Bedding without the barrel

[LDSILLS]

A little forward thinking on my part as my stock work is nearly complete. Does anyone have experience with Savage rifles bedding the lug and pillars without the barrel installed? I have always bedded with the barrel installed.

As Fred always says I am probably overthinking, but would not it better to bed without the barrel to minimize stresses on the action?

Yes the stock and action will be leveled as one during the process

BTW..This is for a 12BVSS with factory stock.

Larry

[Robinhood]

I would think it would be difficult to bed the lug if you did not use the barrel, or at least a suitable "stub".

[MS50]

I've bedded 5 actions, one of them a BVSS. As I'm prepping the stock for bedding, I test seat the action with action screw rods and painters tape around the barrel to ensure center alignment. I add tape around the barrel until it touches and is centered in the fore stock channel. Between the two, I figure the action and barrel will be center aligned. All disclaimers relative to my expertise apply.

[sharpshooter]

Always bed with a barrel, whether it's the one you are actually gonna use or at least one the same size. To get a stress free bedding job, wrap the barrel with masking tape to build a "spacer ring" right at the end of the forearm to center the barrel. Then apply 2 thickness's of electrical tape to the tang. The barreled action then will be suspended by these 2 points.
Make sure to wrap the periphery of the recoil lug with 2 thickness's of electrical tape as well as the front of the lug. This will insure that there is sufficient clearance around the lug and will eliminate interference when changing barrels.

[LDSILLS]

Just thinking what Fred said said about leaving a two layer tape gap or 0.014 gap front and back in the inlet for the recoil lug when bedding. Note: (Plastic non friction type electrical tape is roughly 0.0007 thickness)

Now I have to do some math to see how much lateral pressure is placed on the actions screws.

BTW I did find that my recoil lug from my old barrel free floated in the stock recoil lug inlet. I also found cracking around the front pillar along with the rear. ( I mentioned it in a previous thread.) I suspect the large stock recoil lug inlet was allowing extra pressure on the pillars and the surrounding laminate.

[Rocketvapor]

"Just thinking what Fred said said about leaving a two layer tape gap or 0.014 gap front and back in the inlet for the recoil lug when bedding."
I don't think he meant the BACK of the lug.

"Make sure to wrap the periphery of the recoil lug with 2 thickness's of electrical tape as well as the front of the lug. This will insure that there is sufficient clearance around the lug and will eliminate interference when changing barrels."

Cheapo Chinese KAPTON tape is about 0.0025" thick.

[sharpshooter]

One thing I forgot to mention....I bed with the pillars attached to action.

[LDSILLS]

"Just thinking what Fred said said about leaving a two layer tape gap or 0.014 gap front and back in the inlet for the recoil lug when bedding."
I don't think he meant the BACK of the lug.

"Make sure to wrap the periphery of the recoil lug with 2 thickness's of electrical tape as well as the front of the lug. This will insure that there is sufficient clearance around the lug and will eliminate interference when changing barrels."

Cheapo Chinese KAPTON tape is about 0.0025" thick.


In my youth when I would do electrical work I think it became that after I stretched it! Hahha

[Rocketvapor]

I like using Kapton (used American made stuff (?) at the Rocket Factory :)
It's thin, strong and gives a better release than soft Electrical Tape.