Finishing a bedding job

Halligan

FNG
Joined
Sep 19, 2024
Messages
17
Hi All,
Newcomer here and hope you are all doing well, have a minor question in regard to action bedding that I'd like some community opinion about.

I have a 1970's era M70 in 30-06 that I snagged for a song a couple years back, and after issues with POI shift from moisture getting in the stock, had the stock refinished and glass bedding done. For context, the rifle was sort of a safe queen for the original owner, and in its original state (no free float), was hammering consistent 0.8" groups with factory SST and Fusion loads, so some investment was definitely worth it.

Anywho, had a local smith do the refinish and bedding, for which I requested a full bedding job (front/rear) and the stock refinish w/ butt pad, simple right? Well, this turned into a bit of an odyssey getting him to finish it (first time he called for pick up, he forgot to add the butt pad), and after 3x the quoted timeline I finally got the rifle back. Thankfully, first groups were great, some new ammo tested averaging 0,7" across multiple groups (yes, 3-shots alone aren't statistically significant) . While this was great, it was when I pulled the action to install a trigger spring that I found this (insert insult) had done a completely different bedding style without my consult, bedding only the front lug. He had shown me that he had bedded the length of the fore end, doing the taped barrel method for the free float, but no mention of not doing the rear.

Thus, my question, while the gun shoots, would it be prudent to bed the tang as well or just let it ride? Would just do it myself this time. I am of the mind if it isn't broken don't fix it, but given I'd like to drop a Trijicon on this for crop destruction/heading out west, I wonder if the increased stability would be worth it for peace of mind.
 

Shortschaf

WKR
Classified Approved
Joined
Jul 29, 2020
Messages
662
As someone who has bedded a few rifles and scope mounts, I would personally bed the rear tang

If you don't feel like committing the time, and are happy with the rifle's performance, don't feel like you have to though
 
OP
H

Halligan

FNG
Joined
Sep 19, 2024
Messages
17
Your reply was pretty timely, the gun made a decision for me lol.
Was doing a pre season tare down, and found a crack in the stock between the bag box and trigger guard.

Best the smith and I could surmise, was that the tang not being being bedded caused the action to be tilted, somehow causing the middle screw to take more recoil (two piece trigger guard). Good chance it would have been fine if it was even.

Thankfully caught it early so that and the rear bedding are being dealt with.
 
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