I've been trying to bed a Sako 22-250 Varmint with ?? results. I bedded the first 1" of barrel, rear surface of recoil lug, the flat behind the recoil lug & tang area. My problem is when you slowly tighten front recoil lug screw I can feel quite a bit of movement between barrel & front of forestock. It appears the stock must be flexing between barrel & rear area of recoil lug. I'm hesitant about bedding under recoil lug but what other options?? I must add this is the first Sako I've work with & am not familiar with it's characteristics.
The general rule is if the action screw is screwed into the recoil lug then you bed under the lug. In your case that would be true. On actions like Remington where the action screw is behind the recoil lug you always provide clearance under the recoil lug.
You need clearance in front of the lug and on the sides of the lug. Otherwise the action will tend to stick in differant positions and cause double grouping.
If you are getting flex with the front action screw then you probably did not get any bedding under the action between the recoil lug and the magazine mortise. You need support there too.
Also be sure to scrape a little clearance behind the tang so it will not act like a second recoil lug and split the stock.
Posts: 1551 | Location: North Texas | Registered: 11 February 2001
We usually put a layer of electrical tape in front and under the lug. You tend to get some vibration problems if there is no clearance under the lug. They tend to come apart a little easier with a little clearance as well.
Fellow gun dudes, I may have been lucky or have the exception to the rule. When I bedded my Sako AV I bedded the entire action from about a half inch in front of the action, the sides of the action, the tang, the full area around the recoil lug and the floorplate. The thing is damn tight! I have never had a problem and the accuracy improved at least 3x what it had done before. The bbl strung shots as it got warm but 300 below fixed that. Currently it is as steady at 0 degrees as it is at 90 degrees with allowances made for temp variation of course. The point is that it groups all the time. No double groups or stringing ever. If there are problems it is because of my shooting. The original stock was a non bedded Sako Manlicher. I did go from the wood Manlicher stock to a B&C composite. That may change things from the bedding perspective, splits etc.
What model is your Sako? An AII or a 75, because I don't understand when you say the Front Action screw goes into the raised flat ahead of the recoil lug. My AII varminter Front screw screws into the bottom of the recoil lug.
Anyway my AII is pillar bedded at the front and rear. Zero clearance behind the tang. The action is bedded full length, and the first two inches of the barrel. Zero clearance under the lug, a bit on the sides and in front. It shoots in the 3's on a good day.
Cheers
pete
[This message has been edited by Pete Millan (edited 12-12-2001).]
Posts: 541 | Location: Mokopane, Limpopo Province, South Africa | Registered: 22 May 2002
Thanks for all the help. I'm not sure what model it is except that I was told it was an older model. The front action screw does NOT screw into the bottom of the recoil lug but screws into the flat between the smallish recoil lug & the barrel. I looked at a disassembly pick of a forester & it shows screw into lug it's certainly not that model.
I FEEL SO STUPID. I pulled Sako apart today & discovered I was confusing it with another gun I was working on. It is exactly like Craftsman said, I will follow his advuse & bed under recoil lug where the SCREW goes in. Sorry Guys
