The gun is a Win Classic Stainless (30-06). It has the factory plastic/synthetic stock. It shoots 1.5MOA with some factory ammo (I don't reload), but I think it can do better. Money isn't an issue, but I want to use the factory stock.
Questions - Should I (1) Pillar Bed, (2) Just epoxy bed the action, OR (3) Full-Length bed the stock? I use a very competent smith, and plan to tell him what I want based upon the answers you provide. Thanks

All other things being equal, in my experience pillar bedding is normally “better“ because it gives the receiver a more bomb proof platform.

As far as bedding the barrel channel, that pretty much depends on your particular rifle. Some rifle’s like it...some don’t. You can always remove it later with scrapers, sand paper or rasps if your rifle doesn’t respond well to it.

I have never bedded a factory stock other than wood. Most factory synthetics are molded plastic. I replace them with a fiberglass or Kevlar stock. A friend of mine has had luck heating the inletting up with a candle to burn out some of the oils in the plastic. By luck I mean the glass is still sticking. Most are not very stiff. I do not know how much of an improvment you will see, for a lot of effort. If you are looking for a noticable improvement, a suggestion would be get a McMillian with a glass and pillar job. (Check EBAY) Midway sells them also. They are salty but it will be a marked improvement and will add some value to your gun. Stress is the issue in bedding. There are a bunch of ways to skin a cat, I was taught to bed the entire action and the chamber area of the barrel, free float the barrel. I do my own so I always pillar while I am at it. Metal pillars, poured pillars, nylon pillars take your pick. Some just do the recoil lug, lots do the lug and tang. Mel Forbes of Ultra light arms makes super accurate rifles beds from the tang the whole way out the forearm solid. 100 different paths to get to the same destination. All work well as long as the action and barrel sit square in the inletting and have no stress. Bedding might also change the harmonics, so it might change your pet factory load. 1.5 groups consistanly are nothing to sneeze at with an out of the box sporter shooting factory loads. Maybe try some other loads or brands to see if you can shrink a bit.

I like to glass bed the entire length of the barrel and action but wrap some electricians tape around the barrel (two wraps) so that after releasing the barreled action from the bedded stock and removing the tape the barrel is floating....or at least close to it.

If the stock is the same as on mine, its pretty much open through the barrel channel with just some reinforcing ribs, so a full length bedding would not be practical. I would have the action rebedded, the dabs of stuff in mine are like hot melt glue and very haphazard. You could probably have pillar put in and I think that would be a good idea also as the forend isn't all that still. I'm thin king of gluing a bit of nylon rod in mine.

I think your question is actually, what will make this gun shoto better...

take a pair of business cards and shove them under the barrel, right inside the TIP of the stock, to put pressure on the barrel, and go shoot a group.

then, if you decide it's better (you REALLY should reload) have the smith full length bed this, from the front of the action to the tip.

if the groups don't get any better, have him bed from the shank back through the action lug, and float the barrel. Generally, on a synth stock, that means making certain it doesn't touch.

on freefloating, 2 layers of duct tape to the shank is generally enough, but you shouldn't do this with most synth stocks, as they are hollow through the forearm, and you'll be putting a TON of bedding or filler in

jeffe

When I go to the doctor I tell him it hurts right here. I dont feel good. Please make the pain go away and make me feel better. I DO NOT tell him what to perscribe or how to doctor. He's the professional I'm the client. Sometimes I go to another doctor and get a second opion but the same still applies, I'm the client.

quote:

I use a very competent smith, and plan to tell him what I want based upon the answers you provide.

Go to your gunsmith, and tell him what you want the rifle to do. Let him prescribe the solution based on the methods what he knows he can deliver what you want.

If your Winchester synthetic stock is anything like the one I had, it is likely going to be a waste of time trying to get the rifle to shoot significantly better by bedding. The stock I had, was so floppy in the forearm, it would have been a waste of time.

I know you said you wanted to use the factory stock, but I doubt you'll get your moneys worth in terms of bedding that stock, regardless of what bedding method you choose.

- mike

Thanks for the input.

If you're going to spend the money bedding a tupperware stock do a pillar bed...

I took one of the Remington stocks and just cause I like to tinker I filled the front hollow area with some wooded dowels so that I would not have to buy gallons of beeding material got a set of pillar blocks and after some time I bedded the complete thing! I used 3 layers of duct tape from about the chamber out to the end of the stock and it went to shooting real well, it would have been easier to get a new stock but it I screwed this up that's the way I was going anyway so I figure I saved a little over a new stock. Do ask your smith what he thinks is a good idea, he probably has some tricks and might be a little more receptive if you don't tell him what to do. Later,

Kirk

I have tried to glass bed the injection moulded stocks and I have made Alluminum bedding for them.

It always turns out to be a waste of time.
To make them stiff, I have to add so much stuff, it makes them heavy.

If that flat bottomed reciever is flat on the stock, that is about as good a connection as that stock will give. I would leave it alone, or get a better stock.

If that 1.5 moa is dependable, that is good for a light weight 30-06.
If that 1.5 moa is just the best group it ever did, a new stock may help.

Well, based upon my shooting this AM,the problem seems fixed without me doing anything other than tightening the action screws in a way someone on another site advised. He said to:
1. loosen all three screws (very loose)
2. hold the gun about 8" above the floor, stock downward
3. set the gun down firmly (I assume to push the action back as far as it would go) Hold the barrel/stock firmly together
4. tighten the top screw very tight
5. tighten the bottom screw snug
6. tighten the middle screw just enough to keep it in and the front of the trigger guard snug.

I did this and at 100yds, the gun had 2 of 3 bullets touching for 4 diferent groups. The third was usually 1/2" above. This is with factory loaded Fed Prem 180gr NPs. I am amazed at what one can learn on sites such as this.
Thanks for all the info.

quote:

Originally posted by LBGuy:
Well, based upon my shooting this AM,the problem seems fixed without me doing anything other than tightening the action screws...

Yup, I learned long ago from an oldtimer the old saw "if it ain't broke, don't go tryin' to fix it"