Rifle bedding question...didn't go quite as planned.

DasJager

DasJager

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So I just went for it and attempted to bed my first action recently - a worked over Remington 700 in a Boyds Varmint Pro, using Miles Gilbert Bedrock. Between my first time attempting to install pillars and bedding it, it didn't go horridly, but my craft definitely needs refining. The recoil lug area and rear tang looks pretty good, but the sides and bottom area rear of the recoil lug has quite a few small air bubbles and viods. What's my best next step forward? Try bedding it again as is, or should I try sanding the rough areas down a bit first? Or something completely different? Any suggestions from people who have this down to a science would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
The sides and bottom of the recoil shouldn't be touching the bedding anyways. Most people will put a couple of layers of masking tape on the sides, bottom and front of the lug before bedding so there is a little clearance after the bedding is done.
 
I think you misread my post. Sides and bottom of the action area, REAR of the recoil lug. I did tape off sides, bottom and front face of recoil lug.
 
This is my first bedding job, I was so scared of the action sticking into the chassis that I put way to much shoe polish and ended up with an uneven finish.
all the low spots were filled with polished lol... :HR: at least I know for next time. and to top it off the riffle groups the exact same. so it was all a big waste of time and money...

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DasJager
You need to open up the air pockets and lightly grind all the surface of the bedding compound. This surface has release agent on it and that needs to be physically removed... and clearance needs to be made everywhere so the next bedding compound will flow. You will need to place lots of material in the pockets and at the bottom of the bedding so it flows upwards as the metal is placed and allows air to escape.

The good news is bedding does not have to look perfect to make it shoot well. A perfect looking job does not necessarily shoot any better than one that appears to have flaws. If the bedding cured without any induced stress and the back of the recoil lug is in good contact it will probably work quite well.
The bad news is a poorly executed bedding job can shoot worse no matter how good it looks.

Perfect looking jobs expertly done as Ian has posted pictures of - are not easy to do when you first start...
 
What Guntech said plus: I assume this is a repeater so what I do is start at the bottom and work up. Cut your pillars to the correct length and assemble it all without the stock and check that it feeds okay. Next assemble with the stock and see that the stock floats slightly up and down on the pillars, check heights are okay. I make my own pillars and drill only a .25 hole to be opened later, if your pillars have bigger holes then wrap your studs with tape so they will centre in the holes. Usually working upside down I epoxy in the pillars and screw it all together. Turn it right side up and be sure the barrel is centred etc. Nothing should be forced or stressed at this point. Bedding jigs adjust how deep it goes into the stock. When cured take it apart and clean up and bed the action using studs not action screws. I put a clamp on the rear screw of the action and let gravity look after the front.
 
Some really good tips here, thanks guys. Like I said, the recoil lug area looks really clean and full, which is what I was most concerned about. I cut away some material rear of the recoil lug to make more room for compound and I think that really helped. I was torn on weather to bed the pillars and then the action or both at once...I did both at once. I'll try again and see how it looks. The mixing instructions are very vague with this kit, which doesn't help. I wanted to use MarineTex or Devcon but sourcing either on the east coast is pretty hard.
 
In my opinion attention to detail is what makes for a great rifle. Any marine store should have Marine-Tex, there should be some of those on the right side of the country.
 
Ian, you'd think that, wouldn't you? Either no one knows what product they have or it's just not a popular brand in that industry.
 
I didn't think they'd ship it across the border honestly. They're super hit and miss with chemicals and that stuff. Good to know, though.
 
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