To Bed or not to Bed?

[123456]

I do not know much about building a long range rifle, but after the last few hunts, I have started to get the bug. I am 95% a bowhunter, but I think the challenge of long range shooting might make me give it a try. I ordered a Bell and Carlson stock for my remington 700 and it comes with an aluminum bedding block. I have read many forums who say that you can bed it or leave it alone. Most people who sound like they know what they are talking about say bed it. Bell and carlson says its a preference. If I do need to bed the action, which bedding mixture has some of you long range guys had good luck with. I have read about acra-glass and even some using JB weld. Please help a rookie in the long range game. Also, I am thinking about getting either a zeiss with a kenton turret or a leupold with a turret. I am wanting to stay in the 4.5-14x50 scope or somewhere close. Anyone have any input on scopes? I would want to stay under a grand for a nice scope.

Thanks for your input.

[Evan]

Use Devcon 10110 for your bedding. I have used that for all my rifles and have loved it. I have Bell and Carlson and H&S aluminum stocks on a few of my rifles,and have bedded both with better accuracy. I have had good luck with Vortex scopes for under $1K. Great scopes with an unbeatable warranty! Good luck with your project!

[MRL1984]

I've got two bells on two different 700s. One needed nothing just put the action screws and it was floated and solid.

The other needed some work to get it floated and an action bed.

 

My vote is mount it and see how it shoots before going through the bedding process.

 

As for the optic, depends what deal you can get on a Mark 4. If you qualify for a pro deal you can pick one up under a grand fairly easy. I am a fan of them, but I don't have experience with any other scopes.

[123456]

This may sound like a stupid question, but here goes: If I mount before I bed, and also try my new reloads in it, how do I tell if my reloads are not accurate, VS the action needing to be bedded? I appreciate the responses I have gotten and welcome more just to give this rookie a little insight into the whole long range game.

[MRL1984]

No not a stupid question at all. For me just changing the stock brought my groups way in for the rifle I still haven't bedded. The rifle I bedded still shot about the same, it also was not free floating. I couldn't get a dollar bill between the stock and barrel.

 

I have no experience with it, but you could try the ladder test as part of the load development. Only problem is you need a chronograph. This will show you which load should shoot best and if it doesn't group then its time to bed.

[azgutpile]

Have it bedded... Yes, your rifle might shoot good without it being bedded, but probably not as good as if it was.

[STOMP442]

Bedding never hurts.

[123456]

So is Devcon the best stuff for bedding the action. Youtube is awesome and I have watched a few videos on bedding already

[azgutpile]

Devcon Steel or Marine-Tex work great.

[123456]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I appreciate all the input. I am going to bed the rifle with devcon.

[123456]

Real quick question, Do I need to buy 1lb of devcon or will the 2oz kit be enough to bed oen action? One is 40$ the other is 8$