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> Parker Hale 308 Bedding
Parker Hale 308 Bedding
@ 02:53 pm (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonI just picked up a steal of a deal for $200 CND A Parker Hale 308 bolt action with 5 boxes of target ammo and a scope. There was a skid of copper in the barrel and it looks hardly fired. It is going to be my younger son's hunting rifle and I have set about in earnest to accurize it. You can see from the photos that it was lug bedded with no pillars. And a piss poor job at that. I'll be grinding that out.So from the photos you can see and perhaps help with some decisions I need to make. 1: the sides of the receiver body have a ribbed machining and are slightly vertically radius'ed along their length front to back. 2: the width dimension of the receiver tapers (narrows) from the front of the radius machine work to the back by 0.0185 inches. 3: there are three machine screws from the receiver to the floor. One to an independent tang in beneath the lug. One just behind the magazine opening to the front of the trigger plate and the third from the tang to the back of the trigger plate. 4: the lug's posterior surface has a slight horizontal radius. The transition from the lug to the rest of the action has a rough line of poor machining. and the front machine screw anchors into the centre of the lug. Questions: 1: Do I do a 2 part bedding to avoid having the taper bust the thin wall of bedding along the sides of the receiver in a full bedding? 2: If I full bed it, do the machining marks along the receiver help and mitigate movement (and splitting)? and in the forepart of the sides of the receiver there is a machined shoulder that if bedded. Will this work for or against accuracy in a full bedding? 3:With the three screw attachment, what comments are there on pillar bedding? Have a good one everyone, /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5215.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5206.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5208.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5210.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5212.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5214.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5205.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5209.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5207.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5211.jpeg /Users/matthewmorrison/Desktop/Parker Hale/IMG_5213.jpeg |
Replies
@ 03:02 pm (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 Beddingoops Lets try that photo thing againMatt https://imgur.com/a/ShTltJu |
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@ 03:05 pm (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingOh and I forgot to ask one more question. I have a machine shop with a good mill. Should I machine the back of the lug face and clean up the transition to a perfect flat and 90 corner? |
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@ 09:56 am (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingHi Matt, lets see if we can work through a bit of this.1. First we need to clarify your question (two parts). Did you mean in two steps? If so, my answer is that it is best to try and avoid bedding in two steps. Unfortunately, it is near impossible to perform two step bedding without introducing some form of stress. The entire bedding job should be done in one process. If however you meant 'front and rear' bedding as opposed to full length bedding then yes, you could adopt front and rear bedding as opposed to full length bedding. Regarding the taper on the action, this is good because it helps center the action in its bedding. Having said this, the radius on a poorly machined (or buffed) action such as this (also CZ) may unfortunately flare out at the bottom creating a trap point. A small level of flare can be buffed out by an experienced polisher / metal worker. A rather more simple approach is to simply use tape along the lower portion during bedding, leaving the upper round of the action to act as a center guide. Once the bedding job has cured, the tape will be destroyed as the action is pulled, but will leave the bedding intact. This obviously works only up to a point. If the flare is very large, a single layer of electrical tape will not be enough on its own. 2. If you want to full bed, go for it. Regarding the rough finish, understand that the action needs to be able to recoil and return to battery as explained in the bedding instructions, in the book series and I think also within some of my videos (Kapiti talk?). A rough finish does not help. 3. It looks like this action is missing its front floating pillar (this set up is much the same as the SMLE). It will pay to have something in there. The main issue with this type of arrangement is that if the pillar is too long, it cause the action to sit above the bedding after the rifle is bedded and reassembled. You may instead prefer to epoxy a pillar in place before bedding. You could also make the top of the pillar flat rather than stepped so that the boss on the action sits on the pillar, rather than inserts into the pillar. The entire pillar can be slightly countersunk into the at the top (eg .2 to .5mm), flush at the bottom. You can then bed the rifle, letting some compound flow over the top of the pillar (note that it will flow over the pillar anyway - so you must factor this into the equation). Alternatively, you can make a stepped pillar and temporarily attach it to the action, then place both into the mortice, but be aware that you risk air bubbles around the top of the pillar where it meets the lug. To prevent this, apply some compound at the intersection of the pillar and action just before it goes into the mortice. A floating pillar can be used in the middle. You must be very careful not to flex the stock or action with this middle screw. The pillar must therefore be of a perfect length. If you do not wish to use a middle pillar then be sure to keep middle screw tension no more than about 10 inch-lb (barely more than finger tight). Use Loctite to secure the screw or CRC-SP 400 to basically gum it in place. 4. You can mill the action if you like, it won't do any harm. Hope that helps a bit. All the best. |
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@ 03:50 pm (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingYes Nathan. It helps a ton. Thank you. It’s the confidence on this one i lacked and the points your making have cleared away enough doubt n fear to proceed.I’ll machine the lug flat for sure. I’ll check the taper on the sides of the action for a flare towards the back. As far as relieving pinch along the bottom of the length of the action due to the radius of the original machining I’ll either tape it off for post bedding clearance or I’ll machine it true over the length of the sides when I machine out the roughness. Would eliminating the contact between the middle screw and the action altogether be an option? I could create an internal tang for the middle screw that anchors to the wood internals but sits below the bedding. As far as the front pillar bedding question. I’ll take your suggestion to machine a pillar with a boss to receive the nut on the bottom of the lug. I’ll machine out the rear half of the pillar boss I’ll machine a 1 or 2 degree slope on the nut of the lug to reduce any binding. Thanks again Nathan Top shelf advice. I’ll post some more photos as I proceed. I’ve bought your full set of books three times and gifted them to a few hunting buddies and always recommend your site to shooters matt |
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@ 06:49 am (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingHi Matt, thank you so much for you kind words and ongoing support. That is above and beyond thank you.Any receiver with a middle screw may flex (action or stock) as the screw is advanced. It is nevertheless possible to tighten a middle screw finger tight and use some for of thread locker combined with the floor plate to keep it place. If you want to, you could try making some form of fixture in the stock so that it assembles more like an M700 ADL. But you do not have to go to this length if you do not want to. A further note: I did not see the trigger unit in the photo. If this is the large trigger unit which sits on the rear pillar, common to this action and the Santa Barbara, you will need to bed the action with the trigger in place (front and rear bedding - not full length). The trigger will need to be attached to the tang and the sides and rear taped off with electrical tape, then simply apply a small blob of bedding at the tang of the stock. Its not the best set up but it will work. Here is an old vid (what a rough back country accent I had!), Parker Hale .30-06: https://youtu.be/EmFfqotE1v8 |
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@ 02:06 pm (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingGreat Vid.I wish here in Alberta, where I live shooting could be of that sort. Open expanses in the mountains. I have to drive 2 1/2 hr to get to that sort of terrain. Anyway, I'll get some more pictures up https://imgur.com/a/P7KtgPL |
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@ 02:37 pm (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 Beddinghttps://imgur.com/a/AdohU7L |
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@ 06:06 am (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingSome progress picturesI set up the stock in the milling machine level n square then used a wood router bit to do the work https://imgur.com/a/AdohU7L |
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@ 06:08 am (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 Beddingsorry wrong photo linktry this one https://imgur.com/a/Uxh1yUM[b] |
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@ 02:32 pm (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingSo , I've been moving along some in this Parker Hale bedding. I have my own google drive so have posted all photos there with this linehttps://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A4Q2yI830QAmp2rzkqPgwDwegwlYIzES?usp=sharing So, I figured I can do a Full Bedding. There are a few tricky bits. The action has three pillars. The middle one is just behind the magazine box and the middle pillar screw runs through the front of the trigger housing, through a bent tab of the back of the magazine box and finally up into the action into a machined block of mild steel that has been brazed to the action in a stepped groove. What I'm doing is eliminating this connection to the action altogether. I have machined that block back about 20 thou so it sits clear and above the magazine tab. I will make a small metal plate with a threaded hole that will offset over the internal stock wood such that the magazine tab and this new block's holes line up and a shorter screw will connect them and hold the trigger guard and magazine firm. The rear of the action does not taper to a thin edge. Also the rear of the trigger is almost to the back of the action . I have machined out the wood stock all the way around the back of the rear tab and sunk a deeper well back of the rear tab. I left a little bit of wood for the rear most 20 thou of the tab to rest on at correct height. I did little tapering of the vertical dimension of the rear tab all the way around to aid in release. I hope to create a robust rear bed of epoxy this way. The trigger is smaller in dimensions relative to the rear tab by about 75 thou all the way around. I can't plunge the trigger through a pool of epoxy, so I built an aluminum mock up with the same dimensions. Like the machining on the rear tab, it too has a few thou taper top to bottom to aid in release from the epoxy. I will bond and seal this to the rear tab as a fake trigger. I will add plasticine dams and shims to it where I need clearances and push this into the epoxy Thirdly, the magazine box on these parker hales, drop in from above and would be bonded in place by the epoxy so the plasticine i fill the magazine opening with will have an overlapped lip that prevents epoxy from filling right to the edge of the magazine opening. Comments? Apart from the risk of locking the action into the bedding, I've never been clear about why a full bedding job doesn't extend past the rear tab. From a functional standpoint (harmonics and such) is this a no no? |
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@ 06:39 am (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingHi Matt, I have mucked you up as I did not see the trigger unit in the original photos. If the rifle features a large trigger unit as per this and the earlier Santa Barbara, the unit should be left in place during bedding. Electrical tape is run around the back and side of both the trigger unit and tang to prevent any binding or seeping. The bedding job should consist of front and rear, rather than full length bedding. The tang bedding, consists merely of a pillar (for the sake of the very weak / shallow wood), with a small amount of bedding over the pillar for the unit to rest on.Leaving the unit in place ensures everything is aligned thereafter. All of the above is now moot, but may help others looking into the same job. The area milled out around the wrist of the stock serves no purpose. The rear of the tang should be relieved with tape so that there is no stress on the wrist. The large inlet won't do any harm, though it may be difficult to get a smooth fill free of air bubbles as well as an aesthetically pleasing surface finish. Sometimes, having the gear (mill etc) is as much a hindrance as help as we can overthink or overdo things. Do try to simplify from here on. If instead you use a mock trigger block, the block needs to be correct dimensions (thickness) with an error of no more than a thou or two. Seeing as you have made a block and inletted in this manner, it is probably best to carry on with the full length bed. I just wish I had being more on the ball and asked for a full picture of the receiver prior to it being stripped. I am so sorry about this. Make sure you inlet the start of the barrel channel a wee bit. This will strengthen the forend transition and may also help with harmonics. |
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@ 06:45 am (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingRegarding the plasticine in the mag well area of the stock, don't mold it so that the plasticine goes into the mag well of the receiver. Instead, fill the entire receiver / mag well with plasticine. |
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@ 10:31 am (GMT) |
Matthew MorrisonRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingOK, Nathan. I'm done. Went pretty well. As you have surmised, I'm OCD and over think and over engineer everything. I get to sleep that way. Always have since a child. I did a full bedding on the Parker Hale.I machined a pillar for the front screw. I machined down the middle mount block back on the action. I created a metal tab with a tap n threaded hole and modified an imperial 10-32 NF machine screw to anchor the trigger guard at the front. The Mock Trigger aluminum block worked well and created a clean pocket for the trigger. The Mag well metal box was the fuck up. I thought I had measured dimensions such that I could drop it in after bedding but no. I had to modify the top folded flange on the box to a taper then collapse the box ( It has a mobile seam at the front that allowed me to squeeze it together) and got lucky and was able to slip it in from the bottom. I also mis measured clearances on the middle mount tab/trigger so had to hand machine the tab after it was glued and screwed in place (so that the bottom of the front of the trigger housing wouldn't rest on the mount tab) The bedding of the rear tang worked out really well and it is beefy. The epoxy I used had a very low viscosity and it crept under the electrical tape dam I made to contain it leaving a skim of black epoxy on the stock wood back of the tang ( A cosmetic thing) So, I'm ready to go shoot the thing soon. Thanks for your encouragement and comments.https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1A4Q2yI830QAmp2rzkqPgwDwegwlYIzES?usp=sharing Matt |
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@ 01:15 pm (GMT) |
Nathan FosterRe: Parker Hale 308 BeddingHi Matt, glad to hear that you got through it all. Yes, best laid plans and all of that - but you managed to work through it.Lets hope it all goes well at the range. Thanks for sharing your progress including both ups and downs. It is good for other readers to hear about this, it might help someone to be less judgmental toward themselves and to just get into it and allow themselves to learn. All the best. |
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