Bedding question

[Takla]

Hi All, I’m looking for opinions…
This is my first post so please excuse the length and let me know if I should post it elsewhere!  

I have a Rem700 ADL (factory syn) .223 and am trying to extract all the accuracy I can from this rifle.  Mainly just for the sake of it as it’s a sporter and will already put 5 shots of its favourite ammo into an inch (just) at 100 yards - average of 6 five shot groups with Rem 55gr Accutips (best 0.8”, worst 1.6”).  Incidentally the 50gr Accutip has so far been the worst performer (2” for 3 three shot groups), after trying several weights and types in PMC, Rem and Win factory loads. PMC Blitzking and Gameking were very close to the 55gr Accutip.

All I’ve done so far is fit a scope (Bushnell 3200 3-10x40) and bipod (Harris), and installed a Timney trigger which I adjusted to 2lb.  At this stage I don’t have the time or space to devote to re-loading (new family, small house) and am wondering what to do next!

Most of my shooting is prone at paper but when I can I like to walk the hills trying to hit rabbits and foxes from as far away as possible.
I’ve read various opinions about free floating vs. fore-end pressure with sporter weight rifles but have a couple of questions I haven’t seen answered elsewhere.

The muzzle diameter of this rifle seems to be about 0.65" and given that it’s a .22 cal, there must be more metal than a .30 cal with the same profile.  Does this mean that fore-end pressure is less important for a .22 cal than a .30 cal with the same bbl profile?

Do you think that fitting an H-S sporter stock with bedding block (and no fore-end pressure) is more likely to increase or decrease group size?
I thought I should shim the action in the current stock first.  Will this give an indication of what the H-S stock would do or are there too many other factors?

All opinions/ideas appreciated!

[silenttracker]

I've glassed the recoil lug and action on both Factory Synthetic and Wood stocks.
 
I reinforced the forearm area on my old 700 30-06 (Black Synthetic) and free floated the barrel. My latest project was to Pillar bed my new 700LSS 30-06 (Using http://www.scorehi.com/) Score-Hi Gunsmithing and glass the recoil lug area with Acraglas, as well as free float the barrel.

 If your going with H-S I would say your group will decrease into sub-moa.  They are very well made stocks I'm told and I've seen results at 100 yards covering three holes with a dime out of a friends  .270 and my 06' was shooting three with two touching and one within .05 using Barnes 168 grain XXX behind IMR 4350.  I would also get a stock that is pillar bedded with the recoil block.  Just my 2-cents.

[Takla]

Thanks very much silenttracker - glad to hear you've had success bedding/floating a factory synthetic.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone thinks that different bedding methods suit different calibers with sporter barrels?  Do some calibers benefit more from fore-end pressure than others?

Or is it a bit like ammo, you don't know what will suit a particular rifle until you try?

[gunnut69]

Sporter weight barrels usually shoot smaller groups with properly forearm pressure. That's because the barrel vibrations are dampened and remingtons come from the factory this way..They have and enviable reputation for accuracy. Free floated barrels are less likely to be affected by pressure applied to the forearm or warpage of the forearm.. and usually the accuracy is fine.. and a bit more reliable.  The most important part of bedding is the action bedding.. I usually start by removing the pressure on Remingtons and working the bedding. If the rifle doesn't respond to normal accurizing techniques I can always replace the pressure point in the forearm.

[Takla]

Thanks Gunnut.  I do most of my shooting with the .223 over a bipod.  Dos anyone have any experience with pressure bedding vs. free floating when using a bipod.  Given that the bipod attaches right near the fore-end pressure point, I wondered if pressure bedding might cause more problems when using a bipod?

I'm still keen to hear if anyone thinks different calibers "prefer" or get more benefit from different bedding systems.

[gunnut69]

I have not used bipods but have heard folks I trust who have had accuracy problems from bipods bounce. Of course all is relative. A 1/4 inch here and there is not an issue in a hunting rifle.. Still for bench shooting I nuch prefer bags..  although as I get older some of the weighted benches are starting to make sense!

[beemanbeme]

Whether your rifle would benifit from free floating is easy to check.  Cut some washers (shims) from card stock or match books and put enough of them around the action screws of your rifle so that it isn't touching the pressure point. (do the dollar bill thing)  Fire some groups using whatever set up you use.  Clean the rifle.  Remove the shims and fire some groups.  Your ruler will give you the answer.  
Same deal with the bipod.  Shoot some groups with, and some without.  When I first took a rifle "out west" to hunt that had a bipod on it, my crowd really gave me a going over for using the sissy contrivance.  A few short years later, everybody had one on their rifle.  They're a lot handier than trying to get a day pack into position or use a rolled up poncho.

[Takla]

Thanks folks.  Next opportunity I'll try shimming the action.  Could be a while, daytime temps here have been between 36C and 43C (97 and 109) and lying in the sun shooting targets isn't very comfortable (not to mention how hot a black barrel gets)!  

I can get hold of Pro-bed 2000 bedding compound here in 4 and 8 oz packs.  Any idea how much of this stuff would be required for a novice to bed a rem700 in factory plastic stock?
Any opinions about the Pro-bed compound?

[beemanbeme]

I'm a firm believer in "if a little does a little good, then a lot will do a lot of good"  :grin:    but the neat thing about bedding a rifle is if you come up short on your bedding compound, you can let it cure and then add to it.  Its a little harder to remove excess.