I am in the process of building up a 375 H&H on a 1961 model 70 action. I am putting a #5 contour Douglas premium stainless steel barrel on it. Would you want the barrel floated or bedded solid on a 375 H&H hunting rifle?

I had the action and second lug of mine bedded and the rest of the barrel free floated.

If I were building a classic African wood stocked rifle I would want pressure bedded solid for tight wood to metal fit. If I were building a synthetic stocked rifle I would want barrel floated.

Thanks for suggestions and...whew thanks for the avatar Fjold!!!

Does a 24" #5 contour stainless barrel need a second lug in the following configuration?

This is going to be fit into my 300 H&H pre 64 Win 70 stock. It will be glass bedded and have 2 recoil cross bolts. This was a well worn and cut-off for pad stock that I got on eBay for $52.00. I put a red ventilated Winchester pad on the old girl and just about have it refinished. I will have less than $1,200.00 in this when it is done. I have a compact Leupold 2-7 Vari-X II and Leupold QD bases so far. It is getting drilled for a Williams ramp (2" hole spacing) I won't be able to pick out a rear sight and QD ring height until I get the barreled receiver back.

I was leaning between both of these suggestions, bedded solid and also bedded solid to the forearm screw and adding a lug with the remainder floated. I am leaning towards solid bedded with or without secondary barrel lug.

If it were me i would solid bed it and shoot it and if i wasnt satisfied with the accuracy,I would free float and piller bed it...I had this problem one time with a 338wm,It shot great and then would shoot wild,Found out the stock had cracked and wound up doing everything to it but the kitchen sink...the stock was to nice figured to trash.. to get it shooting coverleafs...My 375H&H right now is solid bedded & shoots just fine....Good Luck with whatever you decide. Your rife could be very accurate either way...Think of all the manlicher stocked rifles in the world...

I am a fan of solid bedded hunting rifles. I have bedded most solid. A target rifle used in competiton, shooting 80-100 shots at a pop is a different animal, but a rock solid bedded hunting rifle is my choice as well. Now to add a secondary lug or not?

You dont need a second lug on a .375H&H. It wont hurt but it simply doesnt generate enough recoil to require one. I am with Fjold. Glassbed the action lug and ring and first 2 inches of barrel and free float the rest. Make sure the bottom and front of the action lug doesnt make direct contact with the bottom of the mortice. Just the rear of the lug. If you add a second lug, glassbed it( just like the action lug) and remember to do that second lug first or you will never get your action out of the barrel channel without surgery. Personally I'd double crossbolt the action and pay attention to glassbeding the tang of the action.-Rob

I have always removed a lot of material under the woodline at the tange and put a large metal staple (house wire type) in there and then glass bed the tang with a few thousandths clearance in the back. I was taught and have always believed that the recoil lug or lugs should be the only rearward bearing surface. I wasn't too concerned with a seoondary lug, but I do have an empty forend screw that I may as well use for something. Thanks for the insights. I have owned or built up a few pre 64 Wins in 375 H&H and this by far is the roughest(and cheapest). I should have just kept the first one! Actually the 2d one. It was a 375 Super (Ack Imp) made by Alex Hoyer. That was a real race horse!

Mine is full length bedded and shoots a clover leaf. The stock is a thing of beauty and I wouldn't want the gaps. A plastic sock and I might have a different opinion, but not wood.

JPK

Fully bedded (barrel against stock) like the old English rifles with good stock wax at the point where the barrel meets the wood to minimize moisture in case of rain.

I have to say, mine has glass as the bedding material. Full length, at the bottom of the channel.

JPK