New stock bedding

[Thehowler]

Wondering what a professional bedding job from a gunsmith is going for these days?
I just purchased a Bell & Carlson stock to replace my factory Browning A-bolt composite stock. I talked briefly to a local smith who said to set up his mill and bed a stock, he was 150.00 per hour. Said I may get lucky With the stock they send me or not? What did you pay for this service?
Thanks.

[Crunchy]

Should not have to mill much? I think my smith charged me 150 to install pillars, and bedded the the front recoil lug and about 2 inch forward of it, as well as the rear action tang.  Thing shot money afterwards.  I suspect to full bed the action 200-250ish.  I plan on doing it myself once  the rest of my parts arrive.  Really dont need a mill to do it.

[deerhunter_98520]

It's pretty easy to do, I just looked up videos on YouTube and did my own 

[b23]

Stocks like B&C and HS Prec. don’t really need pillars and should be a simple skim bed so the action makes full contact.  They should cost the least to bed of about any stock.  I think my smith charges me right around $150 to bed my HS Precision stocks.

[NWShooter]

Do your home work! Check up on the Smith. 10% of the Smith's out there are the real deal, the rest are hacks. B&C stocks can be found with full length blocks and the lighter models with just pillars. I would not go near a Smith that wants $150.00 a hour to bed. That's a joke and I can't count the bedding jobs I have had done over the years. $150-$200.00 for a bedding job on a pillared B&C and less for a skim bed on a full length block.

[bobcat]

I had a gunsmith bed by Weatherby Vanguard with a Bell & Carlson stock. Was $85. Shoots awesome after having that done.

[NWShooter]

I had a gunsmith bed by Weatherby Vanguard with a Bell & Carlson stock. Was $85. Shoots awesome after having that done.

Such a bargain for a well done bedding job deserves some recognition. Please post some contact info for the Smith.👍 Along with pricing, maybe they provide other services at such a discount.

[hogslayer]

It depends on what your after.  Lots of different types of bedding jobs.  I just paid 350 to have a stock bedded and some minor inletting.  But the gunsmith is one of the best, and I know it’s done right and that’s what matters to me.

[NWShooter]

It depends on what your after.  Lots of different types of bedding jobs.  I just paid 350 to have a stock bedded and some minor inletting.  But the gunsmith is one of the best, and I know it’s done right and that’s what matters to me.

Mind sharing the name of one of the best?

[hogslayer]

Alex Wheeler is the gunsmith I use.  He did have to do some work on the barrel Chanel and ejection port for fitting the action. 

[yorketransport]

Alex Wheeler is the gunsmith I use.  He did have to do some work on the barrel Chanel and ejection port for fitting the action.

Alex does excellent work at a very fair price! There are some folks who I don’t mind paying a premium price for thier work. Then there’s the other 90% who’re about as qualified as some guy you found on Craig’s List.

[b23]

There are some folks who I don’t mind paying a premium price for thier work. Then there’s the other 90% who’re about as qualified as some guy you found on Craig’s List.

This is very true and keep in mind, not all bedding jobs are created equal.  I've seen some really good bedding jobs and I've seen some real crap work too.  Never bothers me to pay a premium for quality work. 

With a true stress free bedding job, the barrel shouldn't move when you crack the action screws loose.  I've seen some that were so bad you could physically see the barrel spring back as you cracked a screw loose.

[Tracker0721]

So ya know, B&C warranty their stocks and it voids it to bed it. In their testing bedding it did nothing to improve accuracy. I bedded my most recent one and accuracy went from .5 moa to .5 moa. Also most come with a full length aluminum block meaning ya ain’t gonna put pillars in. NOW! If it’s not a pre inletted stock and it must be milled out then get the check book out. Inletted my first wood stock and bedded it at 14. The bedding process is easy. Super simple. Can do it in the kitchen and be cleaned up by the time the wife gets back from running to the grocery store.

Here’s what Brownells pricing survey found.

[hunterofelk]

Buy Brownells Glass Bedding Kit and do it yourself. Dont forget to use the release agent!

[bobcat]

Bedding my Bell & Carlson stock sure improved accuracy! Went from inconsistent 1-1/2 to 2 inch groups to consistent .5 inch groups or better. Mine doesn't have the aluminum bedding block.