Free floating barrel question AND possible bedding?

[PaddyD]

never knew of a good bedding job to ever hurt things. I also believe that if it's done you should bed the entire chamber area of the barrel. About 1.5 to 2" in front of the lug.

[Bigeclipse]

never knew of a good bedding job to ever hurt things. I also believe that if it's done you should bed the entire chamber area of the barrel. About 1.5 to 2" in front of the lug.

I have heard that but I am not completely confident I would do a "good" job haha.

[PaddyD]

I have heard that but I am not completely confident I would do a "good" job haha.

Well, the first time I tried it it was not pretty, but guess what? That old rifle shot twice as good as it did before I did the bedding on it. If you have one of the cheap plastic stocks GO FOR IT... The worst case is you then have a great excuse to buy a real stock with an aluminum bedding block. A good smith will do a pro job for about $100

[Bigeclipse]

Well, the first time I tried it it was not pretty, but guess what? That old rifle shot twice as good as it did before I did the bedding on it. If you have one of the cheap plastic stocks GO FOR IT... The worst case is you then have a great excuse to buy a real stock with an aluminum bedding block. A good smith will do a pro job for about $100

it is not an old stock. It is a brand new custom boyds stock...that is the hesitation.

[Fotheringill]

I understand the hesitation. I had it on my first bedding job. I had a 22 JW-15 in a beat up stock and I purchased a replacement new stock for $25 knowing I was going to mess up the job. It wasn't a neat job, but everything came out ok and I wound up with a piss poor rifle that shot better and an extra stock (all since sold).

The worst thing you are going to do is get the barrel and receiver stuck in the stock which can be separated with freezing unless you REALLY messed up.

[Bigeclipse]

I understand the hesitation. I had it on my first bedding job. I had a 22 JW-15 in a beat up stock and I purchased a replacement new stock for $25 knowing I was going to mess up the job. It wasn't a neat job, but everything came out ok and I wound up with a piss poor rifle that shot better and an extra stock (all since sold).

The worst thing you are going to do is get the barrel and receiver stuck in the stock which can be separated with freezing unless you REALLY messed up.

ive bedded 2 rifles so far but neither were pillars (they both had aluminum bedding blocks that I skim bedded). Im not exactly worried about getting the rifle stuck as much as I am about drilling the brand new stock for the pillars, making sure the pillars are set in right, and then finally grinding out enough of the wood stock for bedding with out hurting the outside appearance of the stock.

[BowNut]

Does the stock have pillars now? If it has the original savage type pillars, the front one can be set a little deeper into the stock, sometimes with just a tap of a hammer, or by reaming the shoulder of the hole with a dremel. Tape the suface of the stock real good helps prevent any boo boos and tears. The front pillar is held by shoulder of pillar. the rear pillar is under the trigger guard so its a little easier on the nerves to play with.
Bedding has DEFINITELY helped on the ones I've done. One of those was a Stocky's Bobby Hart model.