Glasbedding a rifle. Anyone do it and why?

[Galpster]

I have heard of this but have never done it or shoot a rifle that it was done to. Why would this improve accuracy? Is it worth the $35 and the time to do it?

[docsven]

Removes barrel contact from the stock and eliminates accuracy problems due to swell.  Is it worth it?  Depends on what you are doing, it is a cheap way to fix one possible accuracy problem, trigger is another cheap way to improve.

[JackOfAllTrades]

Is it worth the $35 and the time to do it?

It all depends on how your rifle shoots now. If it's capable of sub-moa groups now.. You might not see any change. But many rifles that don't shoot moa can experience improved accuracy by bedding the action and freefloating the barrel. Some barrels.. It just doesn't matter.

Search my posts.. I remember responding to someone in the last couple months about this. Linked some good info there. If you can't find it, PM me.

I am not a gunsmith. Have I done this to see the advantages? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes.

-Steve

[Huntbear]

If you have a wood stock, the bedding will make it more waterproof if nothing else.  However, if it is shooting really well, sometimes it is best to just leave it alone.  That being said, I bed, every gun I buy, and every gun my brother, nephew, and other family members buy.  It has never hurt the accuracy, but sure has improved others.

[Jamieb]

I used to shoot every new rifle without bedding to compare before and after. Sometimes theres improvement sometimes not but the one thing for sure was bedding a rifle wont make it shoot worse. Now I bed every action before mounting a scope or anything. I've bedded a few rifles for friends that were having real problems with fliers and consistency, bedding the action fixed them.

[Michelle_Nelson]

I am looking at having that done to my Savage 30-06.  I'm going to have a smith do it.  Along with stripping down my rifle and having it re blued.  Needless to say their was moisture on the gun or in the case and I didn;t realize it til a week later.  I got it all cleaned up but I can;t take it out in the fog with out it wanting to instantly rust.

[PacificNWhunter]

I did the at home glassbedding kit after a few PM's with jamieb. Worked out pretty good. And if you do mess up, a dremmel will be able to smooth it out. I personally do not notice a difference in my shooting.

[257 Wby Mag]

I've never done it. Pard just did his 700 LSS 257 Wby. Groups went from 1'', to 1/2''.

[coonhound]

My experience says it's worth the small expense and time to do it. Like said above you won't lose accuracy but most of the time you will see some kind of improvement. I won't have a rifle without it...(I'm talking about bedding the action only)

It gives you a few things:
1. It allows you to eliminate barrel interference because it creates a repeatable installation of your action.  
2. It gives you a square surface for your recoil lug to contact giving you a more repeatable vibration during the shot.
3. It ensures uniform pressure when you tighten your action screws.
4. It helps to eliminate the adverse effects of water if you're using a wood stock.

The most common cause for poor accuracy is barrel contact, make sure you can easily slide a dollar bill between your barrel and stock all the way to the action.

When you get down to the sub MOA groups, it's all about repeatable vibrations and a bedded action helps take out some of the variables that can change them.

I personally don't believe the average rifle will benefit from bedding the barrel. In my opinion bedding the barrel opens up the door for POI changes do to pressure caused by swelling in a wood stock, heat can change the pressure your stock puts on the barrel and even how and where you rest your rifle when shooting.  I believe the bench rest guys with heavy stocks and heavy barrels in semi controlled environments do benefit at times from bedding the barrel but us hunters probably not.

Just my $0.02 from my experience,

Coon

[elkspert]

DO IT and you won't be dissapointed.

[Jamieb]

Bedding is alot easier then most think. I only bed from the mag. well to about 1 1/2" in frount of the recoil lug.
I stopped bedding the entire action, the rear tang, and the bottom metal. If the stock has factory pressure points, I leave them alone until after shooting the rifle, if theres no point of impact change from a cold barrel to a hot barrel, they stay. If I get fliers as the barrel warms up then I float. I've noticed that thin barrels seem to like a little contact/support in the forarm most of the time.

[addicted]

has anyone ever seen it done with a mannlicher stock(full stock)?? it seems difficult.

[high country]

I have bedded many rifles. my 700ti is full length bedded. I did not trust the milk straw thin barrel and bedding has made it very consistent. I have used lots of compounds from brownells, devcon, even metal body filler. one thing i will echo is it not gonna transform a 3" gun into a 1/2" but it helps on consistency. if you remove the action from a properly bedded rifle you can clean and reinstall the action and it SHOULD go back to exact POA. always verify.

I only full length bed synthetic stocks with very light barrel contours

[boneaddict]

We've done it to all of ours.  I think the theory that best works is it helps take the fluctuation of temperatures or as stated swelling.   If you are a pie plate sorta fella, it wouldn't matter.  If you are a dime like sort of fellar than yes I think its worth it.

[Huntbear]

One BIG tip of ADVICE!  When you think you have enough release agent on the metal, put more one.  Once accraglass or the other compounds set up, you have a one piece gun and stock if you did not use release agent.  If you run out of it in the kit, use paste wax,  works great as well.