Ol Copper
Twelve Pointer
I bought a new Browning X-Bolt in 7mm-08 last fall that just couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. No matter what ammo I tried, factory or proven hand loads, it would not shoot under 2" at 100 yds. I new the bases and rings were not the culprit, the scope was tried on various other rifles to confirm that it was not the issue. The chamber, rifling and crown checked out ok.
The way that the shots were randomly spraying the target, it had to be the bedding. To say that Browning tried to bed the rifle adequately is a joke. They just roughed up a few spots around the action screws and smeared 2 big dollops of what looked like peanut butter in there and called it bedded.
I chose to bed it at just 2 points of contact with a very minimal skim around the magazine well. I was really upset how they scuffed the exact areas around the action screws...very rough. I took the dremel and hogged out about .060 to remove their mess and try to gain a better well for the bedding compound. Got her all taped up and put clay where I needed it. Taped around the barrel to hold it true down the length of the barrel channel. Johnson paste wax for release agent. This is my first bed using Marine-Tex, very happy with the ease of mixing and the viscosity, does not run and make a major mess. Beyond satisfied with how the project is going, I guarantee it will shoot better compared to the crap job they sent that rifle out of the factory with. Hopefully start a new load development soon now that we have it bedded successfully. Looking forward to more consistent shooting and looking to use this rifle on a DIY pronghorn hunt in the near future.....
The way that the shots were randomly spraying the target, it had to be the bedding. To say that Browning tried to bed the rifle adequately is a joke. They just roughed up a few spots around the action screws and smeared 2 big dollops of what looked like peanut butter in there and called it bedded.
I chose to bed it at just 2 points of contact with a very minimal skim around the magazine well. I was really upset how they scuffed the exact areas around the action screws...very rough. I took the dremel and hogged out about .060 to remove their mess and try to gain a better well for the bedding compound. Got her all taped up and put clay where I needed it. Taped around the barrel to hold it true down the length of the barrel channel. Johnson paste wax for release agent. This is my first bed using Marine-Tex, very happy with the ease of mixing and the viscosity, does not run and make a major mess. Beyond satisfied with how the project is going, I guarantee it will shoot better compared to the crap job they sent that rifle out of the factory with. Hopefully start a new load development soon now that we have it bedded successfully. Looking forward to more consistent shooting and looking to use this rifle on a DIY pronghorn hunt in the near future.....
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