Shimming Recoil Lug on stock rifles

H

huntdanielboone

New member
Does it help accuracy to shim the recoil lug in a new rifle? I am trying to do this on a new Remington 260. I measured the lug on the barrel and then the lug slot in the stock and found about .040" slack. I haven't had a chance to shoot the gun since I did this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
If I am reading this correctly, the space is under the lug, on the bottom.

On the 700 there should be a gap between the bottom of the recoil lug and the stock. Never ever shim the bottom of the lug. This will put stress on the barrel threads and cause problems. If the space you are talking about is in the back of the lug, It needs bedding
 
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but the Remington rifles are "pressure bedded" from the factory. That is, the barrel only touches the stock at the tip of the forend. If there is slack between the recoil lug and the stock this shouldn't be a problem.

If you want to just make sure it is not a problem, bed the thing and get the whole barrel floating...good idea anyway!

Good luck
 
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All I am saying is that if the receiver is solid against the stock, and the tip of the barrel is touching the tip of the forend like it should from the factory then it wouldn't be a concern in my mind if the recoil lug was not toughing the bottom of the stock.

To try to shim it I would fear that whatever was used as a shim would have a chance to move. As a result the accuracy would be hurt not helped.
 
Only he can answer for sure, but to get a reading of.040 I would think he measured with calipers, the depth of the recoil slot and the length of the recoil lug from the receiver and subtracted the distance. If that is the case, He is good to go in that area of the gun. I allways float the bottom of my recoil lug when I bed the rifle.
 
Actually, the only place you want to have the lug touching is in the rear to take the recoil and transfer it to the stock. Having the bottom or the sides touching will constrain the stock in ways you really don't want to. The lug should be the only thing preventing the receiver from sliding rearward if it weren't bolted in. The bolt holes should also be drilled out to give some slack after it is bedded.
 
Aw - kaphooey.

The lug should NEVER touch anything at the bottom - when epoxy bedding, put tape on the bottom of the lug as a spacer, and remove it after the bedding sets.

As to the sides, they must touch, or the action and barrel can rotate from torque.

There should be some bedding touching the front of the lug to insure the positioning of the action - that it goes back in the same every time - the front bedding material does not have to be very much, and it is often just a strip formed by masking the front of the lug with tape, or cutting it away with a Dremel after it sets.


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Aw - kaphooey.

The lug should NEVER touch anything at the bottom - when epoxy bedding, put tape on the bottom of the lug as a spacer, and remove it after the bedding sets.

As to the sides, they must touch, or the action and barrel can rotate from torque.

There should be some bedding touching the front of the lug to insure the positioning of the action - that it goes back in the same every time - the front bedding material does not have to be very much, and it is often just a strip formed by masking the front of the lug with tape, or cutting it away with a Dremel after it sets.

That's pretty much the way I glass bed the recoil lug. I used to leave off the tape from the front of the lug, but now I apply it at the top half of the lug. Otherwise, it can become a bit difficult to remove and replace the action, due to the tight fit of the lug, if you didn't build in the extra clearance with the tape.


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If the rear of the recoil lug contacts the bedding evenly across the entire surface and there is no contact on the front, sides and bottom, there should be no issue of torquing or twisting of the action. Positioning of the action is done by bedding the first few inches of the barrel at the same time. If you want to just glue the thing in there, then by all means do not have any gaps in the bedding.
 
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Does it help accuracy to shim the recoil lug in a new rifle? I am trying to do this on a new Remington 260. I measured the lug on the barrel and then the lug slot in the stock and found about .040" slack. I haven't had a chance to shoot the gun since I did this. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif



If you shim under the recoil lug, that can give you an idea what free floating the barrel will do (assuming of course the shim is big enough to free float it). Shimming behind it will not provide repeatable consistency that bedding does. Shimming the front or sides will do nothing to improve accuracy. You should have slack on the front, bottom and sides of the "lug slot" so you can get the action in and out easily. You want to be perfectly flush on the rear of the lug, so every time you fire the recoil lug does not move. Imagine the barrel moving a millimeter or two with each shot right and left. Here are some before and after bedding groups to illustrate:

Un-bedded, shows promise:
7mmsaumH4350-3.jpg


After Bedding, tightened up:
7saumH4350pbedding.jpg
 
This is all rather disturbing! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

You do not shim anything, you bed it propertly useing sound methods.

Remeber the point of bedding is to support the action without inducing stress upon it. So shimming is out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/angry-smiley-055.gif

I think this link shall answer your question:

http://www.6mmbr.com/pillarbedding.html

good luck
 
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