Rifle bedding/loads and accuracy question

[JeffRaines]

So heres the deal - I picked up a Ridgeline in 280 about a month and a half back. Overall, I like the rifle. I wish the stock was more ergonomic but it is what it is. Replaced the trigger with a TT Primary(had a field in it) and put the slayer brake on.

During break in I was finally able to get this rifle shooting under an inch with 160 AB factory stuff and the 162 PH after about 30 rounds down the pipe. I'm not sure if that was a me thing or the rifle, but I digress(this was before the brake/trigger)...

Started load development using the 180 bergers, RL26 and CCI LR primers. I found the 'sweet spot' for seating depth at around .050 off the lands, and today 57.1gr yielded a .8 group with an ES of 11 at around 2800. Group size was small, so chances are high that the ES will go up which is no big deal... it could be double and I'd be okay with it... Call me crazy, but I just feel like I should be able to wring out an additional .3. I don't expect it to shoot one hole groups, and I know it seems crazy to be asking for another .3 off the groups, but if I could get it around .5 I'd be thrilled.

For reference, during seating depth testing I was able to pull out a .7 group, but velocity was ~2720... a little lower than I was hoping for.

On a different note, I went up to 59gr/2900 with no pressure signs... I could probably make it to 60 or more, but I don't want to absolutely murder the brass.

Anyway, next outing I was going to take this powder charge and load some shorter, the same, and longer on seating depth with the same charge and see what happens... hoping I could eek a little more out of it.

With that said, I've attached a picture of the bedding job. I know its just a spot bedding job, but I feel like this one is a little worse than the rest of them I've seen. I guess it couldn't hurt to re-bed it, but in your collective experience - could I expect it to make a difference, or am I just throwing money away?

Like I said, the notion that I could get another .3... honestly, if I had paid less for the rifle I probably wouldn't care at all and let well enough alone... and maybe I should, but I just feel like it should be able to do a little better. I have Kimbers, a Tikka and a Bergara that will all shoot at least the same if not better... the Bergara puts damn near anything I feed it under an inch, and the stuff it likes .5... and its a 300 shooting 215s so it isn't a recoil issue

Any other recommendations?

 

[Rob5589]

You're pretty close to your goal. Keep playing with it. That bedding job is pretty janky looking for a professional. Likely isn't causing any accuracy issues but looks like dog turd.

 

[Murtfree]

Your right that it certainly couldn’t hurt to rebed it since at most you have a spot for recoil lug to rest; certainly not a full bedding job. Can’t tell what else is going on but both the rear tang and front action screw area need to be bedded properly and in the same plane so no tweaking or twerking of the action can take place when the action screws are torqued down. Then the barrel channel needs to be checked to make sure it isn’t making any contact other than a pressure point which is centered properly if one is so desired. Personally I prefer a fully free floated barrel. Can’t say for sure that it will make a difference but a good bedding job certainly won’t hurt your accuracy. Should look something like this when finished.....

 

[Lawnboi]

Your bed job looks 10x better than my Christensen spot bed looked.