REM 700 action bedding – What’re your thoughts?

[RoadKill]

Anyone familiar with and have an opinion about “erniethegunsmith.com” and his bedding methods? I have a Remington 700 VLS in .204 Ruger with both the factory laminated stock and a B&C 2956. The contact points of the action to both stocks are not directly and evenly around the screw locations and it has to be putting the action in a bind when tightened up. Ernie’s method for stress free bedding makes sense to me but it never hurts to ask.

[ifldned]

Roadkill,
I say "the proof is in the pudding". If your half moa rifle all of a sudden is shooting quarter moa I think he has something there. If it shoots better than that I want to get in line for a bedding job. It would be great if he would guarantee results. Let us know how your rifle came out and the results of his bedding job.
ifldned

[Wrangler John]

I just do a stress free bedding job, on laminated stock, and bedding pillars from: http://www.scorehi.com/ . Scorehi also will rent the stock drilling jig for Remington actions, click on the Epoxy and Pillar Bedding Supplies link to see what's available. Scorehi's pillars come with the 2 degree draft to match Remington's actions and bottom metal built in, and they are adjustable. There is also a video of how the drilling jig works. I use a piloted bit and do it myself, but the jig looks like it would make it easy to have success the first time. I use either the Scorehi Pro-Bed 2000 bedding compound or Brownell's Stainless Steel bedding compound. I used to use Devcon aluminum filled epoxy, but it became too difficult to obtain in my location, the two mentioned work as well as the exotic stuff.

Scorehi includes a CD detailing how to do the stress free pillar bedding with each pillar bedding kit. You get a mini-instruction course with the kit, or you can watch the process on the web site.

With stress free, the barrel is supported while the epoxy cures so that the action is entirely neutral when tightened down. My rifles shoot well under .5 MOA, so I'm not even going to try for any further improvements. Although one is a Remington 40-X single shot which is a bit less flexible, even the 700's shoot down in the .250" - .300" group area for 10 shots at 100 yards.

Scorehi also does a complete pillar bed of the action with free floated barrel for $175.00 on the Remington. At that price it may be a good alternative. Although I still prefer to do it myself as a way of staying busy.

[RoadKill]

Thanks again Wrangler John. The “ernie” parts and tools accomplish the same goal with the proper execution of similar method. After I saw the backlog of rifles at the local gun doctor’s I began looking for DIY not requiring machinery worth more than a well done rifle. Unless I manage to totally screw up while testing the waters with shims and Steel-Bed for the B&C my second bedding attempt will be pillars for the factory’s laminated stock. Dr. Doc told me to keep busy.

[Rick in Oregon]

Roadkill: Over the years, I've bedded/floated over 40 rifles.....all turned out perfectly, even the very first one. Point is....if I can do it, anyone can. Even M700 stocks from H-S Precision w/the bedding block in the stock still need glass bedding......really. I've shot factory stock H-S stocks w/o bedding, then bedded the same rifle, and the results always made me smile.

Just take your time, and go through every step in your mind prior to starting the actual job. You'll do fine.

[chris_32212]

I am new to riffles and don't have a .204 yet. Just been doing some reading on here trying to soak up as much knowledge as i can. I clearly have much to learn!! lol.

[Jim White]

Roadkill: Over the years, I've bedded/floated over 40 rifles.....all turned out perfectly, even the very first one. Point is....if I can do it, anyone can. Even M700 stocks from H-S Precision w/the bedding block in the stock still need glass bedding......really. I've shot factory stock H-S stocks w/o bedding, then bedded the same rifle, and the results always made me smile.

Just take your time, and go through every step in your mind prior to starting the actual job. You'll do fine.

Intersting you mentioned that. I just finished doing the same thing with a Hogue over mold stock on a 300 WBY. That thing is a hammer now because of it, Constant .5 x.5 inches at 200 yards for 10 shot groups. With a rig like this though, can't let the barrel get to warm or shots will drift.

Jim