Bedding a rifle
- Thread starter djwf69
- Start date
There are many "bedding" compounds out today.
I have been using Brownell's Acraglas since 1967 and I have never had a need for any other bedding compound. It is reasonable in price, designed by gun people for gun people and works well. It is also easy to work with in the future if you want to remove it and make alterations. Not all bedding compounds are "friendly" in that way.
I have been using Brownell's Acraglas since 1967 and I have never had a need for any other bedding compound. It is reasonable in price, designed by gun people for gun people and works well. It is also easy to work with in the future if you want to remove it and make alterations. Not all bedding compounds are "friendly" in that way.
I find the putty-type epoxies much easier to use and less messy than the runnier brownells acra-glass and gel products. Devcron, JB-weld, etc. I also find these don't adhere as well - which is a good thing IMO; just make sure you rough up the inside of the stock and make sure it's absolutely clean of oil. Regular gun oil works OK as a release agent. Apply it with your fingers instead of trying to use a stick or something - wear gloves.
Don't try to use G96 as a release compound for JB Weld. Aside from discovering I didn't put enough epoxy in the recoil lug well, I have to redo it because epoxy stuck to the receiver right around the pillars, so separating the piece I pulled the surface right off the epoxy and had to chisel the hardened epoxy off the bottom of the receiver. I should have used grease like I did on another gun and the jb weld didn't stick.
Hey Redhouse, I was told that the tang should float on a Stevens or Savage. I notice you are bedding yours.
Didn't you put studs in the receiver before lowering it onto the stock? How are you going to make sure the holes line up otherwise?
I obviously have no standing for giving bedding advice, so you can tell me off.
Hey Redhouse, I was told that the tang should float on a Stevens or Savage. I notice you are bedding yours.
Didn't you put studs in the receiver before lowering it onto the stock? How are you going to make sure the holes line up otherwise?
I obviously have no standing for giving bedding advice, so you can tell me off.
For 25 years I used the release agent supplied with AcraGlas but now I usually use plain old paste wax spread on with a small brush works great as a release agent too ... cleans off afterwards easily with varsol or paint thinner... personally I would not rely on any oil to do the job... I think there is a chance it could contaminate some epoxies or not work as well as a release agent should ...
I made a short screw to plug the front action screw hole before bedding... I use the rear screw (not tightened) for line up...
It's a ##### cleaning epoxy out from where it is not supposed to be...
I made a short screw to plug the front action screw hole before bedding... I use the rear screw (not tightened) for line up...
It's a ##### cleaning epoxy out from where it is not supposed to be...
1. I asked and got mixed advice. Gun is starting to shoot really well as I develop loads and hone my reloading skilz, so I'm not too worried about it.
2. Yes. Oh, not studs, the actual action screws. I probably had it screwed down tighter than it needed to be for the purpose of the job.
3. this was my first ever job, I ain't tellin anyone off LOL. I used WAY too much Acraglass, and the front action screw pushed a bunch up into the action. I didn't notice it until the next day, when the bolt wouldn't close...*DUH*. Cost me $20 at a smith to get the epoxy plug removed. I think they still have my picture on the wall, "Idiot of the Month - October 2007"
Hey, I thought I had it all taped up and waxed. I ended up with epoxy in my magwell, and some in the rear center part of the action where the spring loaded lever is that the bolt slides over. I've been tapping with a screwdriver and chisling out little globs and goobers from a number of crevises.
One comment on the Savage action, it sure has a small area for bedding at the rear screw. That lever for releasing the bolt really cuts into that right hand side area.
Can't wait to get out and shoot it and see how it groups.
One comment on the Savage action, it sure has a small area for bedding at the rear screw. That lever for releasing the bolt really cuts into that right hand side area.
Can't wait to get out and shoot it and see how it groups.
X2 on the Johnson's Paste Floor Wax.
Been using it for 15 years on fiberglass projects. I was told to use it by a fiberglass boat builder who has been in the industry for 30+ years.
One tin is pretty cheap, will last you for years and cleans up easily.
For a bedding compound I use Marine TeX and I find it works very well and it has no shrinkage for a release agent I use POLYVINYL ALCOHAL ,I put the PVA on with a Q-tip and it creates a micro-thin plastic type layer on the action . It works great and you can buy it at marine/fiberglass supply stores , Industrial plastics and paints would most likely have it as well .
I use Brownells Acra-glas Gel for all my bedding jobs. I use the release agent that comes with the kit and if I run out, I use paste wax. I use paste wax to plug holes and crannys where i don't want epoxy.
Besides putting agent on the obvious places, I find it's a good idea to cover the entire action and magazine with release agent - the epoxy has a way of squeezing into the damndest places.
If I'm bedding a finished stock, I wax the stock prior to bedding. That way if any epoxy gets on the outside of the stock, it will come off with a fingernail.
It's generally not a good idea to use the guard screws to pull the action into the wet bedding. If the inletting has high points in it, the action could end up twisted or stressed and accuracy could suffer. Use something that provides even clamping pressure.
When bedding rifles that have blind front guard screw holes(Mauser, P-14, M1917, etc), make sure that the hole is plugged with wax or a guide screw(see below) before the action is lowered into the epoxy. If epoxy gets in the blind hole, it is a total bit_h to get out. Trust me.
On rifles with open front guard screw holes(Remington, Savage), plugging the hole is still a good idea but if epoxy gets forced up the hole it will be inside the action and if the inner areas are coated with release agent, the epoxy is easy to remove.
Here's a shot of a rifle during bedding with my 'clamp' that provides even pressure on the action. The inletting screws are also visible.
The link below shows the inletting screws on Brownells site.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=6644&title=INLETTING%20GUIDE%20SCREWS
Besides putting agent on the obvious places, I find it's a good idea to cover the entire action and magazine with release agent - the epoxy has a way of squeezing into the damndest places.
If I'm bedding a finished stock, I wax the stock prior to bedding. That way if any epoxy gets on the outside of the stock, it will come off with a fingernail.
It's generally not a good idea to use the guard screws to pull the action into the wet bedding. If the inletting has high points in it, the action could end up twisted or stressed and accuracy could suffer. Use something that provides even clamping pressure.
When bedding rifles that have blind front guard screw holes(Mauser, P-14, M1917, etc), make sure that the hole is plugged with wax or a guide screw(see below) before the action is lowered into the epoxy. If epoxy gets in the blind hole, it is a total bit_h to get out. Trust me.
On rifles with open front guard screw holes(Remington, Savage), plugging the hole is still a good idea but if epoxy gets forced up the hole it will be inside the action and if the inner areas are coated with release agent, the epoxy is easy to remove.
Here's a shot of a rifle during bedding with my 'clamp' that provides even pressure on the action. The inletting screws are also visible.
The link below shows the inletting screws on Brownells site.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=6644&title=INLETTING%20GUIDE%20SCREWS
One of these days I will put how we bed in print!
For release agent we use industrial stuff we buy by the gallon. For easy to find, non industrial (but works about as well) the floor wax and neutral shoe polish seem to work well. I have been testing some non industrial releases. It is fairly easy to keep epoxy from sticking. I strongly don't suggest PAM, oil, grease and the like. Even if they work they produce a very ugly, low class job! Pick your release and test it as you plan to apply it. Pay attention to detail and don't change the technique and it will work the same on the gun. There must be thousands of different releases, we have some that will even release from wood although I don't use them for bedding! I also don't like PVA. If you do then use your mic and measure the thickness of the layer you peel from the metal, this is the clearance you have created.
We buy epoxy in 45 gal drums. This is not rocket science (although it is used in rockets!). For an easily available material Marine Tex is as good as any. They all work well, Brownells, Devcon etc. NONE of them shrink that I have been able to detect, but this does not include any of the quick or 5 min variety which should be avoided unless you know what you are doing!
For release agent we use industrial stuff we buy by the gallon. For easy to find, non industrial (but works about as well) the floor wax and neutral shoe polish seem to work well. I have been testing some non industrial releases. It is fairly easy to keep epoxy from sticking. I strongly don't suggest PAM, oil, grease and the like. Even if they work they produce a very ugly, low class job! Pick your release and test it as you plan to apply it. Pay attention to detail and don't change the technique and it will work the same on the gun. There must be thousands of different releases, we have some that will even release from wood although I don't use them for bedding! I also don't like PVA. If you do then use your mic and measure the thickness of the layer you peel from the metal, this is the clearance you have created.
We buy epoxy in 45 gal drums. This is not rocket science (although it is used in rockets!). For an easily available material Marine Tex is as good as any. They all work well, Brownells, Devcon etc. NONE of them shrink that I have been able to detect, but this does not include any of the quick or 5 min variety which should be avoided unless you know what you are doing!
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I use epoxy for bedding, it works well but it is a little runny so I use plastercine to keep it in place until it sets. Pam makes a good release agent. the thing to watch watch with epoxy is be sure it is hardened properly. if it is not hard when you scratch it with your jack knife you will have to grind it all out and mix another batch with more hardener.
