My smith is very good and has built benchrest and target rifles for years for me. I decided to have my 1813 and 54MS pillar bedded. Now both are grouping about the size of a quarter at 50yards. I tried different torque setting with no luck. Any ideas? The barrel are free floated just like the factory.

What does your gunsmith say about the situation...?

Lots of things can cause a rifle to act up. First thing comes to mind is to experiment with the torque settings on the actions screws....A lot of rifles are pick that way. Also it could have changed it's mind about what ammo u are using. Assuming you are using top shelf ammo, look at the velocity of the ammo....some rifles show a decided preference for a certain muzzle velocity. Chasing the accuracy fairy can be a very frustrating thing. Good luck and keep us posted

Kitty

Scope mounts loose? (just throwing it out there....)

Try only one correction at a time.

Is any part of the trigger group touching the stock?
Is any other part of the action touching the stock?
Are the tops of the pillars true to the action?
Are the pillars true to the action screws?

You have quite a problem to solve.

Kitty, did you tell me Anschutz actions are finicky about the bedding around the recoil lug?

Bob,

They do appear to be finicky about the bedding around the recoil lug. All of mine that shoot well are solidly bedded in that area to the point that it is a tight fit with no wiggle around the lug. When putting them back into the stock I usually put the action into the stock and lightly bump the recoil pad on a solid surface to set the lug against the bedding. Then tighten the actions screws to spec (whatever that gun likes) alternating between the two screws until the torque wrench "clicks".

If the guns were shooting well before bedding and all that has changed was the bedding then there has to be an issue with the bedding or in the torque settings. As I mentioned before, this is one of the most frustrating demons to exorcise because there are so many variables.

Kitty

I've had the best luck when bedding a rifle taping the front, bottom and sides with about 10 thicknesses of tape. {the tape is removed when the epoxy sets up.}The only contact should be the recoil side, also the screws should not touch or rub on the pillars. Put the action in the stack and hold pressure down when torqueing the screws.

Let me summarize, if the rifle shot before the bedding job and does not now, it is the bedding job. Contact the 'smith and ask him to correct the situation. With a properly pillar bedded stock, action screw torque is almost irrelevant in my experience.

Anschutz actions, to be blunt, are not that stiff. The trigger is what sells them. Many, but not all, stocks with a bedding problem will shoot reasonably well with the rear screw loose enough that it could just as easily be taken out. It is not uncommon for stocks with a bedding issue to make the bolt bind. There are techniques to make measurements to demonstrate the extent of the problem, but the answer is simply that there is a bedding problem, unless, of course, the 'smith did something else to the rifle or there is a problem with the scope as a result of shipping.

Talk to the 'smith and let him sort it out.

I tried a few torque setting but haven't have much time with it. I plan on calling my smith and asking him. The scopes,mounts and everything else is gtg on the rifles. Must be the bedding.

Most definitely the bedding. You said they were pillar bedded, so action screw torque will do nothing. I bet your smith had a assistant do the job and something is touching and binding the action. Probably an action screw touching the inside of a pillar.

Changing the bedding is a cure for problems, Was there a reason for having them pillar bedded ? Might look back to what was wrong.

Boats

I only have one question. If they were shooting real good, why did you get them 'fixed'?

There is an old saying out there........... If it ain't broke, don't f*** with it.

Jerry G wrote:I only have one question. If they were shooting real good, why did you get them 'fixed'?

There is an old saying out there........... If it ain't broke, don't f*** with it.

X2

I don't know if we've been any help or critical of your situation. So here's what I would do if I had your experience. I'd show my smith the targets and ask him to drill out the pillars, mill out the devcon and start over. I betcha that if you put the rifle in a vise and set a dial micrometer on the barrel you'd be able to measure barrel movement when the action screws are turned. That movement directly translates to action stress and accuracy problems. He should be able to perform his test himself and show you the bedding is good or bad.