I just had a gunsmith bed and float an M70 sporter in a McMillan stock. When I picked it up at the shop, there didn't seem to be much clearance between the barrel and the channel, so I asked how much clearance they try to get and the answer was "10 or 20 thousandths." The guy who was working at the time had a hard time getting a thin sheet of paper to slide up the barrel, it was binding a little but not completely at the point where the chamber tapers down to the barrel, which didn't seem right to me, but he assured me it was OK.

I took the rifle home and took it apart to check the workmanship and put it back together again. Then I couldn't get a new dollar bill to slide up the barrel, it stopped completely at the same point on the barrel where the guy in the shop was having trouble.

So I took it back, explained the problem, and the smith (a different guy than the one who did the original work) said he'd fix the problem by sanding the barrel channel where it was binding.

When I came back to pick up the rifle, the guy who did the original bedding job told me that the reason I couldn't get the dollar bill to slide up the barrel was that the receiver screws were tightened in the wrong order and that's what caused the problem.

Does this sound right to you guys? I think he just screwed up by not bedding the action to give the barrel enough clearance. But I know I could be wrong about that. Plus, if the order in which you tighten the screws is so critical to the barrel clearance, you'd think the gunsmith would explain that to the customer.

Anyway, I have to take the rifle back again because he put epoxy around the action so that it interferes with the bolt release lever (can't move it) so now I can't take the bolt out without taking the stock off!!!

I'm thinking this guy doesn't know what he's doing, that's why I'm asking the question about the barrel clearance.

If the action is bedded correctly, then the action will seat the same everytime you pull the action from the stock and replace it. Consistency, that is what you are paying for. .010-.020 isn't enough clearance for my liking. The reason you float the barrel in the first place is to keep the barrel and stock from coming into contact with each other when things begin to heat up. You have to take into account the whipping of the barrel during recoil. I would insist on a bit more clearance were it me.

Hey I'm not a professional but I've bedded a few, in fact I just got done with an MRC1999. I want a dollar bill to fit in and slide up to where the epoxy is supporting the chamber or receiver.

I know a lot of guys are scared to bed a rifle but if you take your time it's pretty straight forward. Buy an old miltary Mauser for $89 and give it a try. That's probably less than you paid this guy to screw it up.

I normally use two thicknesses of plastic pipe wrap tape. You know, the stuff that looks like giant electric tape. Everything is coated with glass bedding compound. I do not want an unsightly gap that will collect junk, but it should not touch.

I'd get a new gunsmith. As stated, a good bedding job will seat the same regardless of screw torquing order. I also don't feel that's enough clearance.

quote:

Originally posted by Recoil Rob:

I know a lot of guys are scared to bed a rifle but if you take your time it's pretty straight forward. Buy an old miltary Mauser for $89 and give it a try. That's probably less than you paid this guy to screw it up.

In hindsight, you are right on. I've bedded a few myself, but this rifle shot well right out of the box and the stock was pretty expensive so: 1) I didn't want to screw it up, and 2) I figured that if I paid a competent gunsmith to do a professional job it would be worth it and I'd have a really nice shooting rifle. Only problem was in finding a competent gunsmith.

The guy was either in a hurry or needs to attend bedding 101. He obviousely did not check fit and function after reassembly. The McMillan is about as solid as you will find for a bedding platform and there should be no difference in the seated position, whether he installs the metal, you install the metal or I install the metal. There should also be no interference with the bolt stop, safety etc. I also use the tape method for floating a barrel, the .020 is ok on the stock-line, but I will include more layers on the underside to give more clearance. That way there is no chance of the barrel contacing the fore-arm under recoil over a solid rest or bag.
Jim