Hey ... looky what I found! I think I wrote this ... maybe 15-years ago or more? So please be kind if there are newer methods or tips! Alas, we lost all of the pictures.
Stock Bedding 101 by: Lefty223
Disclaimer:
The information contained on this website and that posted on the forum is based on the experience of the author (s) and is only being provided to show their method used to achieve the desired results. What you do with this information is your choice and your responsibility. Persons choosing to use this information do so at their own accord and risk, and thus assume any and all responsibility for any damage, injury or death as a result.
Tools & Supplies:
Epoxy Marine-tex or Pro-Bed 2000 ($18 @
www.scorehi.com). Pro-Bed is awesome stuff; has micro-balloons at the microscopic level, which means it won't compress and is incredibly stable stays where you put it. Available in black or brown, it comes complete with instructions, wax release agent, brush applicators for wax, and epoxy mixing sticks.
Release Agent – I use Pam cooking spray with olive oil. Others swear by Johnsons paste wax; two coats. I prefer the spray as you can really coat the nooks and crannies.
Stock Bolts – Run to your local auto hardware store and get two 3 long x 28 threads-per-inch bolts. You will use these to center the action onto the pillars/bolt holes.
Masking Tape – Blue 3M brand preferred - leaves no residue and doesn't dry out.
Misc. Items – Metal cleaner/degreaser, Exacto knife or razor blade, chisel, rasp, screwdrivers, and Allen wrenches. Surgical tubing or good quality electrical tape to secure action in stock while drying. You will need a rasp or small chisel and a drill to remove wood/plastic where the action will sit. A Dremel tool is handy for working around the pillars if you have one.
Optional But highly recommended! A rifle rest is preferred; if you were to bed the rifle and leave it lying sideways on a table, its own weight would shift the action to one side. Remember, the objective of bedding is to eliminate stresses in the action-to-stock fit.
Definitions:
Mechanical Lock - You have to be careful to prevent any hole or feature from 'locking' the pieces together. If you had a small hole or recess (negative feature) in the action, but need to bed in that area, fill the hole with wax or modeling clay, then apply release agent over it.
The standard Savage 110-type action is pretty easy to bed because it is tubular. Some rifle actions have knobs or screws that protrude from the sides (positive features) these can create a mechanical lock too.
Procedure:
1. Prep the action:
Before removing it from the stock, remove the scope. Yes, a pain to sight-in later, but you'll protect your investment. Remove bolt. With the action still in the stock, wipe down action with cleaner/degreaser; I prefer Roson lighter fluid (naphtha). Place a reference strip of tape down action sides just above the stock line.
2. Savage rifle tang check:
Before you remove the action from stock, check the tang area. Unlike other rifles that have a stock bolt into the rear tang, the Savage rifle needs 0.010 to 0.030" clearance all the way around. With wood stocks I try for the closer tolerance. If you get interference before you bed, you may want to relieve a bit now, or at least be prepared to check this area once you apply the epoxy. You do have some working time.
3. Remove action:
Remove action from stock and remove trigger assembly. If you have never taken one apart, they can use 3 hands to reassemble them for the 1st-timer. Please make notes and/or sketches of what goes where before you take it apart.
Now you can clean the area of the action that was in the stock, using your tapeline as a reference. Place tape at that point and above only this is to prevent epoxy run-off that will seep out when bedding from getting on anything; specifically those areas you may not have applied release agent to.
4. Prep the stock:
Two things to do (a) Remove material where the action sits so that you get a nice even bed of epoxy and (b) Tape off areas on the stock, inside and out.
Wood Stock: Wherever the rifle will be bedded, remove wood. Using the pillars as a guide, I removed about 1/16 or less of wood, using a combination of sharp knives, chisels, rasps, and/or a Dremel tool.
Synthetic Stock: These are more difficult to bed, or at least prep. The material is a [beeep] to remove (Dremel tool a must) and you need mechanical locks to hold the epoxy bedding in place once bedded. Use exacto knifes and rough sandpaper to really make the bedding surface fuzzy; remove all shine.
NOTE: Some have had good luck merely doing a skim coat of bedding between the action and bedding surfaces without removing any material. I'm not sure this will last over the lifetime of the rifle but so far they're very happy with their results!!
Above shows an after picture of a bedded 12 BVSS-S. Where the light blue dots are I drilled into the wood so epoxy would flow into these holes to really add support to the epoxy bed. These are a must in my opinion for synthetic stocks.
If you look carefully at the stock Savage pillar you can see bright marks where I got full contact between the pillar and action after bedding it. (I put black marker on there beforehand).
This sketch on the right shows the Savage action using the internal magazine. Where you see blue are the only places where you can bed. Also note that the rear surface of the recoil lug is also bedded into the epoxy. Again, stay away from the tang area, you need clearance there it floats above the stock, unlike other rifle actions.
On some rifles people bed the 1st two inches of the barrel forward of the lug. I take the try it without method first and have never had to bed that area, which is tough anyway on the Savage with the barrel nut that has slots on it for the action wrench. If you do bed that area, any recess on the nut in epoxy MUST be filled with clay or wax. On a switch-barrel rifle, I'd forget about it.
When bedding a Savage rifle with pillars, check to make sure you have adequate clearance in the tang area now. Once settled in the epoxy and onto the pillars, this dimension won't change. When bedding a Savage rifle without pillars, you need to take more care on prepping the bedding area and checking the tang. The bedded area needs to be roughed out parallel to the action. I would go for clearance to the tang on the min side if no pillars are in the stock. It's far easier to remove than 'add' wood!!
5. Prep the action:
Using the tapeline we first established as the action sat in the stock (before we took it apart), I apply at least one width of tape at the stock line to the entire action. Epoxy will weep out the sides between the stock and action and you want both surfaces there to be taped to protect your rifle.
If there is any hole or feature on the action (other than stock-bolt hole) that needs to be protected so epoxy doesn't flow into it, use either modeling clay or melted candle wax to fill it in. Make sure you avoid creating mechanical locks; you want to get it apart again!
Apply at least 2 layers of tape to all surfaces of the recoil lug, except the rear surface. I use an Exacto knife to trim the tape neatly. I did these pictures after the bedding job you want yours to be neater. Apply 2 layers tape out on the barrel bottom too.
6. Stock bolts:
Two methods here. Cut off hex-head and insert into action before putting action into the wet epoxy bed or inserting them into the action afterwards. I used to do the former, but had success trying it the other way.
For your first time, I would probably cut the head off and screw it into the action. The tape on the bolt body keeps the bolt centered in pillar/stockbolt-hole while the epoxy sets. When done, you do not want the bolts to bear against the stock during recoil; that is solely the function of the recoil lug. I highly recommend you attempt a few dry runs (no release agent or epoxy) with bolts in the action trying to fit them into the stock, as it will be a moderate challenge when the stock bed is filled with epoxy.
I'll give you my reasoning for leaving the heads on the bolts and inserting into the action after the action was set into the stock and epoxy bed. When bolts are already in action (with heads cut-off) you can't help but push epoxy down the stock-bolt holes, where the clearance is tight enough already with the tape on the bolt body.
I feel that placing the bolt into the action after the action was placed is less disturbing to the epoxy 'bed'. Yes, epoxy will get onto/into the action bolt holes, so make sure that the threads on the bolt are well sprayed/prepped with release agent and that the action is too, even inside (that's why I use Pam spray). When I did it this way, once I put the bolts in, I turned them every half an hour or so for the first few hours drying and then checked them periodically. That way they never set into the epoxy. When done, there was a small ball or plug of epoxy on the ends of the bolt in the action, but where the action was sprayed with Pam cooking spray inside and out, it had nowhere to stick.
Just be comfortable with whichever manner you use. And I highly recommend you do one or two dry runs. With action and stock taped (but not sprayed or coated with release agent) run through the process of placing the action to-be-bedded into the stock. Look for mechanical locks (you don't want any) or places where the tape could be better done. Another tip get some kids Play-Dough (thinner and more pliable than modeling clay, usually) and put it in the surface to be bedded to give you an idea of just how much epoxy you need to put in there. Any surface you do this to needs to be roughed up again though or at least wiped with acetone, as these materials have a solvent (??) or base that could interfere with the epoxy.
Bottom line: You want the epoxy to really stick where you want it and to not stick where you don't. Let's look at a few more pics before we place the action into the wet stock.
The picture on the left is my completed 12 BVSS-S bed. You see a few holes in the epoxy, one behind the forward bolt hole and the other midway between the two bolt holes. These were probably area where I was a touch thin on epoxy. That's not anything to worry about at all. In the other picture you can see how tight that area is around the rear bolt to both prep and tape off.
NOTE: You must apply tape & release agent around the magazine well on repeater actions.
7. Release Agent and Bedding:
Check again to make sure you have everything covered and please do a few dry runs (without epoxy or release agent) to make sure your fit or prep work is sound.
Using Pro-Bed 2000, I prefer to use Pam cooking spray with olive oil as a release agent. It is so simple and effective to use! Others use Johnsons paste wax, at least two coats, and Pro-Bed comes with a wax release agent in it. I have never tried wax yet as I grew up on the cooking spray method.
Remember, you only want to spray/wax the action and stock bolts. DO NOT apply or spray or apply any release agent into the stock. Spray/wax the exposed metal on the action where it will bed into the epoxy as well the tapelines around the action where it sits above the sides of the stock. Handle the action carefully when using the spray as it could lift the tape if not handled with care. Put action aside and spray the bolts. Give the action underside another thin spray immediately before placing into the epoxy.
8. Epoxy Bedding:
Mix the epoxy of your choice and apply only into those areas where the action sits. Action with magazine (by two stock-bolt holes and recoil lug area), single-shot version: (full action bottom in the stock and recoil lug area). Make sure you have enough epoxy in the extreme bottom of the stock and in the recoil lug area. If it thins out anywhere else, that's usually OK. You do not want to be thin in coverage at the recoil lug. This is where it all happens. Any excess should weep towards the muzzle, that's why you also taped the bottom surface of the barrel forward of the barrel nut (which should be taped for 3-4) with at least two layers.
Ready to go?? Good!! Insert action as carefully as you can into the wet epoxy. Using electrical tape because it stretches or silicone tubing, bind the action into the stock as tight as you can. Using a gun rest will help when drying, if you were to simply place it on its side, the weight of the barrel will pull to that side and your purpose of bedding will be destroyed in an instant.
Use this time to wipe of any excess epoxy that seeped out of the action/stock juncture. Let it dry according to the epoxy instructions or at least > 24 hours. If you inserted the stock-bolts into the action after the action was placed into the wet epoxy, make sure you give these a few turns in and out as it dries, when you leave it, make sure bolt is turned in all the way it can go.
9. Getting the action apart:
Go slowly, you will need a plastic/wood/rawhide mallet to knock the assembled pieces before you can get them apart. You can rap on the stock bolts a bit (don't use enough force to damage the threads), and then remove the stock bolts. I know one friend who had to put a brass drift up the forward bolt hole to help knock apart the action. Someone on the forum once had to place an entire bedded rifle into a chest freezer so the metal would shrink a bit in order to get it apart. I also use the palm of my hand and strike the sides of the stock hard in order to help break the bond.
Even though we used release agent, you have a perfect 1-for-1 impression in the epoxy, so the fit is exact. Please use patience and care go slowly and don't rush it or force it don't ruin all of your work now.
Clean-Up:
1. Clean:
Clean of all tape or wax and give the action a good cleaning. Make sure any and all epoxy is removed from the bolt or lug recesses you may have knocked a piece loose and who knows where it could go. Check everywhere!! Clean action and barrel.
2. Reassembly:
Reassemble your trigger and CHECK FOR SAFE & PROPER FUNCTION!! For the action bolts I use an inch-pound torque wrench that I got on eBay for $15, works slick. The recommended torque range for the wood stocks is 40 to 50 inch-pounds. I'd go for 40 if no pillars. I set mine at 45 in-lbs in the laminated stock with pillars and it seems perfect. I will try setting them @ 50 for groups later on. The setting for synthetic stocks approaches 65 in-lbs from everything I've read or heard about on the net. My synthetic stock was bedded before I got the torque wrench and its shooting great, so I won't fool with it for now. A new Wenig (
www.wenig.com) custom stock will soon be ordered for it, so Ill fool with it then.
3. Re-Check:
You just did work on your firearm, please check and re-check it for proper assembly and operation. Replace you scope and off you go!!
Disclaimer:
These instructions are only intended to assist the home firearms tinkerer or those familiar with firearms and general gunsmith tools and techniques to bed their own rifle. The author is NOT RESPONSIBLE for damage to you or others, your rifle, or equipment as a result of this document. It is YOUR responsibility to check everything before and after you start, and know YOUR limits, otherwise please consult a professional gunsmith. You have been informed!
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