Gunsmithing Would you bed if...

Rich Emmons

just an old has been
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Minuteman
Mar 25, 2004
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precisionrifleseries.com
your rifle shot as good as anyone could hope, .2,.3, almost never over .5 moa 5 shot groups @ 100. Well i can answer that, No i didn't bother, but I recently retired the barrel and replaced with another (same Kreiger specs except a Light Palma contour versus the the older was a MTU contour), but this time, after trying multiple loads and everything i can think of but this barrel hasn't shot <.5 MOA yet, close with a .526 and .565 but those were the best out of at least 25 groups.
Another thing is that most groups have a horzontal pattern which usually means the shooter is at fault, which could be but i've never been so consistently poor.
I focused on me watching cheek weld, breathing, trigger control, had another shooter shoot it with similar results.

Thought about bedding but not sure this would be the culprit since last barrel shot so good without it.

Not sure what to think other than some barrels shoot and some don't! Opinions, thoughts welcome?
 
Re: Would you bed if...

A proper bedding job can not hurt, it may not improve the accuracy, but it cant hurt either.

That being said, I would pillar bed a McMillan because it is a fg stock, and it will compress over time.
 
Re: Would you bed if...

I would leave it alone so folks will have a chance to beat you!
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Re: Would you bed if...

Bedding the McMillan is always a good idea. Like it was already mentioned unless it's sniper fill the stock will compress over time.

That being said, again no two barrels are the same and a good bed job is not a fix all but it does remove one variable from the equation so it can't hurt.
 
Re: Would you bed if...

Horizontal pattern?? Windy days?? Piece of stuff trapped behind the recoil lug? Tightened action screws without seating the recoil lug back in full contact with stock? Check all these first. See if there is a rub mark off center where the recoil lug bears on the stock.
 
Re: Would you bed if...

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SevenBat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Im with matchking, don't bed it, And drop it in rocks;gravel repeatedly until accuracy gets over 2moa, then call me and I will start attending matches with you again </div></div>

I aint scared, bed the thing already and tell me the next match you'll be at. I know how to take an ass whipping
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Re: Would you bed if...

I wouldn't even be asking the question, it would already be bedded. It can't hurt, the gun obviously needs something, and the first on my list of basic things to do would definitely include bedding. Even if does absolutely nothing to improve accuracy, it still has value, both as an improvment to resale value, and as insurance that the bedding/inletting will not degrade over time.

Greg