Most modern rifles have been found to shoot more accurate consistent groups with proper ‘bedding’ of the barrel and action, usually with a fibreglass/ epoxy resin. The resin is applied carefully to the prepared stock and metalwork, then brought together and allowed time to set, giving a good one-to-one matching fit of the important surfaces. Aluminium pillars may also be used to prevent ‘crushing’ on wooden stocks in the action areas by over tightening of the main action screws.
A well bedded action will also be free from any bending or torsional stresses, when the action screws are tightened down.
Most centre-fire rifles shoot more consistently with the barrel free floated from the fore end, but there are a few exceptions where the barrel may shoot better if a ‘pressure point’ bedding technique is used at the fore end tip of the barrel channel.
Glass resin / epoxy bedding can be applied to most wooden stocks, and will bond well provided the contact areas are not soaked with oil or other foreign matter. The bedding compounds bond well to fibreglass or kevlar synthetic stocks. The compounds will not however bond readily to the “plastic” style injection moulded stocks, due to the grease-based nature of the plastic used. These stocks can be bedded with some degree of success by ‘dovetailing’ the bedding compound into place so that it can’t dislodge under recoil. These stocks however are still inferior to a good fibreglass/kevlar one.
