Yet another DIY bedding question

[GuroChris]

I know a lot of guys on the forum like to use Devcon for bedding. My question is can anyone give me a quick comparison or Pros and cons between Devcon, Marine Tex and Acraglas Gel?

If it matters, I'm looking at bedding a Rem700 SA into a B&C medalist stock and also a Savage Mk II into a Boyds AT-One stock. Neither is particularly heavy recoiling so I don't see that the difference in tensile strength matters much but, being inexperienced at this I may be wrong.

 

[Bob Wright]

I would look to Marine tex or Devcon. I've used Accraglas many times but had batches of it that were unusable new in the box or short shelf life. It's also important to me to have something that has a working time that you don't have to rush the application time in case of minor hiccups where you need to remask, apply release somewhere you needed to etc...stuff happens.
"User friendly" is what I look for.
Professional smiths doing this day in, day out may disagree and need a fast set material. I'm not "that guy".

 

[GuroChris]

I definitely don't need fast set times either. I'm just curious if bedding these rifles will have any major effect on improving accuracy. They shoot fine now for my purposes but I'm thinking a lockdown project is in order and if it helps the accuracy of my 2 most used rifles even better.....beats painting the kitchen anyday

 

[Bob Wright]

I definitely don't need fast set times either. I'm just curious if bedding these rifles will have any major effect on improving accuracy. They shoot fine now for my purposes but I'm thinking a lockdown project is in order and if it helps the accuracy of my 2 most used rifles even better.....beats painting the kitchen anyday

It shouldn't degrade accuracy if done correctly. Have you any previous experience? Main thing is to not create "secondary recoil lugs" i.e., take down screws are binding in epoxy, mag wells not deburred/trimmed of overflow of epoxy and 100 other little places....plenty of how to videos online, articles etc....

 

[GuroChris]

I'm a factory trained armorer for Remington,HK, Bushmaster and several others. I've done lots of work on Dept. guns but there are limitations on what I was allowed to do so I've never bedded one. Now that I'm only working on my own stuff I decided its time to build some skills. I must have watched 10 hours of video about bedding in the last week or so. I think I have a good handle on the steps just want to use decent materials but man some of that stuff is PRICEY.

 

[tobnpr]

All of them are fine and work well.
In my experience, Marine-Tex is the most sensitive to correct mix ratio...which is why I use Devcon putty.
JB Weld isn't as "glamorous" I 'spose, and the least expensive of the lot- but I have (and will continue to use) in a pinch if I've run out of Devcon.

 

[Bob Wright]

I'm a factory trained armorer for Remington,HK, Bushmaster and several others. I've done lots of work on Dept. guns but there are limitations on what I was allowed to do so I've never bedded one. Now that I'm only working on my own stuff I decided its time to build some skills. I must have watched 10 hours of video about bedding in the last week or so. I think I have a good handle on the steps just want to use decent materials but man some of that stuff is PRICEY.

I think you have the right skill set to decide ahead of time what boo-boos to avoid when bedding. Have at it! Add pillars if not there. I prefer to do pillars first, then relieve all the other surfaces in the lug mortise and contact surfaces along the action/barrel and bed those second, including the bottom metal. That way I can maintain the original action height in the stock and center the barrel to channel alignment, 2nd. I tape my action screws to slip fit in the pillars to prevent a bind after bedding. Just my approach. Not the only way.....

 

[GuroChris]

Forgive my ignorance but, doesn't the aluminum block in the stock negate the need for pillars? Especially since the recoil lug recess with be getting all the slop taken out.

I'm not opposed to the idea. I'm not sure my tiny drill press has enough travel to drill the holes needed. I'm slowly upgrading tools in the shop but the new drill press is after I get a bandsaw since I haven't got one.

But back to the original question of the thread. Is there an advantage of one bedding compound vs. another. Does one swell or attract moisture or like Ive heard about acraglas does it delaminate over time...Looking for all the angles to consider before dropping 60 bucks or more on this stuff.

 

[Timeout]

All of them are fine and work well.
In my experience, Marine-Tex is the most sensitive to correct mix ratio...which is why I use Devcon putty.
JB Weld isn't as "glamorous" I 'spose, and the least expensive of the lot- but I have (and will continue to use) in a pinch if I've run out of Devcon.

Devcon or Marine Tex are my choice. Devcon is also fairly sensitive to mixing ratios. Ask me how I know. This is not one of those things where if a little hardener is good, more is better. Too much and the mixture will not harden. I weigh my Devcon mixture almost to the gram on an electronic powder scale. Works every time then.

 

[Bob Wright]

Pillars only if needed. Sounds like no...
Moisture effect, no.
Wipe coat in the action and mortise, yes.
Verify take down screws are centered, yes.
Free float barrel, or verify, yes.
Spend the money, yes, or work with a friend or 2 to reduce cost, even better.
If you do nice job, the cost is about 1/3 of having a shop do it.

 

[25WSM]

Been doing this for 30 yrs and probed 2000 is the easiest and best compound I have ever used. Richard's stocks had a good tutorial. I do it almost exactly the same as he did and it's been very successful. Score high also has adjustable pillers that work great as a system. You won't need them on a Bell and Carlson or HS Precision stock. Best release agent is clear shoe polish. Rub it on polish it off and action will pop right out easy.
Shep

 

[johnnyk]

GC,
I'm not a professional by any means but I do love to tinker, especially on my firearms. I kinda went through the same "gray area" you're in now. I did a ton of reading, research and looking at youtube videos. I almost bought the Marine Tex but like you stated, "It's pricey". Cheaper ways to glue my gun together, I thought!
I went with the Miles Gilbert Bedrock Glass Bedding Kit and have been very pleased with it. My first was a Savage 10 in a HS Precision stock (aluminum bedding block) and it turned out fantastic! Not as good looking as a Joel Russo stock but a lot cheaper and I did it. That gave me the confidence I needed to do another Savage 112 BVSS laminated wood stock with steel pillars. It too turned out great and the last rifle I did was a cheap, pawn shop find. A Marlin X7VH .223 Rem. in a "tupperware" stock with steel pillars. That was the toughest of all but it turned out sufficiently. I floated the barrel before getting started with the bedding job and the accuracy went from 1.5" to a consistent .5" or better, depending on the load/bullet.
The first two jobs were full contact; front and rear of the action and down both sides, while the last was just the front and back of the action. All from the same kit and I have a little left but not enough to do a barreled action.
Go for it.

 

[GuroChris]

Been doing this for 30 yrs and probed 2000 is the easiest and best compound I have ever used. Richard's stocks had a good tutorial. I do it almost exactly the same as he did and it's been very successful. Score high also has adjustable pillers that work great as a system. You won't need them on a Bell and Carlson or HS Precision stock. Best release agent is clear shoe polish. Rub it on polish it off and action will pop right out easy.
Shep

I did a quick search but came up empty. got a link for the tutorial you mentioned? Always like to defer to folks with more experience and know how.

 

[25WSM]

Came up as first link on my search.

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