Re: First bed job
Sounds like some action stress in that bedding job
This roughly how to do it.
Bedding a Rem 700 is different to bedding a Mauser style action.
The Rem lug should not touch the bedding material on its bottom edge front or sides.
You arrange for this by applying two layers of electrical tape to the surfaces mentioned before bedding.
Before you remove ANY stock material the barrel should be wound with masking tape to create two re positioning collars on the barrel. This requires trial and error and placing the action in and out of the stock until the collars of tape reposition the barrel and action exactly back on the original pads and straight in the channel without placing any pressure on the forend.
Now you can remove stock material.
In the tang area only remove most of the tang pad leaving a very small section at the original level at the front open edge of the pad. This acts as a leveling pad which stops any tendency for the action to drop down too much at the back. It can be removed later if required. Also make sure the back of the tang has clearance from hitting the stock during recoil.
The secret to a good bedding job is to get it back in its original position in the stock without causing any stress on the action or barrel when the action screws are eventually tightend.
Cover all parts of the action and barrel , screw holes etc even above the bedding area with a release agent . Remove or tape up the trigger.
Dont use the action screws to pull it all up. Place it on the bedding compound by hand and push it down gently to the final position . Then just tape it over the front and back reciever rings with strong masking tape that will not strip your stock finish.
Remove any compound that comes out around the sides of the action as it will lock the action in when it hardens and will damage the bedding on release.
Put a sample of the bedding compound on the bench and monitor its hardening. When it is hard enough to not deform at all when you jab it with a screw driver , gently remove it from the stock. The best way is grasp the barrel near the muzzel and the forend near the muzzel , say your prayers and pull apart.
Once it is apart give it a clean up of dags and such and wipe off any excess release agent and put it back in the stock with the action screws and leave it for 24 hours or so to cure.
If the stock has pillars already inplace then barrel tape rings will not be required as the pillars will set the action in position. To get the action down properly on pillars the action screws will have to be used to pull it down.