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Gunsmithing Bedding a Bell and Carlson Remington 700

H

henryfrank333

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Jul 31, 2013
24
0
Hi all,

My rifle has been shooting very poorly in the new B&C Light Tactical Stock I bought for my AAC-SD (difficulty keeping the groups 2"-3" @ 100 yards) and people have suggested that I bed it.

I don't know anything about bedding and don't know what process I need to follow for the aluminum bedding block. Please help me with the following:

1. Picking all the supplies (best bedding compound I should use for this job, best release agent, best putty, anything else I am forgetting including tools). If there are any great kits I can order with everything together already, that would be even better!

2. Pointing me to detailed instructions for this (I found some pillar bedding how-tos but this isn't a wooden stock)

3. Suggest other things besides bedding that I should try first. I am very disappointed that it isn't shooting well and worried that it might be the gun and not the stock after all. I may also play a role, but I can't see what I could possibly be doing to make it shoot that poorly.

4. Anything else you can advise

Gun Specs:

Rem 700 AAC-SD .308
Bell and Carlson Light Tactical Stock
SWFA SS 12x42
IOR Valdada Low rings
Nightforce 20 moa rail
Harris swivel bipod

Barrel allowed to cool several minutes between shots. Ammo used is Federal Gold Medal Match 168 gr.
Barrel has been checked and IS FREE FLOATED

Thank you all!!
 
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Very great response again sir. Thank you very much for it!

Do you know of any cheaper epoxy that I could buy that will work just as well? The devcon is almost $50 with shipping and seems to come with a lot more than I assume I would need.

Also, where did you get the pins you put into the screw holes? I only have the action actual screws at my disposal currently.

I plan to use Kiwi as release and this putty:

Amazon.com - Kiwi Neutral Shoe Polish, 1-1/8 oz
LA-CO Plumbset Professional Plumbers' Putty: Amazon.com: Industrial & Scientific
 
I went to the hard ware store and found some screws and cut the heads off I for get what the thread pitch is but bring one of yours along and you should be able to eye ball it. As for the devcon I believe they make a 2 oz package, I will look around....
 
Excellent. Thank you so much!

Have you by any chance ever had problems with a rifle shooting very poorly in a new stock when torqued properly to 65 in-lbs? I am a bit worried that this might now fix it and am still trying to figure out what else could be wrong.
 
What does your groups looks like? Are the groups circular, stringing or grouping well but having fliers outside of the main group?
 
I have read of others having issues with the 168 FGMM in the AAC-SD barrel is there any chance you can try a different weights like 175 FGMM or even a different type of 168 like maybe the hornady? It could just be the rifle doesn't favor that factory load.


Edited to add:
but to answer your question I have seen torque influence groups in positive and negative ways but this is generally a sign of stress that bedding should help alleviate or minimize.
 
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Here is a picture of the groups. I also had some 175 gr 7.62x51 Gold Medal and those shot even worse.

1544.jpg
 
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Two "ideas"
one: don't worry about barrel heat unless you are shooting a dozen or more shots. I don't know your background but concentrate on your fundamentals, shoulders square and level, loading the bipod, shooting in respiratory pause and pulling trigger straight back.
two: it will not hurt anything to use less torque on the action screws, I use about 50 pounds on mine with the factory bottom metal.

Do you notice any movement in the action when you slowly loosen the rear action screw while the front is tight and vice versa? if you do bedding will help for sure.
 
When I put it in, it was a bit strange. Without the internal mag in place, there was a small seesaw motion on the action as though there was something that allowed me to pivot the action. Additionally, the back of the block had some scratches and a bit of gunk in the top of the hole that I tried to get out with sand paper. Lastly, the bottom metal didn't close when assembled so had to grind a little off the edges of the factory bottom metal.

Also, regarding heat, it seemed to shoot very badly if the barrel got even warm to the touch. It shot better when I let it cool. I don't know why it made such a big difference so fast, but it seemed to affect it a lot. :/
 
Niles comment is correct on the bedding,

Stand the rifle on the floor muzzle up. Hold the rifle with your left hand at the end of the stock and barrel, have your hand on both the end of the stock and barrel. With your right hand, loosen the front action screw slowly and feel for movement of the stock/barrel relation in your left hand. If it moves, you have an issue with bedding. What your feeling is stress between the action and stock being relieved when you loosen the screw.

Also, you mentioned you had to sand or grind the bottom metal? was the mag box in the way? I've had two B&C stocks fit funny and I've had to take a small corner off the mag box. It seems the B&C stocks can run thin in the mag area. The mag box isn't a big deal but you shouldn't have to be grinding the bottom metal. Be sure there's no stress being applied after you tighten the action screws. You can have good clearance but make sure its enough after you snug up the action screws.

Your bottom metal should lay flat in the bottom inletting for it. It shouldn't be rocking or sitting high if one screw is snug and you shouldn't be having to suck down the Bm with the other screw. If your metal doesn't lay flat just use a little sand paper and a small block and relieve the stock where necessary.

My experience is limited but I've been using Accra glass with pretty good results and the best release I've used yet has been KIWI natural shoe polish. Apply let dry and give it another coat.

Screws are 1/4-28 and should be available at any fastener store, their pretty common. Buy long ones and cut the heads off. I also wrap blue tape on them to fit the holes in the stock to keep the bedding out. Tape the front and sides of the recoil lug only, you want full contact with your bedding on the back and bottom of it. Tape and release everything you don't want bedding on. That not a complete list but you get the idea.

Edit for clarity
 
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It would probably be a good idea to try a different brand of ammo, I have a Remington 700 target tactical that won't shoot the 168 smk factory ammunition in less than 1" at 100 yds, it shoots better than 1/2" with 168 gr amax factory and handloads. If you can find some 168 amax ammo give it a try
 
I believe the B&C is a V-Block aluminum chassis type stock, right? The issue with the Remington 700 action in a V-Block is that the rear tang tapers off to the point that it is no longer resting in the V. Torquing the tang will pull the action against the V acting like a fulcrum, stressing the action at that point and thus defeating all the benefit of a V-block to begin with. Before bedding, try this: loosen both screws, hold the rifle muzzle up and thump the butt against the ground a few times to get the lug good and seated, then, while holding pressure on the barrel to keep the lug in place, snug up both screws. Torque the front screw to 55-65 in-lb and only put about 25-30 in-lb on the rear. This made a world of difference with my HS Precision V-Block stock.

If this doesn't help, a better idea than bedding is to send it to Chad Dixon of Long Rifles, Inc. He has a process where he mills out the V-Block to better fit the R700 receiver profile. Check out these threads:

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting/sniper-hide-gunsmithing/184471-surfin-day-away.html

http://www.snipershide.com/shooting...3-hs-precision-stock-bedding-other-stuff.html
 
So I tried my hand at bedding it and while I have not shot it yet, I am pretty worried about the integrity of the job I did.

Long story short though, I fear I have messed it up since the epoxy looks very very thin now on the block. I can literally see the aluminum. The action fits very snug and doesn't wiggle at all anymore, but with the awfully small thickness, would the epoxy break as soon as I start shooting it?

How bad is this and what can I do now?

Here is a link to the album: Rem 700 Bedding - Imgur
 
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