HSP stock, Rem Arms 700 - To bed or not to bed?

[Don Fischer]

I'd shoot it first, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But then again I also suspect that there is some small difference's in same actions like the 700 and pretty much convinced only bedding will give you perfect bedding. You might, before shooting, tighten the action screws and slowly loosen the front one watching for a rise in the action or barrel at the front of the stock. Would indicate a bind in the reciever. Then slide paper under the barrel to make sure it's not touching anywhere. Most guy's slide a dollar bill but I use type writter paper folded in half. I like a bit more float. If it's a hunting rifle doesn't need to shoot like a competation rifle unless you just want that. I think most of us work toward that even though we don't really need it. Have a Mossberg Patriot and a Mod 70 that neither needed bedding. Surprised me as the Patriot is in a factory replacement wood stock. The Patriot is a 1/2" rifle and the mod 70 goes just a bit over an inch.

 

[Red-Team 98]

Right! I know what I'm hunting when I'm hunting and no need to quickly change up ammo in the field. Changeable magazines are just another something to get lost. Someone who can't hit an animal with four or five rounds should probably take up chess instead of hunting.

Had magazines my whole career in M16/M4 and Win 100 and Rem 742/760 and never lost one !

 

[Red-Team 98]

Any good bedding videos you’d recommend?

Take it too a gunsmith that is good at bedding.

 

[ImBillT]

I'd shoot it first, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But then again I also suspect that there is some small difference's in same actions like the 700 and pretty much convinced only bedding will give you perfect bedding. You might, before shooting, tighten the action screws and slowly loosen the front one watching for a rise in the action or barrel at the front of the stock. Would indicate a bind in the reciever. Then slide paper under the barrel to make sure it's not touching anywhere. Most guy's slide a dollar bill but I use type writter paper folded in half. I like a bit more float. If it's a hunting rifle doesn't need to shoot like a competation rifle unless you just want that. I think most of us work toward that even though we don't really need it. Have a Mossberg Patriot and a Mod 70 that neither needed bedding. Surprised me as the Patriot is in a factory replacement wood stock. The Patriot is a 1/2" rifle and the mod 70 goes just a bit over an inch.

I agree with most of this. If loosing one screw(both one at a time while the other is tightened) doesn’t show any shifting, then the bedding is general considered good.

That said, a lot of aftermarket stocks, including factory stocks by the aftermarket companies, and probably some factory made stocks, have loose recoil lug areas. That’s an issue that doesn’t always show itself, but can cause some pretty wild fliers if the rifle is jarred and shifts from being firmly planted against the rear and right recoil surfaces in the stock. It could even be a couple of unexplained wild shots, and then it returns to zero and you can’t replicate the problem. It blows my mind that the Remington 700 Long Range came factory with a B&C stock that had a recess for an oversized recoil lug!

By no means does a hunting rifle have to be competition level accurate(not that it hurts anything), and by no means does epoxy bedding an action into a stock always make the rifle shoot better.

 

[ImBillT]

Right! I know what I'm hunting when I'm hunting and no need to quickly change up ammo in the field. Changeable magazines are just another something to get lost. Someone who can't hit an animal with four or five rounds should probably take up chess instead of hunting.

Who says I only want to shoot one animal before I go back to the truck?

 

[OntarioHunter]

Who says I only want to shoot one animal before I go back to the truck?

I know ... it makes no sense at all to shoot a deer with an elk round. You can always order that charging grizzly to take a break while you change clips.

 

[ImBillT]

I know ... it makes no sense at all to shoot a deer with an elk round. You can always order that charging grizzly to take a break while you change clips.

Recently shot two running coyotes, a running hog and a whitetail doe. Missed both coyotes before hitting them. Missed another coyote that I didn’t get. Could have shot a mule deer if I’d spotted a legal one. I left the truck with 11 shots, and got back with 4. Would have needed at least one of those 4 if I’d found a legal buck. I guess I should only have left the truck with 5 shots, and gone back to get more ammo.

Detachable mags are also great for getting in and out of the truck. I’ve gone from small parcel to small parcel throughout a day and been quite pleased that I could empty the mag by simply removing it instead of dealing with unloading an ADL, or even BDL style mag, 5, 6, maybe 10 times that day.

Feel free to keep knocking detachable mags, but they are actually quite handy.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Recently shot two running coyotes, a running hog and a whitetail doe. Missed both coyotes before hitting them. Missed another coyote that I didn’t get. Could have shot a mule deer if I’d spotted a legal one. I left the truck with 11 shots, and got back with 4. Would have needed at least one of those 4 if I’d found a legal buck. I guess I should only have left the truck with 5 shots, and gone back to get more ammo.

Detachable mags are also great for getting in and out of the truck. I’ve gone from small parcel to small parcel throughout a day and been quite pleased that I could empty the mag by simply removing it instead of dealing with unloading an ADL, or even BDL style mag, 5, 6, maybe 10 times that day.

Feel free to keep knocking detachable mags, but they are actually quite handy.

Yes, when I still hunted moose here in Ontario, I switched to my dad's 760 30-06 for that reason (here it is illegal to have a loaded gun in a vehicle - not the case in Montana or Africa though I do empty the chamber). Then I missed getting a bull because the clip fell out. He was walking away close in alders and I tried to shoot him in the head figuring follow up would be easy. And it would have been if I'd had a shell to shoot. He stopped and turned broadside to look for me. Not a monster. I already had three on the wall that size.

 

[Caseknife]

My rifle is an ADL. I don’t mind a blind box at all.

Something that nobody ever mentions is that a blind magazine/ADL stock is much warmer to carry in your hand on those cold days in the field. I hunt timber and was taught by my father over 50 years ago to always have your rifle in hand, never know when an animal was going to appear. Smooth bottom to the receiver makes it much easier to carry.

Shoot the rifle first prior to bedding and then bed it if you think it will improve the accuracy. That way you can do your own research and determine the accuracy improvements of bedding.

 

[rjthehunter]

In response to the original question, I would shoot the rifle first. It's not going to hurt anything to bed the rifle, but you could save some time, money, and a wee bit of weight by not bedding it. If you're bored, and want something to do and have the materials already, then by all means bed that sucker.

I have a 270 Browning A Bolt that shoots under 1/2 moa with factory loads. I can't find a reason to bed it!

To follow what the thread has become - I prefer ADL, I will throw a couple extra rounds in my pocket if I think I'll need them. It's just a sleek design that removes any chance of forgetting a mag.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Recently shot two running coyotes, a running hog and a whitetail doe. Missed both coyotes before hitting them. Missed another coyote that I didn’t get. Could have shot a mule deer if I’d spotted a legal one. I left the truck with 11 shots, and got back with 4. Would have needed at least one of those 4 if I’d found a legal buck. I guess I should only have left the truck with 5 shots, and gone back to get more ammo.

Detachable mags are also great for getting in and out of the truck. I’ve gone from small parcel to small parcel throughout a day and been quite pleased that I could empty the mag by simply removing it instead of dealing with unloading an ADL, or even BDL style mag, 5, 6, maybe 10 times that day.

Feel free to keep knocking detachable mags, but they are actually quite handy.

Recently I shot this coyote that was putting the sneak on four muley does in front of me. I was watching them to see if they were watching other deer out of sight. I shot him once offhand at about 100 yards with 165 gr deer load. Then reloaded one of five shells in my pocket. If I'd only had the six rounds in the gun, I wouldn't have wasted any ammo shooting trash.

 

[ImBillT]

Recently I shot this coyote that was putting the sneak on four muley does in front of me. I was watching them to see if they were watching other deer out of sight. I shot him once offhand at about 100 yards with 165 gr deer load. Then reloaded one of five shells in my pocket. If I'd only had the six rounds in the gun, I wouldn't have wasted any ammo shooting trash.View attachment 259461

You said we didn’t need detachable mags because anyone who couldn’t hit an animal in 4-5 shots shouldn’t be hunting. I said who “who says I only want to shoot one animal before I go back to the truck”. Then you popped off about know what you were hunting that day. Now you’re saying you left with five rounds in your pocket. Which is it?

I leave the truck with more than five rounds. If didn’t, the I would be reluctant to shoot at coyotes and hogs. I added that one of the benefits of detachable mags is getting in and out of the truck with greater ease. You agreed. Now also agree that having more than 4-5 shots on you is also beneficial.

I don’t like throwing loose cartridges in my pocket, but if you like that, go for it I guess. When I hunt with a rifle that doesn’t have a detachable mag I take soft ammo wallet.

 

[OntarioHunter]

You said we didn’t need detachable mags because anyone who couldn’t hit an animal in 4-5 shots shouldn’t be hunting. I said who “who says I only want to shoot one animal before I go back to the truck”. Then you popped off about know what you were hunting that day. Now you’re saying you left with five rounds in your pocket. Which is it?

I leave the truck with more than five rounds. If didn’t, the I would be reluctant to shoot at coyotes and hogs. I added that one of the benefits of detachable mags is getting in and out of the truck with greater ease. You agreed. Now also agree that having more than 4-5 shots on you is also beneficial.

I don’t like throwing loose cartridges in my pocket, but if you like that, go for it I guess. When I hunt with a rifle that doesn’t have a detachable mag I take soft ammo wallet.

Whatever works for you. I usually have ten rounds in a cheap ammo wallet but it's in my daypack. On the stalk I have six rounds in the gun and four or five in my pants pocket. I have never noticed the loose ammo making any noise. I don't wear anything on my belt if I can avoid it. Pulls my pants down and it's an annoyance when my gun or arms rub against it. Sheath knife also in the pack.

 

[Kevin11mee]

I always lean toward bedding it- at least the recoil lug. But shoot it first in various conditions. It may not need it.