefit and there are downsides. You would likely have to remove that bedding when you change barrels in the future. The next barrel likely won't fit that bedding pad. There is not harmful stress on the action from 5 pounds of barrel hung approximately 12 inches from the front of the action. Don't over think it. Don't get any bedding in front of the recoil lug and you will be able to swap barrels in the future with no changes to your bedding.

 

[XLR308]

No to your first question. There is no benefit and there are downsides. You would likely have to remove that bedding when you change barrels in the future. The next barrel likely won't fit that bedding pad. There is not harmful stress on the action from 5 pounds of barrel hung approximately 12 inches from the front of the action. Don't over think it. Don't get any bedding in front of the recoil lug and you will be able to swap barrels in the future with no changes to your bedding.

That's kind of what I was thinking but wasn't sure if there was any real benefit to doing it.
Given the profile of the barrel and it's finished length of 23" it's not exactly a whipy barrel but figured it couldn't hurt to ask.
Barrel changes down the road wasn't really a concern as I wouldn't have a problem removing the small section of bedding and redoing it but may at some point want to have a barrel in a different caliber and could see the delima with that.

 

[Mordamer]

That's kind of what I was thinking but wasn't sure if there was any real benefit to doing it.
Given the profile of the barrel and it's finished length of 23" it's not exactly a whipy barrel but figured it couldn't hurt to ask.
Barrel changes down the road wasn't really a concern as I wouldn't have a problem removing the small section of bedding and redoing it but may at some point want to have a barrel in a different caliber and could see the delima with that.

There are way too many people having success with no barrel bedding pad for me to think that it matters at all for accuracy either. I bet if you looked at the top 100 PRS shooters rifles there wouldn't be 5 that had bedding in front of the recoil lug. Many people are running the aluminum chassis systems with great success and they offer no support to the barrel. I believe that, if it had any affect, it would be more likely to hurt accuracy than help it.

 

[XLR308]

That's good food for thought and the reason I asked the questions.

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Elite_KG]

I bed heavier magnum barrels 3/4” in front of the recoil lug. I have a 308 the same way shooting under 0.5 moa at 500+ yard. Its a preference; not a certainty. Guns/barrels are like people in that all are different.

 

[Ledzep]

You have 2-3 square inches of bedding compound at 1-1.5" from the receiver face helping hold up a 3-7lb CoM that's 8-15" away from the receiver face.

Mechanically speaking, it does very little.

 

[Elite_KG]

Mechanically speaking it reduces the stress at the action threads where the barrel is installed. The fulcrum point is moved - no denying those physics. How much actual improvemnt?...well lets say there are more variables than one can control in the firing of a barreled a to to precisely measure the benefit. I preceeded my statement stating it was a preference. If you see no value, proceed on. Mechanically it can reduce potential forward deflection/ reverbiration at the junction of the barrel and action.

I will say again I have them both ways. When I bed them its 3/4” - 1” past the recoil lug.

 

[Ledzep]

Consider the tensile strength of 416 stainless and the rigidity of a 1.0625x20tpi thread torqued at 100ft-lb vs. those 2-3 square inches of JB weld on the short end of the mechanical advantage stick.

The amount of stress it takes off of the threads/shoulder on the barrel/receiver is negligible in scale.

 

[Elite_KG]

Consider the tensile strength of 416 stainless and the rigidity of a 1.0625x20tpi thread torqued at 100ft-lb vs. those 2-3 square inches of JB weld on the short end of the mechanical advantage stick.

The amount of stress it takes off of the threads/shoulder on the barrel/receiver is negligible in scale.

Harmonic stress not structural stress.....I think you misunderstood my intent.

You are correct, you could beat a barreled action around all day and likly not damage or compromise the threaded junction.

I will reiterate I have no evidence to support any real imlrovement, but I have several guns that shoot well with bedding in front of the recoil lug. Maybe it does no harm or maybe they would shoot better without it.

I’m not grinding it out to see...lol.

I guess my post(s) may add little value to topic; I'm sure the OP has bedded it one way or another by now.

 

[XLR308]

Harmonic stress not structural stress.....I think you misunderstood my intent.

You are correct, you could beat a barreled action around all day and likly not damage or compromise the threaded junction.

I will reiterate I have no evidence to support any real imlrovement, but I have several guns that shoot well with bedding in front of the recoil lug. Maybe it does no harm or maybe they would shoot better without it.

I’m not grinding it out to see...lol.

I guess my post(s) may add little value to topic; I'm sure the OP has bedded it one way or another by now.

That's the kind of feedback I was looking for all though not surprised that their is no tangible evidence to support the theory one way or the other.
That's the best way I have heard it described as in alleviating some harmonic stresses, the first bedding job I did I bedded a small section in front of the lug and shot initially as is and then sanded it out and shot again.

I can't say with absolute certainty that it shot better with or without but it seemed to have a slightly more stable reaction to increase in charge weight while in the velocity node while the bedding pad was there.

But again that was just my observation and since I'm by no means a world class marksman it could certainly be open to debate.

I had just managed to find my Devcon the day before I went back to work so haven't managed to bed the action yet, the joys of moving and the perpetual Easter egg hunt that follows.

 

[morganlamprecht]

ive had 1 barrel that was bedded in front of the action for about 1"...as the barrel got hot, my zero walked .2 up and .2 left, removed the bedding pad, it quit walking

talking to buddy who's at the top of the f class game, he said never bed them...some barrels it wont matter and youll think its fine to do, other barrels it will matter and youll be chasing your tail...its not worth risking the chance

 

[Elite_KG]

^^^Good feedback^^^^

I will have to remember that if I notice a similar effect with one of mine. That would be good reason to grind the pad down. Thanks for the real world experience.

Makes me wonder where or why some people do and some don’t. I was originally shown to bed it in front about 3/4”-1”. I do have rifles both ways. I will pay closer attention during strings of fire.