BARREL CONTACTING STOCK

[bob64]

I have had my SS/Lam for over a year. I have always shot 300 gr bullets with reasonable accuracy for a stock MLII. I verified a free floated barrel, clearanced the tang, torqued the action screws to 25 in/lb and verified contact of the recoil lug to the wooden stock. You could see this contact area as spots on the right and the left sides about the size of a pencil eraser. I thought this about normal contact without a bedding job.
For the first 50 shots or so, the barrel stayed free floated and centered in the barrel channel. I removed the action several times. Sometime in the last two times to the range or about 25 shots, the barrel began to contact the stock quite hard on the left side and at the barrel end of the stock. It stays there now. I can't see any warping to the stock.
I remember reading someone post about this but couldn't search it up. What are the causes of this problem? Is it common?

[Harley]

Huh! I'd think it has to be either a warped stock, loose screws, loose barrel nut or a change either in the recoil lug itself (bent) or the relationship of the recoil lug to the stock; all of which you can check for yourself.

Probably Richard and Edge will have more to say about the involvement of the recoil lug.

Harley

[ozark]

I suggest you loosen the action screws and determine if I could push it from side to side. If so, set it straight in the barrel channel and retighten the action screws. I suspect that the lug is able to twist in its recess and needs to be bedded straight. Ozark

[fowlplay]

I believe Panhandle had a problem with his barrel walking after several shots. He cured it by bedding the action.

How tight are your action bolts?

[Richard]

Listen to Ozark! He got it right! In reality, what you need to do is at least bed the recoil lug so when you remove the action from the stock, it goes back in the same spot. I can assure you, you did not bend the recoil lug.....its just locating differently each time you remove and install the barreled action.
Get yourself some JB Weld, then remove a little wood from where the recoil lug makes contact. Put a layer or two of masking tape on the sides, bottom and back of the lug. Then put some shoe polish (wax) on the recoil lug, taped areas and anything that might come in contact with the epoxy. Now put the barreled/action into the stock. Stand the stock on its butt so the lug is making good contact with the epoxy and tighten the screws. Make sure the barrel is clear of the stock before tightening. After a day, remove and clean up the "squeeze outs" You could take the bedding job further, but thats another post.
If any of this is confusing, PM me and I'll give you my phone number.
Richard

[youp50]

Richard calls the back of the recoil lug the side that faces the front of the gun. Take him up on the phone number.

[whyohe]

i think ozark and richard are right. but you might want to look at where the lug fits into the stock and see if any debris fell in there and might not be letting it sit properly. if you remove the action from the stock alot i definatly recomend bedding it.