I bedded the lugsyesterday and have removed the barrel from the stock. I found I was wrong about how much space is between the bottom of the lugs and the stock. Very thin actually. There is a depression where the threads are tapped in the lug which deceived me. So I used more bedding material than was needed and it flowed around the lugs. This made it a little tight to remove from the barrel. It doesn't take much guys, only a 1/32" at the most, probably more like 1/64". So if i were doing another one, I would definitely use very little bedding under the lugs. Where it flowed around the lugs, I sanded lightly, just enough that the lugs would go in with out alot resistance.

I made a couple of shims, and floated the barrel. It floated great centered in the stock. If I remove the shims, the barrel beds just like it did before only there is bedding under the lugs. The dollar bill test works, i could probably get two in there. All thats left is to see how she shoots floated. If she shoots good there I am going to have to decide if I am going to leave it shimmed completely floated, or perhaps bed the barrel between the lugs and action.

I want to go to the range!

Pglasgow

Sounds like you are right on track with your bedding job. I need to get to the shop so I can work on the Omega synthetic stock.

I would suggest if you can shoot it with the barrel floating and then remove the shims and shoot it again - compare the groups not the POI. If the groups are about the same and remain the same in all conditions - I still favor havingthe barrel supported equally all around the stock.

I think I am going to get to go shooting Monday the temp is supose to be mid 20's then. That is a lot better than the negative numbers we have now. I need to shoot this Remington to find out if IS goingto shoot or not. It was out all day today in the negative weather - it is in the house now and back out again tomorrow... I want to shoot....too

Are we gonna take out a pool on the outcome of the Remington?

As you recommended, I'm going to test groupings, but one thing in particular I am interested in, is whether POI will be more consistent floated between different extremes in temp. For example, warm and sunny at 90F,and cold and cloudyin the single digits.Actually it would be great if it was consistent at different tempsbedded to stock, its where I can test it now. I am really glad to have the area behing the lugs reinforced also. I'm looking forward to your progress on the Omega stock.

Sounds like it came out good. I did more shooting today but at 50 yards and noticed some iffy things about my primers and sights. Well the sights are junk but i was still able to pull under 1" groups at 50 yards but these sights are getting thrown out when my new ones come in. Now when the new sights go on, i can see what primer is best for me. So far im not seeing much faith in those kleenbore primers. i think with the little work i did to the stock, it improved it greatly, now if i only had my good sights .
Phil, feel free to send me that apex/kodiak whenever you need to do some shooting with them, i'll be more than happy to shoot them for you. lol

Pglasgow

Warm and sunny a 90 might be a tadd bit of an extreme for a ML especially if you are shooting sabots... It might be more realistic from 75 down to single digits.

Remington test is first - then I need to get some measurements for alleyooper - then clean the shop - then to the Omega... I hope

90* weather and shooting is pure hell.

Frontier Gander, my rifles are fit to be tied and I fear I will be disowned by them if they don't get range time soon.

I wouldn't sweat 1" groups at 50 yards with open sights. I think that's good. Occasionally I got cloverleafs with the Sidekick, but it was typical to get 1 1/8" in still conditions or a big as 1 1/2" in windy/gusty conditions. Granted, I'm not the world's best shot but dang, its a very dead deer when you are only missing by3/4".100 yards, open sights,I don't know how the Apex will perform cause I really haven't spentany time on that distance. At 80 yards, better than I generally didwith the sidekick.But under 1", open sights,at 50 yards is fantastic in my way of thinking.

sabotloader, living in AR where the normal temp. in the summer and wanting to shoot all year round I had to come up with something that was not to restrictive in our summer [it often hits 90 here in late sping or early fall.
Any way I just fill the ice chest with ice and a little dry ice and put my sabots in it, i wait quite a while between shots and if it gets hot anyway I get a cup of icewater out of the ice chest and pour it in the barrel with a 209 in place after a couple shots of that I dry it out and go back to shooting.Its better than sitting looking out the window keeping the sabots cool helps a lot. Lee

i was happy with my groups at 50, i expected it would have been worse. lol i just took the rifle of its rack and my hand grabbed the front sight and the damn thing turned on it. POS. i'll never buy plastic sights again.the problem withthese is, they have a red dot and then encircled by a clear plastic that lights up in dim light, this is why im having so much trouble lining them up, i cant see the entire sight!

Have you done any work on the kodiak yet?

I think you also mentioned using the remington kleenbore primers? I used my cci's today and noticed a light blue film all over my bolt face and when i switched to the kleenbores, the bolt was pitch black after only 2 shots! Also made a sparky show when it went off. Did you ever noticed any of this when shooting them?

Well sunny and 90 will sure happen at times in ML season here, Mike. Also 20F can happen too. Depends on the species and the elevation I am hunting. So reduced variation in POI withthe different extremeswould be a plus.