Hi I have a Sako 85M in 9.3 x 66 that shoots incredibly well. However, on the last occasion I shot it I noticed the barrel touching the right hand side of the barrel channel. (sorry I do not have photos of that)

Took it apart & noticed that the 2 wood screw holding the plate were not quite tight. Now the recoil of a 9.3 x 66 is quite stiff especially as the whole rifle weighs less than 8lbs. Therefore there was a little bit of play in this plate. Was thinking that those little wood screws would never hold up to the pounding over the years so the thought of whether to glass it in or not?

Has anyone had any experience with glassing in this recoil lug plate. If you have:

1. Did you permanently bond it in or keep it removeable?
2. Do you have the bottom of the oval lug touching the stock or floating?
3. Before I glass it do I need to enlarge the inletting for the lug to get a greater thickness of glass? Especially behind the lug I suppose.

I have attached photos to show what I mean.

If you don't mind also the reasons for why you have done it the way you have. Were you happy with the results or did it make little difference.

Thanks in advance.
JohnT

JohnT

A rather strange method of bedding the recoil lug with potential for one or two differant scenarios happening. If the lug on the receiver bottoms out on the wood in the plate recess then the wood screws are relied on to hold the plate in place and stop it rattling around.

If the receiver lug has some clearance from the wood and allows the receiver to pull down tightly on the plate then the wood screws really play no part in the process and the recoil lug in the stock recess plays it's part with everything clamped down hard provided of course the lug fits the recess snuggly.

To glass bed you would really need to relieve the recess in the stock. Personally I would just put a bit of glass in the recess and let it squeeze out under the plate.

Looking in your photos, loose screws on the plate would not effect your barrel alignment in the stock as you can see the plate is recessed a little into the stock anyway. Of course if the front action screw is not tight there is potential for movement from three sources with that arrangement.

Then again if the rifle has been shooting well why do anything other than to ensure the front screw is tight the barrel is truly free floating.

THe two little screws are only to stop the plae falling out when the rifle is taken apart.

Bedding that type of setup is a bit tricky if it is to be done properly because you need to keep the alignment between the action and the plate.

If I was bedding it I would first assemble the rifle BUT with some very thin glue (Araldite) between the plate and the action. In fact I would assemble the rifle in the morning and then go to the range and fire a few shots and tighten and retighten the front screw. Then put rifle away for a couple of days until the glue set.

I would then take the rifle apart and then bed it in the normal way. Except of course when the rifle was taken apart after the epoxy had cured the plate would be left behind.

The big Ruger has a similar setup. We use to make a similar set up years ago to allow for a switch barrel for big bore Wbys where the second lug on the barrel is not practical. A plate was made that was like a longer version of the Sako and the recoil lug on the action had about a 1/4" machined of each side so as to fit in the slot. The "alignment issue" is mainly between the slot in the plate and the lug on the action.

But as Eagle27 said, if it shoots then leave it.

The ideal solution is at rebarrel time. Throw it in the bin and have a Rem 700 style recoil lug done. The only disadvantage being you will see the "washer" between the barrel and action like a Rem 700 unless you can hide it like Kimber do.

Hi Mike,

Good to hear from you. Spoke to Tony at Beretta and he basically told me retighten everything and to just leave it as it.

Like Eagle27 says I'm reluctant to change anything as it does shoot so well but not when the barrel is touching the stock. The it shoots like s###. I got a 3 shot 4 inch group at 100m that was almost a perfect horizontal line.

Problem is I don't think the existing arrangement will hold for the long term - not at this recoil level anyway.

I don't think it has been out of the stock before (bought 2nd hand) the action screws were that tight. The plate has inletting so not that hard to align (assuming Sako got it right at the factory) but maybe the lug on the action is not square with the lug recess in the plate & it is torquing to one side. Which is probably why it ended up touching on the LHS of the barrel channel. The free floating of the wood is extremely generous already.

So Mike you reckon glue the plate in the stock? Do you think you have to shoot it or just bump it on the ground on the butt a couple of times to get the lug to seat and then set aside - will that work?

If I use araldite will a bit of heat on the plate allow me to pop it off in the future? Just in case.


regards,
JohnT

John,

You only need a bit of Araldite, just to retain the poition of the plate in relation to the action. As I said, you then bed the rifle normally as if the plate is now part of the action. When you pull the rifle apart the plate will stay behind because of the general grip around the recoil lug.

But as to it lasting and recoil, it will be fine the way it is UNLESS the contact between the action stud and the recoil plate causes a problem. If that was to be the case then bedding things would make no difference.

Basically, what you have there is the same principle as was used by early Sakos and Mausers with their cross bolt. In those cases the recoil lug of the action beared directly on the bolt and the cross bolt had the effect of tansferring forces to a bigger area of wood.

In the case of the later Sakos their stud set up has an area that is too small for direct bearing against the wood...the recoil plate simply transfers the force to a large area of wood in the same way as the cross bolt did in earlier Sakos.

As a side note, if you glue the plate on and bed...then before you glue just put some release agent on either part of the action bottom or the recoil plate so that the Araldite only stick in a small area.

Actually, if it was my rifle I would leave some parts of plate without release agent so that the plate became a sort of semi glue in. Araldite left behind on the bottom of the action and top of the plate will nicely scrape of with a warmed up chisel.

But I really think Eagle27 is correct, if it shoots leave it. I am quite confident that Sako will have a manufacturing system where the plate and action are aligned and the accuracy will satisfy most shooters. Those who it does not satisfy are rebarreling anyway and sticking a Rem 700 type lug in there.

Thanks Mike. Appreciate the advice.

regards
John