I am restocking a rifle I have put together and am looking for any suggestions on mounting and bedding the forearm.
I am considering installing a rectangular block on the bottom flat of the barrel then bedding that to the forearm with relief on all the rest of it. I would greatly appreciate any suggestions or experiences. Thanks, Red

i like to dovetail a stud on the barrel then bed a small area around the stud and another on the rear of the foreend, leaving the rest to float

Your inqury is very timely, I am at the same point in trying to refurbish an old High Wall varmint rifle. After reading what DeHass had to say on the subject, I have elected to take the same route you outlined. My block is in the mill vice now, but as my shop is unheated and I am limited to short periods working out there so I don't freeze something I might need later. A few days above freezing would help, but the forecast is pretty bleak. Please post again when you have results, as I am very interested in your conclusions.

guys you really should PM jd steele

pm sent and thanks to all for the responses. Will post with the results on my .405

Here's the way I've been doing it lately, with a third way to be tried soon. BTW I recommend reading Frank de Haas' experiments with the Ruger No 1's forearm and his comparative results using two methods.

First and simplest, just D&T a 10-32 or 3/16-36 hole in the barrel and use one screw with a single escutcheon. Bed the 2"-4" area around the screw attachment and free-float the rest. This works OK for light recoilers.

For a better and more professional-looking job, I fab a 1/2"x2" steel block and screw it to the bottom of the barrel with 2 6-48 screws and either Acraglas or Black Max, then use one 10-32 or 3/16-36 screw for the wood. On an extremely heavy recoiler I use 2 screws for attaching the wood but they're probably not needed for 99.9%. I glass-bed the wood for 2" in front of & behind the bedding block in an attempt to avoid stressing the barrel/forearm interface with different forearm placement on the bags or rest. Of course the sides of the bedding block have a draft angle to facilitate forearm removal.

A third method I'm planning to try is to use a wedge key attachment as used on muzzleloaders, along with my thicker bedding block instead of the usual thinner dovetailed attachment. This method is a LOT more work but will really 'set off' a fine custom rifle. I haven't begun this yet and have been told that it will add about 40-50 hours to the job.....

As always, NEVER let the wood touch the receiver in any way, otherwise your groups WILL walk as the barrel heats.

Another 'tweak' that I've been considering is to (temporarily, at first) add a pair of thin rubber spacers to the bottom of the barrel channel, one at the front of the forearm and the other at the rear. These would provide tension on the barrel as the forearm's attaching screw is tightened, and may serve to dampen vibrations and thus improve accuracy. We'll see.

Hope these idle maunderings provide food for thought!
Regards, Joe

Thank you Mr. Steele for your insights on this bforearm attachment problem. I am pretty well along with a half inch by three inch steel block which I am attaching the rear end of to an existing leaf spring mounting block which was added by parties unknown sometime in the past,and the front end of to the barrel. Both ends are attached by 10-32 allen cap screws. This block will be epoxied into the forearm, and the forearm relieved for no contact with the reciever or barrel. A decorative plate will cover the block and cap screws. Previously the forearm was attached to the spring mount block and a barrel band. The barrel band was somewhat loose, and the rifle shot groups with a large vertical dispersion. The new block is made and a slot cut in the forearm for it. The attachment points are drilled and tapped. If the weather ever warms up I'll finish this up and see how it shoots. Of course there may be some other gremlins hiding somewhere. Anyway, reading your post, I'm not too far off the path. Thanks again.

The forearm bedding project discussed above has advanced to where the block has been glued into the forearm and all other contact with the reciever and barrel relieved. The rifle was reassembled and test fired without completing the cosmetic work on the forearm and I am pleased to report much better accuracy, the vertical stringing being gone.