Removing stock when cleaning

[Die Judicii]

I see field mice in my thermal binos on every hunt , but only for about 40 metres. After that their heat signature is to small to detect or maybe they are just not there , maybe a fox ate them all and is too scared to come close to me to get the rest of them . Maybe all the field mice have gone into town for the b and s ball or maybe the Mt Isa rodeo ......next time I test fire my rifle on a hunt I should warn the field mice first so they have time to put on their ear muffs

You are one farkin funee man Russ.
What you bin smokin Mate ?????

[Die Judicii]

Theoretically, The barreled action and scope attached is a separate unit that is sighted in and zeroed.
The stock is a cradle,, that is in effect only a handle to aide in lifting and holding and aiming.
Removing the stock is not going to change or shift the original zero.

However, if you removed the scope for cleaning, and then re attached it,,,, then the zero would/could change.
I do acknowledge that harmonics may come to play, but if properly free floated and bedded, I don't believe a poi would change/vary,
just by removing the stock only, and then re assembling.

[marksman]

l have seen the poi change from removing the action out of the stock but the same as when you do a bedding job it may take a couple of shots before your action seats where it it going to sit properly under recoil

funny you were saying about seeing the field mice at 40m Blr, l was trying to figure out what the small eye shine was in blackberrys the other night while using the pard and concluded it was field mice at around 40m cute little buggers

[Oldbloke]

So, I have 3 centre fires only 1 is free floated. No intention of floating the other 2 while they shoot ok.

[RoginaJack]

Animalpest, I'm with you and the 1st shot afterwards is to check zero.

[Blr243]

No smoking here. Just need to get out more

[RoginaJack]

Gee, Don't we all....

[Stix]

Theoretically, The barreled action and scope attached is a separate unit that is sighted in and zeroed.
The stock is a cradle,, that is in effect only a handle to aide in lifting and holding and aiming.
Removing the stock is not going to change or shift the original zero.

However, if you removed the scope for cleaning, and then re attached it,,,, then the zero would/could change.
I do acknowledge that harmonics may come to play, but if properly free floated and bedded, I don't believe a poi would change/vary,
just by removing the stock only, and then re assembling.

Of course it can...!!...if what you say was the case, bedding would make no difference...

Thats just like saying it doesnt matter how loose/tight the action screws are that it wont make a difference to POI or accuracy...or that you can put the action under tension or rest the floated barrel off a bag...or, that it will have the same POI if you swap stocks...

Its about the barreled action coming back to the exact same point in that stock every single time--if you've removed & replaced the barraled action back in the stock, there is a very good chance, particularly with a plain factory rifle, that its not in the exact same position in the stock as it was when last fired, in which case it wouldnt be a wise bet to bank on no POI shift.

I find my plastic stock Tikka's to be fiddly to fit back in the stock so i remove & replace it a few times to get the "feel" of it seating correctly...then when i fit it for the last time & just before i give the action screws a final twitch, i grab the barrel & slam the butt into the ground to kind of simulate recoil, to nudge the barreled action into its neat little spot.

[Tiger650]

Over many years I have found that Armorall is an excellent rust preventative, small piece of 4x2 in a zip lock bag topped up with a couple of drops occasionally goes a long way.

[Die Judicii]

So, after having a discussion at length with a prominent gunsmith on this debate the following has emerged,,,,,,,,

Taking the stock off a barreled action will not and cannot change the "zero" relation between the scope and the barreled action itself.

But,,,,,

What can change is the poi as distinct from the zero when removing/replacing stocks.
And,, that will only change as a direct result of "harmonics"

So theoretically, if the barreled action was near as perfectly bedded and floated, and the mounting screws/bolts are re tensioned correctly,,,,,,,, the
taking off of the stock and replacing it would have nil or negligible affect on "poi",,, and nil affect on the "zero"

In the case of timber stocks the "poi" can be adversely affected by swelling or shrinkage thus causing havoc with the harmonics.
Same can be said with synthetic stocks where screw/bolt tensions are changed,, ie: loose or over tightened.
And, the same again can be said for non bedded and or poor fitting stocks.

[Oldbloke]

So theoretically, if the barreled action was near as perfectly bedded and floated, and the mounting screws/bolts are re tensioned correctly,,,,,,,, the
taking off of the stock and replacing it would have nil or negligible affect on "poi",,, and nil affect on the "zero"

.

But, none of my stocks are bedded. Sooooo?

[Blr243]

On 4 wd or trucks that travel rough ground you often see coloured indicators on the wheel nuts to alert us when one might be working it’s way loose. Perhaps I could put a little scratch or marker on the surrounds of my action screws lining up with slot of my action screws. So a quick glimpse can determine if anything has changed ...my god I’m so clever. I could be the next president of the United States

[Blr243]

Or basic loctite

[marksman]

On 4 wd or trucks that travel rough ground you often see coloured indicators on the wheel nuts to alert us when one might be working it’s way loose. Perhaps I could put a little scratch or marker on the surrounds of my action screws lining up with slot of my action screws. So a quick glimpse can determine if anything has changed ...my god I’m so clever. I could be the next president of the United States

got a photo Blr

[Stix]

Not sure what you want a pic of marksman...but if its those wheel nut thingos theyre common on mine spec vehicles...little orange triangles behind the nuts...

Just to add...if thats what youre chasing search. "wheel nut indicators"...
--sorry cant do a pic...

[Blr243]

He wants a photo of me standing on the turret of a tank with a bible in my hand in front of a church

[Blr243]

Gone nutty during lock down. Loctite. Lock me up

[in2anity]

On the subject of indicators - you can dab the sides of your dovetail and front sight with coloured nail polish - if either of them get knocked in transit, you'll see the paint is cracked.

[Oldbloke]

On 4 wd or trucks that travel rough ground you often see coloured indicators on the wheel nuts to alert us when one might be working it’s way loose. Perhaps I could put a little scratch or marker on the surrounds of my action screws lining up with slot of my action screws. So a quick glimpse can determine if anything has changed ...my god I’m so clever. I could be the next president of the United States

Not a bad idea. Or a dob of nail polish/paint.

[marksman]

never seen that before

cheers Blr

[TassieTiger]

Would be cruel and ironic if those indicators became “stuck in place”.... not likely on our roads but still, a casual glance, all good...bang...wtf was that lol.