I have just checked the bedding on a Rem700 VS with the aluminium bedding block in the stock. It seems to be touching along the sides of the magazine well ,but not on the rear tang area . I take it that this is not good?
When bedding actions into aluminium stock bedding blocks ,do you prefer to run some bedding compound between or do you make it metal to metal?
If you do prefer bedding compound ,do you just have it around the mounting screw areas?

If the fit is otherwise level and without any bind present, then it is tough to beat metal to metal! You can "skim coat" the receiver with epoxy to fill in any low spots, but you won't get any better support than metal on metal.

Hello cr500,
Does the rifle shoot well?? If so, follow the old saying of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!!!" As pointed out, metal to metal bedding is about as good as it will get if I understand just what you are describing correctly. Normally those rifles will deliver very fine accuracy "as found..." Good Luck.

You might try some Prussian Blue or other inletting substance to see if you have a high spot on the block that is keeping the tang from seating.

What you don’t want is a high spot in the middle that acts as a fulcrum on the receiver when you tighten the action screws. Remingtons work best (IMO) with very slight contact (or none at all) on the center of the receiver.

Yes ,the rifle shoots well ,very well. I just hadnt checked the bedding before as there has never been a need. I did notice though that when I undid the action screws ,the front popped away from the stock. On checking I found that the rear tang wasnt touching. I did put a very thin layer of bedding coumpound around the tang areas yesterday and will check it today. Around the front tang ,it will still touch some metal as the bedding compound is so thin. I will wait until this afternoon and try it out to see how it goes.

BTW ,which screw do you tighten up first once the bedding is set? Is it best to tighten front and rear evenly a bit at a time or tighten the fron first?

quote:

Originally posted by cr500:
BTW ,which screw do you tighten up first once the bedding is set? Is it best to tighten front and rear evenly a bit at a time or tighten the fron first?

The barreled action should not move when you loosen either guard screw. Anytime the action tries to climb out of the stock when you loosen a guard screw you need to find the high spot and remove it.

As far as which screw gets tightened first, I tighten the front screw until it's snug and then the rear. Then I repeat the process to until they're tight.