Bedding release agent

Neutral color shoe polish and then a thin coat of vasoline. The more times you run your finger over it the thinner it gets. Has worked great for me on numerous rifles.
 
I use PVA (Poly Vinyl Alcohol). It comes with some of the better bedding kits such as "Acraglass". It is a very thin liquid that you apply to the area of the action to be bedded with a small paint brush, overlapping the actual area somewhat to account for compression squeeze. When dry, simply assemble the action into the stock and wait until bedding compound has cured. Never had one stick yet!
 
OP - I was looking again at your picture - I think I see some epoxy traces along the side of that recoil lug. For many years, has been my practice to place one or two layers of ordinary masking tape on edges, bottom and front of a recoil lug - release agent right over the masking tape. Several times, the barrelled receiver came out and some masking tape stayed stuck in the epoxy. Once all picked out and cleaned up - gives a smidgeon of clearance on those three sides - rear face that transfers recoil still fit tightly. Makes future dismantling and re-assembly much easier. I know that others have posted to be tight on all faces of the recoil lug, so perhaps a difference in thinking about that. When doing epoxy bedding, I am looking for tight fit at recoil lug - then solid support ahead and behind the action screw at front and rear. A Nathan Forster (?) book that I read calls that "front and rear" bedding. An acquaintance also puts several wraps of electrician tape around the barrel - perhaps 10" (25 cm) ahead of the receiver - to keep the barrel centered in the channel while the epoxy sets up. Apparently, there are points that you want in solid contact, and other points that you want an "air gap" - is not good to have something touching only some of the time.

Almost all rifles that I did are convention recoil lug near front, into a wood or "plastic" stock - so I am sure bedding details get different with various brands and designs - aluminum channels in receiver inletting, etc. But I do notice that the rifle that you show is a Rem 788.

That front action screw hole on a Rem 788 is 1/4" NF thread - so 1/4" x 28 tpi - you should be able to buy 3" or 4" long at your local hardware store. There will be a different threads per inch on Mauser or Enfield rifles - even on Winchesters, I think. Cut off the bolt head with hack saw and polish cut edges - makes a reasonable "headless bedding screw" for that action. Then wrap layers of tape around that shank - I use that aluminum foil tape like is used to seal heating ducts - so that you make it fat enough for a snug sliding fit into the front action hole in the stock. When doing the epoxy, that ensures that the front action screw is centered in that hole - not touching the walls of the hole in the stock. When done, the real action screw will be "in air" when it is snugging down the receiver. The rear action screw is different size - #12, I think - maybe you get lucky at store where you are and find one to use there as well. I have wrecked more than one action screw by using them to do epoxy bedding, so I prefer not to use them, these days.
 
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Thanks for your advice, the recoil did have 2 layers of masking tape on all side but the rear with release agent coating after. Tape did remain in stock and was easily removed with a pick. I think it’s just residue from the masking tape you see in the photo. Also had a few wraps of masking tape around the barrel to center it. Maybe I could have used some more.
The front action screw you build acts as a centring dowel while placing in stock and then you take it out to install the action screw? If you cut the head off?
Thanks
 
I've had good success using Penaten cream. Good old diaper rash cream. Haven't had one stick yet!
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Simpson302 said:
Thanks for your advice, the recoil did have 2 layers of masking tape on all side but the rear with release agent coating after. Tape did remain in stock and was easily removed with a pick. I think it’s just residue from the masking tape you see in the photo. Also had a few wraps of masking tape around the barrel to center it. Maybe I could have used some more.
The front action screw you build acts as a centring dowel while placing in stock and then you take it out to install the action screw? If you cut the head off?
Thanks
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"centering dowel" - I suspect that is what it does. I have sets of headless bedding screws for Mauser, Enfield and Winchester from Brownells - because not finding those threads locally. But for 788, I could find the 1/4" x 28 tpi. I know I "cheat" - on at least two of them, I drilled out and tapped the rear action hole for the same 1/4" x 28 tpi, then made my own rear action screw on lathe - cut the slot with a hacksaw. That gives me two headless screws to slide into the holes in stock - on Mauser is mainly the rear one to slide centered into the stock ferrule back there - so far as I can tell, helps to keep everything straight and square - so long as the wrapped bedding screws slide in snuggly - no wiggle. Do not forget to put release agent into receiver action screw holes - the stuff can even crawl up in there. I do not have the bottom metal on the stock when bedding the barrelled receiver - just relying on the bedding screws to hold the receiver in correct location. Because I have the correct taps, I tend to "chase" the action screw holes in the receiver after epoxy bedding - to clean out whatever epoxy oozed up in there.
 
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Simpson302 - I may not have answered the question that you asked - the headless bedding screws are very long - stick out at least an inch (2.5 cm) below the bottom of stock. On several, I use channel locks or pliers to turn those bedding screws out - towards the bottom - before I try to lift off the barrel action. Maybe old school - but I always try to give half turn out, then back in about every two hours that epoxy is setting up - so that those screws do not get epoxied stuck in there.
 
Is perhaps like reloading process, new rings, new scope - really need to prove to your self that you improved the thing or not - and in a statistically significant way - not just "luck" - so, perhaps 100 yard targets - fire 4 times 5 shot groups. Do your change - reloading process, scope, rings, epoxy bedding - now back again and 4 more 5 shot groups - did average get better or worse, or could you tell? A single three round group is not telling you much valid information - is likely as much "chance", as anything else. Also, goes for "free floating" a barrel in a stock made with a pressure tip - unless you know what results that you got before, do not know if it was improvement after your change.
 
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I am a bit gobsmacked that so many seem to refuse to use proper release agents. Bit like preferring to use sunflower oil instead of engine oil in your car. Then of course due to lousy release properties of some home remedies one has to revert to taping reoil lugs etc making the whole bedding process useless. Why bed if the recoil lug bounces around in an oversized hole afterwards?
Anyway, another point would be to prepare the surface of the action well, clean well so that the release agents work properly. PVA was mentioned earlier, works great especially in conjunction with the right release wax underneath however never ever use PVA in zero release angle applications. Upon demoulding it starts crumpling and wedging the gap. Perfect for flat surfaces.
This is just one of many companies selling release agents that are proven to work. I am sure you have similar companies in Canada/USA. https://shop1.r-g.de/en/list/Release-agents--Solvents
Some release agents that are made for paint on/spray on with solvents really need to be shaken up before use otherwise one just wipes on a solvent /no wax.
edi
 
Potashminer said:
I am in similar situation - was looking for "Johnson's paste wax" - used to be really common for hardwood floors - could not find any - so ended up with a tub of "Trewax Clear Paste Wax" - works fine. I suspect pushing 7 or 8 years old, now. I use a small artist's paint brush - perhaps 1/4" (6 mm) wide - to apply it. Since I use it for other things, almost always have liter jugs of Acetone here - saturate a paper towel, to wipe off the wax when done.
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Simonize past wax; automotive section, but actually a floor wax.
 
EJG said:
I am a bit gobsmacked that so many seem to refuse to use proper release agents. Bit like preferring to use sunflower oil instead of engine oil in your car. Then of course due to lousy release properties of some home remedies one has to revert to taping reoil lugs etc making the whole bedding process useless. Why bed if the recoil lug bounces around in an oversized hole afterwards?
Anyway, another point would be to prepare the surface of the action well, clean well so that the release agents work properly. PVA was mentioned earlier, works great especially in conjunction with the right release wax underneath however never ever use PVA in zero release angle applications. Upon demoulding it starts crumpling and wedging the gap. Perfect for flat surfaces.
This is just one of many companies selling release agents that are proven to work. I am sure you have similar companies in Canada/USA. https://shop1.r-g.de/en/list/Release-agents--Solvents
Some release agents that are made for paint on/spray on with solvents really need to be shaken up before use otherwise one just wipes on a solvent /no wax.
edi
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You've got the taping of recoil lugs all wrong. You don't tape the back side of the lug, the part that actually pushes on the bedding upon firing. You tape the sides and front so that the non-critical sides of the lug are not contacting the bedding to allow easier installation and removal of the stock.

As for why not use proper release agents? Well, the OP used a proper release agent and look how that turned out for him. Sometimes a cheap alternative is actually the better option.
 
Suther said:
You've got the taping of recoil lugs all wrong. You don't tape the back side of the lug, the part that actually pushes on the bedding upon firing. You tape the sides and front so that the non-critical sides of the lug are not contacting the bedding to allow easier installation and removal of the stock.

As for why not use proper release agents? Well, the OP used a proper release agent and look how that turned out for him. Sometimes a cheap alternative is actually the better option.
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The issue with taping three sides is that the recoil lug is not defined in position, exactly what one wanted to avoid with the bedding stage. Once again one is trying to rely on friction induced by clamping force of the action screws just as it was before bedding... why bed then? I call the method BS. What advantage has "not bedding the action" actually have?
edi
 
ELG - not saying that you are mistaken, but I have read multiple explanations about "bedding" - some writers do not apparently even understand that "bedding" used to be done simply by the hard fit when inletting the wood - maybe not so economical to do in modern production. But, I settled on the idea that point of it is the "return to battery" thing - receiver, barrel, etc. is back subject to identical forces and strains for this shot as it was for the last shot. Remove a barrelled receiver with snug fitting recoil lug - then scrap a bit off on re-assembly - the scraped curl or squashed insect now sitting below the recoil lug - is not the same as before. I think is where the game about "glue in" occurred in bench rest rifles - may or may not have anything to do with a hunting rifle - but I have seen rifles where the receiver is permanently epoxy glued to the stock - stock to be removed with a hatchet, I guess - an acquaintance viewed them as "throw away" - when barrel accuracy went away, entire rifle would be replaced. I have also seen bench rest rifles with the barrel glued solidly to the stock - the receiver was not touching the wood stock at all - another thought about how to get smaller groups on a target. Again, not so sure that is a desirable idea for rigours imposed on a hunting rifle.

My own thought is that purpose of recoil lug is to transfer the energy of recoil pulse from metal part to the stock - is not really a function of positioning the receiver within the stock - that is what the flats, side curves, etc. are for - along with the action screws.
 
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