Bedding Recoil Lug Bergara HMR

[General RE LEE]

I’m trying to squeeze a little more accuracy out of my Wilderness HMR. I still get an occasional flier on my 5 shot groups so I am bedding the recoil lug. I am using standard, two part JB Weld epoxy and Imperial sizing wax as a releasing agent.

If anyone has done a recoil lug bed job, can you look at photo and tell if I applied enough two part epoxy? I tried to keep it on the walls of the recoil lug recess.

 

[KnowNothing256]

I would've had more in there and just let it squish out. I'd also tape the front of the recoil lug, and use a paper towel to buff that wax down. Lastly, I'd put wax EVERYWHERE and buff it.

 

[KnowNothing256]

Did you relieve the section underneath the action behind the recoil lug, or did you just smear epoxy on that for good measure?

 

[General RE LEE]

I would've had more in there and just let it squish out. I'd also tape the front of the recoil lug, and use a paper towel to buff that wax down. Lastly, I'd put wax EVERYWHERE and buff it.

I let it set for 6 hours and pulled barreled action to clean it up. I wish I had used more in the lug recess. Will see how it shoots.

Can I go back and add more and try it again?

 

[KnowNothing256]

Actually it looks fine. Not pristine, but the two important surfaces appear to be smooth: rear face of the recoil lug and under the action. Also, you appear to have no contact on the other three lug faces (sides and front), which is good, you don’t want contact there. Pull that blue tape out of there and you’re done.

If you really care, you can sand down the stuff in front of the recess so it doesn’t touch the barrel, but it looks like it’s mostly free-floated already.

 

[General RE LEE]

Actually it looks fine. Not pristine, but the two important surfaces appear to be smooth: rear face of the recoil lug and under the action. Also, you appear to have no contact on the other three lug faces (sides and front), which is good, you don’t want contact there. Pull that blue tape out of there and you’re done.

If you really care, you can sand down the stuff in front of the recess so it doesn’t touch the barrel, but it looks like it’s mostly free-floated already.

Thank you. Yes I probably will sand down that spot in front of recess to even it out. I’ll wait till tomorrow for it to completely set and be dry.

 

[General RE LEE]

I had a HMR 300wm and it too shot 3-4” groups I looked it over called customer support and was told to send it back. I took the stock off my spare Remington 700 and it shot under 1” so I had the factory stock bedded and it shoots 1” factory ammo by the way my rifle hated the hornady Percision hunter ammo it liked the match ammo.

When I got this Wilderness HMR in 6.5 PRC it was a turd floater. It couldn’t hold a group under 1.5” and patches came out dark blue with flakes of copper. I sent the rifle back to Bergara and they confirmed with their test firing that it couldn’t group.

They rebarreled it and sent it back. It definitely shoots sub MOA now but I am trying to get it a little tighter.

 

[General RE LEE]

I went back yesterday evening, pulled the barrel and added more JB Weld to the lug recess. I pulled the barrel this morning and it is much better. Zero rock back and forth in the stock. It also was very difficult to pull the barrel out of the stock and it’s a tight fit going back in.

 

[KnowNothing256]

If you decide it's more snug than you want, you can put some 220-grit, Kroil, and elbow grease to the front, sides, and bottom of the recoil lug itself. Doesn't take much work to remove enough material to free up those clearances, I had to do that myself on my HMR when I forgot to tape the front and sides of the lug. Had to literally beat the barreled action out of the stock with a 2x4 after it set up haha, but now it's a nice cozy fit with hand pressure.

 

[General RE LEE]

If you decide it's more snug than you want, you can put some 220-grit, Kroil, and elbow grease to the front, sides, and bottom of the recoil lug itself. Doesn't take much work to remove enough material to free up those clearances, I had to do that myself on my HMR when I forgot to tape the front and sides of the lug. Had to literally beat the barreled action out of the stock with a 2x4 after it set up haha, but now it's a nice cozy fit with hand pressure.

I watched a video of a recoil lug bedding job so I only put tape on the bottom of the lug. The barrel was definitely difficult to remove once epoxy set. The lug now fits snug in the recess and barrel doesnt move.