Man...I am bummed (lost a good stock)

DougH9 · #1 07-01-2006, 11:07 PM

I bedded my new rifle today (a mid 70's 40x in 30-338), and it stuck. I used Brownells steel bed, with the watery release agent supplied (two coats applied with a fine brush). the reciever was well clayed...the bedding stuck to ALL surfaces. I am going to have to soak the barreled action in paint stripper to remove the bedding and shards of adhearing wood (yea...it stuck THAT good). I don't know what went wrong. I recently bedded a Model 70 with the same kit, using the same release agent, and it came out fine.

What makes it worse, is that I had just spent MANY hours reshaping the blocky fore end to perfection. I was very happy with how the stock came out. Now it's fire wood.

I don't think I can ever use that release agent again.

B Jordan · #2 07-01-2006, 11:36 PM

try putting it in the freezer for a few hours

Buffalobob · #3 07-02-2006, 07:31 AM

You have my sympathy and empathy. All I did was get goo in the threads of the action screw and have to grind off the head of the screw and replace it.

Shawn Carlock · #4 07-02-2006, 08:44 AM

Doug,

I never have like most release products that come with bedding compounds. I have used Johnsons paste floor wax and never stuck a stock using several bedding compounds. I also never use the action screws. I use line up dowels and clamp the action in place. I remove the action dowels before trying to remove the barreled action from the stock. If you have prepped the action correctly you can usually pop it loose with your hand. I feel your pain on you current project but keep your chin up and try to salvage victory from the jaws of defeat.

DougH9 · #5 07-02-2006, 09:27 AM

Thank you guys. The stock is already toast. I have bedded MANY rifles (wait...that doesn't sound right?), and never had this problem. I put long studs on the action, lower it into the bedding, pull out the studs, then install the action screws (into clean holes). This has always worked well.

The problem here was not any mechanical lock. The entire reciever bonded. Is was as if I scrubbed it in Prep-Sol before dropping into the goop. I just don't understand how the release failed.

One thing comes to mind: I usually snug the screws, then back off a little to not stress the action. I did this this time, but when the bedding was nearly set, I snugged them up a little more (I don't know why). I am theorizing that the granular nature of Steel Bed might have penetrated the release at this point.

It was such a beautiful stock to. I could not wait to start applying finish to it.

I have found a .22 rimfire 40x stock for sale; does anybody know if it is the same as a ceterfire stock?

malcarjeb · #6 07-02-2006, 10:32 AM

The first time i tried bedding myself i was scared to death that I would also weld my action and stock together. I read some where about using Pam with olive oil so i got some and tried it. I do all my bedding with devcon plastic steel. This combination has worked great on the 20+ stocks i have done. I usually spray 2 coats of pam on the action and let the excess drip off and i also spray the action screws. From what i understand the pam has to have the OLIVE OIL I feel your pain and maybe this will help.

Desert Fox · #7 07-02-2006, 10:39 AM

Man, I feel your pain. I cracked the forward section on my 40X stock forward of the bolt recess when I bedded it using the same release agent supplied by Brownell on their bedding kit. I'm not sure what I did wrong. Luckily that was the only secion that adhered and I was able to salvaged the stock. I now use shoe polish on all my bedding job and I haven't had any prolem ever since.