Bedding rifle stock

[Kmccord]

I have a question for all the people who bed rifle stocks, if you purchase a stock that has been pillar bedded, what do you do to fully bed the action? Do you just "skim bed" or do you mill out part of the stock the action body would rest on and fill in the rest with bedding compound? Curious to hear how people with experience bed there actions in a stock.

 

[Tac-O]

I have a question for all the people who bed rifle stocks, if you purchase a stock that has been pillar bedded, what do you do to fully bed the action? Do you just "skim bed" or do you mill out part of the stock the action body would rest on and fill in the rest with bedding compound? Curious to hear how people with experience bed there actions in a stock.

I would remove material in the stock bed everywhere but the pillars and put very little compound within X perimeter of the pillars to decrease the chance of getting compound between the pillar and action when setting in. I'd tighten the action into the stock when bedding with the action screws fairly tightly so that any layer of compound between the pillar and action is super thin. Then I'd remove the screws and just tightly wrap it with electrical tape all along the action to cure.

I'd feel pretty good about that procedure.

Alternatively, drill out the pillars and put in new ones at the same time you bed it.

 

[Kmccord]

I often wonder how much would you remove .010, .020, .030, .050 of the stock to have that much thickness. I have not heard how much or how thick the compound should be to have a strong bedding to last the life of the rifle.

 

[Bob Wright]

I accidently discovered Acraglas from Brownell's can be completely dissolved with spray carb cleaner, lol.
But, if you have the same action going in, I don't think removing all of the epoxy to bare stock is completely necessary.
The "if" is, the pillars show a hard contact with the receiver (good) but the mortise for the lug and any material in front of the lug (barrel shank) I would remove and do over. Even sanding out along the stock to the rear tang area, which could be a wipe coat of epoxy.
You'll know if you did it right if you have good coverage with the new bedding. Roughing up all surfaces is key for adhesion of the new stuff.
I say .005 minimum, without hitting the pillars with almost full removal in shank/mortise.

 

[Jud96]

Rough up the entire action inlet with a dremel and carve grooves and holes in the action inlet with the dremel. Then check to make sure there's an even gap around the action. If there is then bed it, if there's not, then sand the inlet until it's even.

 

[Kmccord]

Rough up the entire action inlet with a dremel and carve grooves and holes in the action inlet with the dremel. Then check to make sure there's an even gap around the action. If there is then bed it, if there's not, then sand the inlet until it's even.

Do you measure to find out how much you are removing?

 

[Bob Wright]

Do you measure to find out how much you are removing?

Not really.

 

[JD284win]

Inlet around the pillars. You will use the pillar to set the hight of the action. I like atleast an 1/8 inch of bedding material. I use Marintex. Devcon is too thick and accuglass is just cheap junk. Every rifle builder I know or have met uses Marintex.

 

[Kmccord]

I have heard of a lot of people using Marine Tex over all the others.

 

[JD284win]

I have heard of a lot of people using Marine Tex over all the others.

I shouldn't be so hard on accuglass. I've rebeded several rifles done with accuglass and all of them either chipped or cracked in the recoil lug area.

We got real wild and shot an 8lb 300win mag that was bedded with marintex and only finger snugged the screws. Sighted it in and shot a .3 5 shot group at 100. 12 shots in total. Tighten up the screws and zero never changed. Good bedding is pricless!

 

[Lone Hunter]

Nothing wrong with Devcon 11010 except the price.

 

[JD284win]

Nothing wrong with Devcon 11010 except the price.

Its good stuff once it sets. I've never gotten it to flow and form like marintex. It seems much thicker when applying.

 

[Jud96]

I don't measure the gaps, I just look down the side of the stock to make sure the inlet looks square and doesn't have any "waves" in it. Most of the time you don't need to do any extra inletting. I use Devcon 10110. I've used Marine Tex in the past and found it was more prone to get voids and air bubbles with so I went back to Devcon.

 

[L.Sherm]

Marinetex or Deacon 1010, the best way to get a crappy bed job and put stress in it is tighten the action screws down.
As Judd said rough the inletting up and I use a Dremel to bore some little tiny holes in the inlet of the stock
to strengthen up the bedding.
Use tape around the barrel just before it leaves the stock to center up the barrel in the barrel channel and studs in the action screw holes to center in the pillars, you dont want your action screws touching the pillars.
Put release on everything