Glass bedding - when to use a pressure pad?

[cash_tx]

I've got a couple of project rifles that I will be doing my first bedding job on, and was assuming that I'd make sure the barrels are free floating afterwards. However, I've been seeing some tutorials online that seem to encourage bedding a pressure pad towards the front of the forearm for rifles that have either really heavy or really light barrels (the former to support the weight, and the latter to absorb vibration/barrel whip). One of my project rifles has a heavy 26" barrel in 25-06, and the other project has a relatively light 22" barrel in 30-06 (both have M98 type actions and walnut stocks). My initial thought is to first do a two point bedding on the recoil lug/chamber and rear tang, then see how they shoot before deciding on a pressure pad.

What do you all think and what has been your experience with free-floating vs. using a pressure pad?

 

[Hogpatrol]

For bedding with a tapered lug, I put tape on the front and bottom of the recoil lug, bed the remainder of the receiver and leave the barrel free float. After zero at 100m, I develop loads at the max distance I'm going to shoot with that particular rifle.

 

[cash_tx]

For bedding with a tapered lug, I put tape on the front and bottom of the recoil lug, bed the remainder of the receiver and leave the barrel free float. After zero at 100m, I develop loads at the max distance I'm going to shoot with that particular rifle.

Have you ever found the need to circle back around and put in a pressure pad up front, or has free floating always worked for you?

 

[V.Veritas]

@cash_tx, I would suggest contacting Nathan by email and ask his opinion on the subject.
I’m sure he’ll get back to you.
In the meantime you might consider reviewing his instructional videos and articles on this subject.

MatchGrade Bedding Compound Instructions

 

[Hogpatrol]

Have you ever found the need to circle back around and put in a pressure pad up front, or has free floating always worked for you?

Tried it on a .17 Fireball with a featherweight contour barrel with no discernible effect. Everything I own in centerfire is free floated and accurate with the right load.

 

[Inline6]

The only pressure pad I have ever used was on a ruger 10/22. That was a bull barrel attached to a slip joint connection. The V block clamp is not the strongest.

For a center fire rifle, with a good barrel and free floated. I just do not see it being an issue.

 

[112Savage]

My experience is that pressure pads may shrink groups, but POI fidelity day-to-day and season-to-season will be poor.

 

[fourfive8]

When free floating, it pays to check for any forend contact with barrel with actual shooting positions and holds. The forend has to be stiff enough to not contact the barrel, no matter how the rifle is rested or gripped. Also, even a"limp noodle" stock can be free floated enough to provide enough clearance but it's much better use a stiff enough stock combined with reasonable free float clearance to begin with.

The forend pad can work with good quality synthetic stocks with solid bedding platform. But the pad with a wood stock, as has been pointed out, (described by @112Savage as fidelity) is problematic because of changes of pressure over time especially with changes of humidity.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I've got a couple of project rifles that I will be doing my first bedding job on, and was assuming that I'd make sure the barrels are free floating afterwards. However, I've been seeing some tutorials online that seem to encourage bedding a pressure pad towards the front of the forearm for rifles that have either really heavy or really light barrels (the former to support the weight, and the latter to absorb vibration/barrel whip). One of my project rifles has a heavy 26" barrel in 25-06, and the other project has a relatively light 22" barrel in 30-06 (both have M98 type actions and walnut stocks). My initial thought is to first do a two point bedding on the recoil lug/chamber and rear tang, then see how they shoot before deciding on a pressure pad.

What do you all think and what has been your experience with free-floating vs. using a pressure pad?

Sometimes for reasons not fully understood, some barrels just work better with a pressure point. Often it's barrels that won't group worth beans without one. You should do exactly as planned. Bed it that way and float the barrels. Then see how they shoot. If the guns group, leave them alone. Are they new barrels? Remember new barrels often require a break in period before they will group well. If you still can't get them to group, loosen the action and slip a doubled over index card between barrel and fore end about an inch from the end. Then torque the action together and if it groups, you need to add a pressure point.

 

[cash_tx]

Sometimes for reasons not fully understood, some barrels just work better with a pressure point. Often it's barrels that won't group worth beans without one. You should do exactly as planned. Bed it that way and float the barrels. Then see how they shoot. If the guns group, leave them alone. Are they new barrels? Remember new barrels often require a break in period before they will group well. If you still can't get them to group, loosen the action and slip a doubled over index card between barrel and fore end about an inch from the end. Then torque the action together and if it groups, you need to add a pressure point.

Thanks, and both guns were bought used; so I don't know the round count on the barrels, but I know they're not new. I appreciate all the tips!

 

[gbflyer]

All kinds of wisdom abounds around stock bedding. Guys that build rifles for a living say that if it needs a pressure point to group better there’s a flaw in the bedding. But if the pressure point does the job, I say go for it.

The Forbes ultralight rifles are bedded end to end. Seems to work well, hard to argue with success.

 

[marksman]

the idea of the factory forearm pressure pad was first introduced by ruger early on when their barrels were not very good, it is supposed to make the barrel length oscillations shorter to help them shoot better, apparently it works for hunting rifles used for no more than a couple of hundred yards but if you were to put on a quality match grade barrel it is not necessary