How bedding a rifle stock increases accuracy & improves shooting

One of the most important concerns for many shooters is accuracy, especially for hunters. Missing the target is frustrating, and if you can’t hit the intended target every time you aim at it, it means that you are not taking full advantage of your rifle. Accuracy surely depends on the ability of the shooter, but other factors may affect it. One of them is the stability of the gun’s mechanism. In this article, we talk about how bedding a rifle stock can improve accuracy and shooting.

Bedding a rifle stock & accuracy: a strong correlation

Accuracy means just being able to hit the target consistently, intentionally, and repeatedly. It is what all shooters strive for when choosing their firearm. When hunting, not hitting the target is frustrating; in a defensive situation, it may be the difference between life and death. That’s why accuracy is so important.
Stability is one of the main characteristics that affect accuracy, and bedding the gunstock can contribute considerably to improving this trait. Let’s talk about that.

What does bedding a rifle stock mean?

When the rifle mechanism is placed directly into the gunstock, after a series of shots, the recoil movement may create a slight gap between the barrelled action and the stock. This gap will affect the stability of the rifle and eventually its accuracy. Bedding a rifle stock means introducing a metal insert during the production process of the gunstock, which becomes an integral part of the stock. This metal insert creates a solid and stable bedding on which the barrelled action is mounted, and it protects the stock from the recoil shocks preventing it from deforming. 

What does glass bedding a rifle mean?

Glass bedding means molding an epoxy-based material onto the rifle stock to fill in any possible gaps between the stock and the action, providing a more stable foundation for the functional parts of the rifle. If done properly, glass bedding allows the fit to be as perfect as possible, improving accuracy.

When shooting, essentially two reasons can reduce accuracy:

• rifle action moves and vibrates with every shot within the rifle stock; if the barrel can’t move the same way each time, the bullet will always have a different trajectory, hitting the target differently and even missing it
• rifle action is subjected to movement and stress. Each shot causes a recoil, so the action goes backward and forward violently. Accuracy can be affected if the action doesn’t return to the same point after each shot

For accuracy, everything must be the same every time a shooter aims at a target. Bedding a rifle stock can help the shooter be successful. When the action is rock steady into the stock while shooting, there is no movement, and accuracy is more consistent.
Bedding provides a rigid aluminium foundation for the gunstock by creating a stable and close-fitting bearing surface between the gun’s functional parts and the stock that reduces movement and avoids breakage or deformation during the shot or after the recoil. Relieving stress increases accuracy, as the action won’t flex when tightening the bolts holding the action to the stock. If the flex occurs, it causes inconsistency and loss of accuracy over time.

Another positive aspect to consider is that bedding a rifle stock helps prolong the life of the stock itself. The repeated movements caused by each recoil cause continuous friction that can create wear in the stock surface, ruining it. A correct bedding protects the stock from deformation, friction, and stress due to the impact of recoil from firing.

The importance of choosing the right supplier

Bedding is a delicate, long, and costly procedure for the manufacturer to perform, so the risk is that he employs flawed methods to accelerate the process, resulting in poor performance.
You also have to consider that not all bedding jobs are successful. If the rifle has been bedded before you purchase it but the rifle is not accurate, it may need to be rebedded with better attention to detail.
Wood is the best material for rifle stock, but it’s also difficult to manage because of the different tolerances that must be considered. Being a natural material, in fact, it changes and moves constantly, and if the manufacturer doesn’t consider these specific tolerances, there will be negative consequences on accuracy too.

Thanks to its modern and innovative machinery and expert team, Minelli is the only supplier that can provide full-bed products where the aluminum component is processed together with wood at the same time. It means that the problem of tolerances can be avoided, and the gunstock is a unique block of material (wood + aluminum) completely integrated. This makes gun and rifle stock much more solid and resistant, and it is impossible for them to be damaged during the shot. If bedding is not possible, the company has also developed a cylindric marquetry made of metal that supports and reinforces the gunstock during the shot, avoiding breakage or damage.

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