I bought two different unfinished stocks from Chet Brown back in 84? and they have been good til this year. The Rem 7 mag stock changed soft so I cut the old accu gel or glass out, cleaned out the front bed screw to allow for a little pillar of the Devcon steel. Bedded the front out infront of recoil lug (tape RL spaced except back) about 1? plus. Little bedding on the sides and the rest and went up the sides to help stabilize the stock. In the back I did just the screw screw area and up on the side just a little for more stability.

Cleaned up good. solid tighten stops BUT when I shot it I am getting rough vertical groups and not the near one hole groups that I have always gotten with the same loads.
I did a test fire of my 7mm-08 and had two shot one hole group.

I did leave the front bedding screw so that it screws thu the steel tightly and the back is not touching. Stop was taped up except for the back and looks good.

I was going to mark it tomorrow to see what I can find. Any ideas where the high spot? that is causing the difference?

Thanks, Jim

Jim you will get a multitude of opinions when it comes to glass bedding techniques. I have retired from over 45 years of gunsmithing and shooting competition so perhaps I can give you some helpful tips.

First if you left glass or epoxy around either front or rear action screw you have created a new recoil surface, not good. Drill the action screw holes out for decent clearance.

When looking for high spots in the bedding I learned from bench rest shooters. Tighten both action screws to normal position. Install a dial indicator with the stylus touching your barrel near the front of you forearm. Now loosen and tighten the rear screw. Now with rear screw tight tighten and loosen the front action screw. If bedding is good you will observe .002 to .005 thousandth movement. If more you have found the high spot. If you get zero movement the action is stuck and that is not good.

If you don't have a dial indicator remove both action screws, install the barreled action in the stock. Now secure the stock in your padded vise. Alternately press the rear of the action and the front half of the barrel. Watch carefully and you will see where it is rocking.

A common mistake a lot people make when glass bedding is tightening the action screws before the glass sets up. You want the action setting in the stock with zero stress or outside pressure. When you set the action in the glass run the action screws till they bottom out, then back off a half turn.

Marble Falls is a nice place. My youngest son was a Navy Recruiter there a few years back. I always have to stop at the Bluebonnet for pie.