Doing an upgrade of a minor bedding job on a Rem 700 ADL

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Picher

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Last year or so, I bought a NIB, Rem 700 ADL, .223 at a local salvage retailer for $225 and did a minor bedding job on it, but didn't have enough bedding compound to fully stiffen the forend and around the action. Today, I decided it was time to finish the job.

The rifle has shot well, but I think I can get groups down another 1/8"-1/4". Time will tell if I stiffened the forend enough.

I'll let folks know in a few days, provided we have nice enough weather to shoot some serious groups.

JP
 
Would love to see pictures if you took any.
Sorry, no pictures. It wasn't a pretty job anyway, but an improvement of a previous attempt when I didn't have enough material to do what should have been done. This time I didn't either and the epoxy was a bit older than ideal. This is just a spare and a back-up range rifle. I wouldn't want to show this bedding job to anyone, but might show the targets shot, if it proves out. We're supposed to get a decent "shooting weather" window tomorrow morning, then rain/snow in the afternoon. I'll try get some good targets to show.
 
My goal in this phase of accurizing was to completely fill the cavities in the forend and to increase clearance between barrel and forend, which was a bit too close for comfort. The rifle had pillars from previous work, but the cavities didn't get filled enough to provide the stability I was looking for. Hopefully, today's relatively low wind velocity in a favorable direction will allow some decent groups. I'll bring my known .223 Rem. Light Varmint stainless for comparison. That one really shoots great!!!
 
I'm glad I brought the other .223 because neither rifle liked the factory Remington ammo and I would have been disappointed if it were the only rifle and seen the groups that were over 2" at 100 yards. With my older handloads, I managed a group of 3 shots that were 1/2 dia" and in the center of the bull, with a pinwheel and two others touching, 1/10" between centers.

I'm going to order the die parts that broke, so I can load .223 again soon, but it's getting too cold to shoot outdoors comfortably. I kinda froze my hands today and it wasn't all that cold but the wind got to them. I'm 74 and my body doesn't like the cold. If I get bored, I could pull the factory bullets, dump the powder and reload with some good-shooting Sierra bullets over Varget.
 
Glad to know im not the only one who tries stuff like that :D
I just dumped a 4oz of epoxy into the stock of my new 06AI build, it helps but isnt as good as truly stiff stock lol. Also made the already front heavy rifle even heavier. Im going to have to re-balance it after i get it all worked over.
I keep a gallon of west systems epoxy for doing stuff like this.
 
I ordered 2 decapper/resizers from Midway and will "chill" until they get here. If I were really in a hurry, I'd borrow the parts from my shooting buddy, but it's not a problem to wait a few days this time of year.
 
Glad to know im not the only one who tries stuff like that :D
I just dumped a 4oz of epoxy into the stock of my new 06AI build, it helps but isnt as good as truly stiff stock lol. Also made the already front heavy rifle even heavier. Im going to have to re-balance it after i get it all worked over.
I keep a gallon of west systems epoxy for doing stuff like this.
I often use pieces of metal buried in epoxy to stiffen/repair broken or weak parts of stocks.
 
I really like the Remington Light Varmint Fluted Stainless rifle and wouldn't mind putting the ADL in one of those. Maybe someone has replaced theirs and has it sitting in the corner, just waiting to hear that some idiot like me wants one.
 
Found the cause of the broken sizing die decapper. Darned off-center flash hole. I've found that on other shells recently. In over 60 years of handloading that's the second time I've encountered that problem, both within the past year!

Could it be that ammo makers are trying to discourage people from reloading??? Probably not...just "p-poor" quality control.
 
Glad to know im not the only one who tries stuff like that :D
I just dumped a 4oz of epoxy into the stock of my new 06AI build, it helps but isnt as good as truly stiff stock lol. Also made the already front heavy rifle even heavier. Im going to have to re-balance it after i get it all worked over.
I keep a gallon of west systems epoxy for doing stuff like this.
If you're concerned about balance, you might consider drilling spaced holes into the hardened bedding in a staggered pattern that will save rigidity, but remove some of the added weight.
 
Has anyone considered drilling holes in the bottoms of forends to help cool barrels on range queens and/or varmint rifles?
 
Has anyone considered drilling holes in the bottoms of forends to help cool barrels on range queens and/or varmint rifles?
I've done it on a boyds stock to cut weight, but never thought about doing it to cool.....that's an interesting idea, I got spare stocks might try it
 
Has anyone considered drilling holes in the bottoms of forends to help cool barrels on range queens and/or varmint rifles?

Wonder how much weight could be removed from that B&C by milling out some elongated 1/4" wide holes on the bottom/sides of the forearm? I have a B&C coming with my Winchester Model 70 that I'm going to be looking at lightening where ever I can.
 
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Only ever seen stocks relieved on the sides in regards to ventilation or in that hideous “sideless” configuration, marketed I believe as a “Barracuda” for 10/22s.
 
Found the cause of the broken sizing die decapper. Darned off-center flash hole. I've found that on other shells recently.

I snapped the tip off a Lee case length gauge recently because of an off center flash hole on a blackout case while I was trimming it. I believe it was geco headstamp.
 
Only ever seen stocks relieved on the sides in regards to ventilation or in that hideous “sideless” configuration, marketed I believe as a “Barracuda” for 10/22s.

I wouldn't vent it on the sides, but underneath makes sense, except where the stock would ride the bags.
 
I wouldn't vent it on the sides, but underneath makes sense, except where the stock would ride the bags.

Just to get airflow from bottom to exit the top? Or is there another reason for your thoughts. Just trying to get an idea for the future if I want to attempt to shave some weight.

I guess it makes sense to me to leave more structure on the side of the rifle where it will have less of an effect on cooling the barrel then vents on the bottom that will provide a sort of "chimney effect." In order to make sure one keeps adequate structure for rigidity of slinging up/bipod/shooting stick pressure one would want to plan where to make vents be most useful.

Just thinking out loud here for my own purposes.
 
This is what I think of with side ventilation, and the last picture represents more of an open “forearmless” option that still has just enough below to ride a front bag. I’ve yet to ever see the bottom vented but I suppose it makes sense if you aren’t running a rail.



AB6CED6C-3A84-4141-AB62-4F83440EF55E.jpeg


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C2A2BBD6-957E-4F43-ACEF-AE11CE9539F3.jpeg



10090EF4-83A6-4AC1-AB74-0FE2EDAFC85E.jpeg
 
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