Why Proper Bedding is Important?

As always, JerryT (MysticPlayer) is the man! I'm sure all sorts of newbies on this forum will learn a pile from you! Great videos and super pics! Thanks! :D

Cheers,
Barney
 
I have a MDT TAC21 with a rem SA 700 action any tips on bedding this set-up! Definitely needs it I see the rub marks and the inconsistency with groupings. So any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

The design of the MDT chassis negates the ability to bed it in the conventional sense. The only option is to glue it into the chassis.

Here a high strength epoxy is ideal. Some have used various forms of loctite for SR BR rifles. This is a near permanent set up so be sure you want to do this.

The MDT is a tactical stock and the ability to change parts easily is the goal. It also works very nicely as an accuracy stock BUT that is not its main goal.

For what it was designed for, it works well.

But a bit of glue will help...

Jerry
 
On a Rem 700 as long as it riding on the tang, barrel not touching the barrel channel,( free floating) and the action port looks straight with stock it should be good. Aswell as being level left to right and the action screws not touching the stock or bedding it should be a good bedding job.
Are pillars really only needed for stocks that may crush? I can't personally see a Mcmillan stock crushing with 2.5 to 5 ft/lbs of torque
 
On a Rem 700 as long as it riding on the tang, barrel not touching the barrel channel,( free floating) and the action port looks straight with stock it should be good. Aswell as being level left to right and the action screws not touching the stock or bedding it should be a good bedding job.
Are pillars really only needed for stocks that may crush? I can't personally see a Mcmillan stock crushing with 2.5 to 5 ft/lbs of torque

I've got a remington barreled action and mcmillan stock sitting together waiting for poured devcon pillars to cure. That stock was compressing with less than 40 in/lbs of torque.
 
On a Rem 700 as long as it riding on the tang, barrel not touching the barrel channel,( free floating) and the action port looks straight with stock it should be good. Aswell as being level left to right and the action screws not touching the stock or bedding it should be a good bedding job.
Are pillars really only needed for stocks that may crush? I can't personally see a Mcmillan stock crushing with 2.5 to 5 ft/lbs of torque

There are many thoughts on this and I don't have anything definitive.

If shooting a rifle alot, something with decent recoil or needing to take apart a rifle all the time, pillars will never hurt.

Need them for sure..... YMMV.

For me, I let the front and sometimes the rear bolt "thread" into the bedding compound that might ooze into the stock hole. Never found a problem and I feel offers some benefits.

Jerry
 


Wow. That looks pretty good.

pillar18.png
 
Wow. That looks pretty good.

pillar18.png

Beautiful work and their site shows huge efforts and thought put to this process.

But consider that ALL metal impregnated epoxies are NOT structural. They are not designed to be load bearing nor to be used in overly thick layers. See instructions with each type to see limits.

they work fantastic in compression (the metal really helps here) but NOT in Shear (there is nothing supporting the same metal).

So although the end product looks very pretty, removing material from the stock may be counter productive.

Remember that Fiberglass or carbon fibre? There is a reason why its there.

Epoxy is brittle on its own. The metal can actually reduce its strength.

Even hardwood is a better structural material then bedding compound so removing a bunch of it actually will weaken the bedding.

The only benefit is in the typical foam filled composite stock. here the epoxy is a better structural product then the foam but should be aided by the pillars.

the odds of this happening is slim but the pillars are installed TALL to the stock and sealed using epoxy.

If the bedding should start to sag or bend or crack, the tops of these pillars are now unsupported and can bend.

There are many old world type gunsmiths that would cringe at the use of this much bedding compound - essentially making a cured liquid the actual bedding.

I concur and much prefer to only need a very thin layer to fill the voids and gaps. The fact that so many modern stocks have generous inletting notwithstanding.

YMMV.

Jerry
 
Jerry,

what bedding compound do you use?
I agrree with Jerry, pretty and computer generated pictures is not always better..I am sure that bedding job doesn't cost $100..
 
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I did testing for a rifle manufacturer using H-S stocks. They had to be bedded for reasons mentioned and yes, my H-S stocked rifle shot smaller groups after bedding with Marine Tex.

Regards,

Peter
 
Beautiful work and their site shows huge efforts and thought put to this process.

But consider that ALL metal impregnated epoxies are NOT structural. They are not designed to be load bearing nor to be used in overly thick layers. See instructions with each type to see limits.

they work fantastic in compression (the metal really helps here) but NOT in Shear (there is nothing supporting the same metal).

So although the end product looks very pretty, removing material from the stock may be counter productive.

Remember that Fiberglass or carbon fibre? There is a reason why its there.

Epoxy is brittle on its own. The metal can actually reduce its strength.

Even hardwood is a better structural material then bedding compound so removing a bunch of it actually will weaken the bedding.

Steel reinforced putty such as DEVCON has greater structural properties than common hardwoods (with the exception of Flexural modulus). I included basic plywood in the table but have yet to find the info for laminated birch. 6061-T6 alloy is also listed for reference. Although steel reinforced putty is not considered to be structural, bear in mind that is has greater shear and compressive strength than any wood available for stock making, I wouldn't not be shy on putty or wood removal to make shure I get a nice bedding area. For aluminum it's another story.

matlprop.png
 
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