I finaly started the process of bedding my wood stock savage. I taped the sides of the recoil lug, dremeled the support for the recoil lug and some of the forward pad aft of the lug, drilled some holes around the forward action bolt hole. I dont think I will bed the rear pad or any of the barrel region forward of the recoil lug. Next I have to get some release agent - going to use Pam spray and test some of my epoxy first.

I use modeling clay for a dam, Johnson's paste wax for a release agent. I have used the blue goo in the accra-glas kits, have no problems with it at all but don't think it is good for high precision work. I don't use liquids, strictly gels or that ilk. It is very important that all surfaces of metal are parallel or forming converging angles to avoid mechanical lock after the epoxy sets up! Clay works well for this. FWIW, McMillan uses Johnson's too.

I bed as I see fit, per the situation. 10/22's get a full length job, receiver and barrel. Bolts get front and rear plus a couple of inches ahead of the lug, similar to Clark's photo. I relieve no more than 1/8th inch of wood. Put some electrical tape on the FRONT of the recoil lug prior, nicely trimmed so as to not lap onto the sides or rear of same.

You can use the action screws if you like, I do. Coat them with release agent, then a fine bit of vaseline. Generally speaking I am cautious about leaving the hole in the stock where the action screws pass devoid of bedding material before the fact. When metal and stock are joined it will flow into this area nicely and not into the threaded hole for the screw ahead of the screw. I don't just slap 'em together either. They are gingerly joined until I can start the screws, then the screws are gently pulled down to the level I desire, NOT to the point where they are tight. Shims may be used to ensure proper positioning of the action/barrel group...snug is fine, not a hair more. You are trying to avoid the inducement of stress in the action, not create it. After all the goo has cured, been cleaned up, and the whole deal is ready for assembly you will find that there will be no more of the pulling the screws down thru ever increasing tightness. They will go from loose to bank vault tight in about a 1/4 turn, so don't freak out and think you have goop in the screw holes etc. The action screws should then be tightened as appropriate to the action.

Good luck!

When I trial fit my barrel/action, it has the ability to be rolled slightly, about the barrel axis, realitive to the stock. How do you find the proper position for the bedding to set up to? I also wrapped tape around the barrel at the forward end of the stock to help position this region because I notice that I can move the barrel from side to side and I want it centered in the stock. I think the tape over the barrel nut region may be riding on the stock, should this be relieved if it is indeed the case?

Okay Len,
I'll, as briefly as possible, describe how I would bed the 700. I'll be assuming nothing has been done to the stock as yet.
Prepping the stock:
Since I'm bedding the action area that is the only area I'll be messing with at this point. To start, I drill a 5/8 inch diameter hole from bottom to top at each guard screw location. Now, I turn the stock over and, with chisels and gouges, remove about 1/10" on wood every where under the action. Behind the recoil lug, I taper the wood from the front of the mag well to the bottom of the recoil lug mortise. I leave about 1/32" of wood around the upper edge of the action. I also cut a bit off the front of the recoil lug mortise to assure clearnce at this point during the bedding procedure.
Prepping the barreled action:
The barreled action first needs to be stripped of the trigger and bolt stop. With this done, I then put two layers of masking tape on the recoil lug. The first layer is trimmed so that it only covers the sides and bottom. The second layer covers the sides and bottom and is cut to fold over the front of the lug. I put a layer of masking tape extending from the front of the mag cut out to just behind the trigger cutout on the receiver and trim it up neatly. The next step is to check and see that the barreled action sits in the stock with no contact except at the front of the forend (where the factory pressure point is) and at the extreme rear of the tang where we have left a tiny little edge for it to sit on. If it binds anywhere, the offending wood has to be removed. If it sits too low, put masking tape around the barrel just ahead of the recoil lug to bring it up to the correct level.
Now I wipe the whole thing down with thinned paste wax and put a plug of paste wax in each guard screw hole. Now, I remove the mag spring and follower from the floorplate then coat the trigger guard and floorplate with wax. Coat every surface. I use clay to fill in the gaps at the hinge. Now, and this is really important, coat the screws! At the same time, wipe down the outside of the stock with the paste wax. Also, carefully coat the inside of the magazine cutout and trigger cutout with paste wax. This makes cleanup easier when it's done. Now I'm ready to bed.
I put the trigger guard and floorplate in place along with the screws. Masking tape holds them in place for the time being.
Now, I mix up the Acraglas according to the instructions. Acraglas as provided is much too thin so I thicken it up by adding chopped up fiberglas insulation. Pink or yellow. It doesn't matter! I make it thick enough that it will almost stand on it's own but not quite. With this semi fluid mix, I fill the holes around the guard screws. I poke it in there with a piece of wire or a nail I've conveniently left lying on the bench. I make sure there is no air trapped. Now I add a bit more fibreglas to thicken up the mix a bit so that it,s about like a thick jam. I glop this on the action at the rear of the recoil lug. This insures there will be no air behind the lug when I'm done. Now the action mortise in the stock is covered with this thick glass mix. the recoil lug mortise is filled. It doesn't hurt to put too much in although it will probably run out onto your hands and fall on your shoes.
Now I set the barreled action in to the stock. The front guard screw is started into the receiver a couple of turns. The rear screw is screwed in as much as necessary to make the receiver touch at the rear. Now the front screw is turned in just enough that the barrel touches the contact point at the front. Now I fiddle with both screws so they are just touching their seat in the guard without pulling down on the action. I want the action to be sitting there, floating on the glass, with no stress on it at all. The next step is to just set it somewhere to cure, wipe off my shoes, and clean up the mess (I often omit this part!).
The next day, it's ready to take apart. I pop off any setup glass which has folded up over the upper levels of the action like at the tang and at the loading port. I remove the screws (easily done because I remembered to wax them!)then remove the barreled action from the stock. I do this by putting the barrel on a low shelf and the butt on the floor. The rifle is right side up. I push down on the forend slowly, maybe bouncing a little if it seems reluctant, and it comes right out. Now it is a simple matter to clean everything up, reinstall the trigger mechanism, and reassemble the rifle. During thew cleanup I drill the guard screw holes out to 17/64ths. If I want to free float the barrel- and I usually do- I remove the pressure point at this time. If the barrel was previously free floated, I will have used masking tape on the barrel at a point corresponding to the missing pressure point.
Be careful when you remove the floorplate a trigger guard. It isn't that difficult to break a Remington guard if you are not careful. When you reassemble the rifle make sure the magazine box isn't bottoming in the trigger guard. There should be a bit of clearance but not too much (.010 to .030").
I think that's about it. I promise to never repeat these instructions again. Regards, Bill.

I remove only enough wood to clear the metal...

Full length bedding is very good and give the wood a good seal, to free float use two thicknesses of tape about 2"s in front of the action, but it's not necessary for the most part...

I never use screws as that can put stress on the action and barrel...I just fill the holes with clay, use a release agent over that and lightly force the barreled action down to center line or pre devised stops....then redrill the holes when cured.

The key areas for glass are the first two inches of the barrel and the front recoil lug, the tang and the barrel channel...The barrel channel is a try and miss area, you can free float it, put pressure on the forend, or tight all the way....Never believe that one way is better than the other, THAT depends on the individual rifle and the rifles barrel harmonics...

From Russ Hayden's website:
http://www.shooters-supply.com/rifle_bedding.html
To Bed A Rifle
Using The Pillar Method

1. Disassemble rifle - suggest removing trigger, safety and bolt release. (After bedding install these parts into action and relieve areas in stock so they will fit without contacting stock.)

2. Apply release agent to metal. (Paste floor wax works well.) Whatever you use, be liberal with it. The voice of experience is here to say that separating a stuck together barrel & stock is no fun whatsoever!

3. On a Remington , drill 5/8 diameter holes in stock for both front and rear guard screws. (Use a drill press if possible.)

4. The length of the pillar depends on your stock; you want one pillar for each guard screw that is just slightly shorter (1/16") then the length of the hole in the stock. Trim the pillars to desired length with a hack saw.*

5. On a Remington the screw thread is 1/4 x 28. Obtain 3" long screw with only a short section threaded. Cut off the head of the screw. Apply release agent to screw.

6. Make a 5/8" round washer out of a match book cover. Screw headless screws into receiver. Place washers on screws. Place pillars on screws.

7. Make sure the 5/8" holes in the stock are roughed up a bit so the epoxy has a "bite."

8. With the action setting upside down, place the stock onto the pillars. Set up fixtures so stock is not tilted to a side and so the action lines up in stock. Wrap the barrel with tape so as to center the barrel in the barrel channel.

9. Coat the inside of each pillar hole and each pillar respectively with epoxy, then slide them down through the holes. This secures pillars in place in proper alignment. The outer area will be bedded when the pillars are cured. Tie action and stock with surgical rubber tubing. Let set 24 hours or as epoxy instructions state.

10. Remove action from stock. Do not pound on screws or action if it doesn't want to come undone. Freeze it and it will "pop" out.

11. Tape the recoil lug on sides, front and bottom with three layers of masking tape. Leave the rear of lug bare.

12. Hog out areas of wood (1/4") around pillar tops, recoil lug area. Drill 3/16" holes in stock where bedding will be about 1/8" deep.

13. With stock in vise set action in stock and make sure once again that action sets correctly in stock.

14. Mix and pour epoxy into hogged out areas. Set barrelled action into stock (still with headless guard screws and a lot of release agent). Squeeze out and wipe off excess epoxy. Taping outside of stock helps a lot here.

15. Let set-up. Do not hurry. You may need to put bedding compound on the bottom of pillars if the floor plate doesn't contact the pillars.

16. The next step is to drill out the pillars with a 17/64" drill. This is so the screws do not contact the sides of the pillars.

17. You are done. The idea is to let the rifle set up without any pressure that will bend or stress the action.