bedding an aluminum bedding block

Bigeclipse

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 10, 2012
Messages
1,967
I have tried to find answers to this. I'm looking for the best way to further bed a stock that has a aluminum bedding block. I saw a youtube video where a gunsmith grinds the aluminum bedding block similar to how you would a wood stock. Should I do the same? All I have is a Dremel which may take time but I could do it. I'm simply just wanting to add some more stability to the rifle bedding. A bit more contact to the action. Should I only skim bed it? Will the bedding end up cracking. Not sure where to go with this. I'd really appreciate input from people who have done this before. I have never bedded a rifle before by the way so this will be my first.
 
Last edited:
I have "skim bedded" about 1/2 dozen stocks with aluminum bedding blocks. Just rough up the surface, clean it well with laquer thinner and bed it. I use Devcon and a mold release agent. You just a thin layer and make sure to clamp it. I made action screws to do that. There are lots of good videos out there to view too. It does make a difference!
 
The last one I did was using a few shims I pick up off of Ernie the Gunsmiths website. They are basically different thickness shims that space the action off of the bedding surface just enough to get an adequate about of bedding material between the two. If you use a good quality bedding material like Devcon, I don't think you'll have to worry about cracking even if you skim bed it.

I recently ordered a McMillan stock and their website stated that the generally leave a .035 gap between the action and pillars for bedding material. Others may recommend that the action touch the pilliars. Lots of different theories out there. There are some pretty smart guys on here that will probably give you better ideas than what I have put forward. But when I get my new stock I'm going off McMillans recommendations.
 
Go to Youtube and search configuring a factory rifle to shoot.

http://m.youtube.com/#/results?q=bedding+a+stock+by+gunwerks&sm=3

It is Gunwerks and they do just the lug area. I did this and the tang of a Sendero and it worked quite well. We used a dremel to remove/rough up a little surface area of the aluminum block.

Good luck
Shane

This seems very easy so I may give this a try first. Did you only bed the recoil lug or did you bed the entire front portion of the first action screw area?
 
The lug and the front pad area on the action screw. Also just a little in the tang area. Created a little "rise" that created the snug fit.
 
The lug and the front pad area on the action screw. Also just a little in the tang area. Created a little "rise" that created the snug fit.

I will be doing a savage so you actually float the tang. Do you think the 2oz will be enough to do the lug area and front pad?
 
I used the small one of Marine-tex. Had some to spare.

Mix up a little more than you think you need just in case.
 
Big, if you are bedding the barrel nut area fill the splines of the nut with modeling clay or the epoxy will lock the action to the stock. Also leave no area of the action untouched with Kiwi Neutral. The Savage actions I have bedded required more detail prep than any other make. Take your time, think about the task and have fun. Good luck
 
Big, if you are bedding the barrel nut area fill the splines of the nut with modeling clay or the epoxy will lock the action to the stock. Also leave no area of the action untouched with Kiwi Neutral. The Savage actions I have bedded required more detail prep than any other make. Take your time, think about the task and have fun. Good luck

I also have a remington 700 in a b&c stock I'm going to bed as well. I think with this one I will try roughing up the entire aluminum block and skim bedding it along with doing the recoil lug area. If it doesn't shoot well or hold up well I could grind it down and do a full bedding but my needs aren't high on this rifle...just seeking a bit better accuracy...currently about 1-1.2MOA with my reloads.
 
I've done Savages as well as most recently a Rem 700 in a B&C. Some notes -

On the Savage, I have the barrelled action touching the stock in two places. The first is at the barrel via tape wrapped around the barrel to center it in the stock, and the second is at the tang. Now, when I do this I have 3 layers of masking tape under the tang so that it will not touch when I'm done and I remove the tape. Each action screw hole has a headless bolt that I use to center it in the hole, usually with several layers of tape around the bolt so that it just fits nicely into the hole. I tend to make sure that the headless bolt for the front hole is very well centered, and let the rear one take up a bit of the slack. In other works, if I need a few less layers of tape to keep everything lined up, that's OK. Doing this I have gotten very good results.

On the Remington I also used the Accu-Risers from Ernie the Gunsmith:
Accu Risers = Consistant Rifle Accuracy
You have to take extra time to get the right amount in place, and then I used threaded 1/4-28 rod as the action screws, with washers and nuts in the floorplate area to hold it all in place. You MUST read Ernie's instructions about how to use them, and be sure you are not torquing the action at all. I had a very tiny amount of space between the barrel and the pressure pads in the forearm when I bedded this rifle, and it all turned out great. I'm on the wrong computer to show any photos of it, though. This is the first time I ever used anything to "hold" an action in place

I have never, ever strapped/clamped/taped/secured an action in place other than as noted above. The epoxy is thick enough that it's not needed even if you turn the rifle upside down - and I've tried this. All you will do is induce stress into your bedding job.

I usually shallow drill holes into the aluminum around where the action screw passes through the stock in order to have the epoxy stick. Yes, I have had it chip away if the epoxy is too thin. I do not sand it, rough it, scrape it, or Dremel it otherwise beforehand.

Kiwi neutral shoe polish is an excellent release agent.

When applying epoxy I have learned to put a thin layer of epoxy on both the stock and the action to avoid getting bubbles that show.

Q-tips and a TINY bit of WD-40 do a great job to clean up the epoxy around the action after you set it in the stock and the epoxy is fresh. I usually squirt a littel WD into a glass baby food jar and then daub the Q-tip into it, squeezing it out on the side of the jar to remove any excess WD before I then clean. Works great.

I tape the side of the action as well as the sides of the stock. It makes it a lot easier to clean, and you don't feel so bad if there is an "oops."

I hope that helps.

P.S. the Rem 700 is an older model that a friend is fixing up. We had it Cerakoted after removing the sights from the barrel and filling the holes. I have been trying several types of ammo in it this week for testing, and yesterday it shot 1.4 inches at 200 yards with cheap Federal 130 grain ammo. This rifle turned out very nice.
 
I've done Savages as well as most recently a Rem 700 in a B&C. Some notes -

On the Savage, I have the barrelled action touching the stock in two places. The first is at the barrel via tape wrapped around the barrel to center it in the stock, and the second is ou set it in the stock and the epoxy is fresh. I usually squirt a littel WD into a glass baby food jar and then daub the Q-tip into it, squeezing it out on the side

P.S. the Rem 700 is an older model that a friend is fixing up. We had it Cerakoted after removing the sights from the barrel and filling the holes. I have been trying several types of ammo in it this week for testing, and yesterday it shot 1.4 inches at 200 yards with cheap Federal 130 grain ammo. This rifle turned out very nice.

As of right now it looks my remington action rides on the sides of the rear aluminum block and not the bottom. When you use these risers how much space would you say you are creating between action and block where the devcon would fill? Have you ever tried skim bedding without the risers where the action would still touch the block and the devcon would fill in the little gaps?
 
As of right now it looks my remington action rides on the sides of the rear aluminum block and not the bottom. When you use these risers how much space would you say you are creating between action and block where the devcon would fill? Have you ever tried skim bedding without the risers where the action would still touch the block and the devcon would fill in the little gaps?
I'd first recommend looking at Ernie's pages, which also answer your questions.

I have done it on Remingtons without the risers, but they really do allow for some precision that you otherwise do not get. It also allows you to have metal all the way from the action through the stock. I made enough space to easily run a piece of paper between the stock and the action, and usually I use cash register receipts as test paper for fit. Of note, you will need to make enough space that the action doesn't touch and the barrel is floated. His page explains this too.

I have also used the risers on a Weatherby Vanguard with good results, though you have to shave the "back" side of the risers or grind a relief in the stock for them to fit the front action hole.
 
I'd first recommend looking at Ernie's pages, which also answer your questions.

I have done it on Remingtons without the risers, but they really do allow for some precision that you otherwise do not get. It also allows you to have metal all the way from the action through the stock. I made enough space to easily run a piece of paper between the stock and the action, and usually I use cash register receipts as test paper for fit. Of note, you will need to make enough space that the action doesn't touch and the barrel is floated. His page explains this too.

I have also used the risers on a Weatherby Vanguard with good results, though you have to shave the "back" side of the risers or grind a relief in the stock for them to fit the front action hole.

I ordered them and will give it a shot. When you may sure there is a receipt size gap...do you only put enough compound to cover each part of the bedded block where the action screws are or are you going along the entire length of the block basically bedding the whole action? It appears by the instructions you are bedding the entire action.

Also I already have devcon steel coming...the instructions say use devcon aluminum...does this matter? Will the steel version rust or something.
 
Warning! This thread is more than 10 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Recent Posts

Top