Bedding experience?

[Wildcat69]

Hi guys, I am preparing to do my first bedding job in a while and thought to ask what people experiences are? I have read enough about to have a decent idea and I am confident to tackle this stiky job, but what are your tips to get it just right?

[MJR]

Make sure you are in an enviroment where you will have no distractions. Get everything right before you start and make sure you have everything to hand. Good luck.

[Chris-NZ]

Be careful you have releasant -completely- covering all parts of the action that may meet the bedding compound. Some guys use plasticine or similar to fill holes and recesses that don't want compound getting trapped in but you can get away with tightly crunched up tissues paper pushed in with a punch. Put plenty of releasant on this though.

 

Don't clamp with any force down on the action once it's in place. This will only distort it somewhat and lead to stresses in the bedding once it's assembled. If you use 3/4" strips of car tube tied together and do four wraps under moderate stretch tension round the action and stock before tying it off, that's plenty. Don't get carried away with big clamps as you'll be over-doing it.

 

Preparation is everything - the action needs to sit perfectly without needing tension to keep it aligned in the correct spot -before- you do any mixing

 

Chris-NZ

[Foxshooter]

Try using insulation tape cut with a razor/scalpel blade to cover things like trigger and recoil lug. Wax furniture polish makes a very good release agent.

 

Mark

[Wildcat69]

For sure MJR, I shall lock myself in my man cave and turn my phone off.

 

What epoxy do you guys strongly recommend with working on a laminate stock? I know it's between Devcon and Marine Tex as I have read a on old topic in 2010 but since then has any of these epoxies shown any advantages or disadvantages?

 

How far do you bed, some say 1" to 1.5" past the recoil lugg and some say at the recoil lugg?

 

Also would it be better to do the bedding before or after the sanding polishing? I would say before... Would insulation tape for any reason be better then the strip of rubber inner tube?

[shaun]

Would insulation tape for any reason be better then the strip of rubber inner tube?

I've alway wondered what the gunsmiths use for holding the action into the stock whilst bedding???

[c18rch]

Delta adhesives equivalent of Devon for the epoxy:

 

http://www.delta-adhesives.co.uk/

 

Kiwi neutral shoe polish for the release agent.

 

Mix plenty, better to have too much than to have to mess around mixing more half way through a job. Plasticine to fill holes.

 

No need to clamp the action. Action screws are enough, or should be if done right.

[Chris-NZ]

I've alway wondered what the gunsmiths use for holding the action into the stock whilst bedding???

 

 

If you think about it, there is always an excess of bedding compound that needs squeezing out before the action finds its final bedding spot. I can't see how insulation tape can accommodate that movement.

[Jagged 77]

 

If you think about it, there is always an excess of bedding compound that needs squeezing out before the action finds its final bedding spot. I can't see how insulation tape can accommodate that movement.

 

Providing you don't squeeze the life out of it (and all the bedding), with the stock and action upside down the insulating tape really just holds things together with gravity helping.

[baldie]

If you dont have access to the correct equipment, I would suggest taking it to a professional.

Bedding has a lot more to it , to give a completely stress free job, that what can be achieved with diy tools and incorrect knowledge. The skills are not shown on youtube.

A correctly done job will show no movement on a dial indicator when the action screws are released.

Strips of tape, rubber strips and cheap "instant metal" are not used, because they dont work.

Be aware a correctly done bedding job will add up to a complete days work.

I spent 6 hours yesterday making a new recoil lug for a tikka, then bedding it. It will need another couple of hours work when its cured and pulled out of the bedding.

[oaken]

Apply compound to the action as well as the stock as this reduces the chance of unsightly bubbles.

Meths is good for removing the inevitable devcon fingerprints before it goes off, don't know about other makes.

If you plan to use the action screws, i would recommend finding alternative bolts as compound inevitably finds its way onto the threads- doesnt it Pete? Using tape or rubber strips makes cleanup difficult/impossible.

If you are impatient like me, spread some of the surplus compound on a plastic bag. Don't even think about knocking the action out until the surplus goes hard enough that it snaps clean and without a hint of bending.

[Ronin]

If you dont have access to the correct equipment, I would suggest taking it to a professional.

Bedding has a lot more to it , to give a completely stress free job, that what can be achieved with diy tools and incorrect knowledge. The skills are not shown on youtube.

A correctly done job will show no movement on a dial indicator when the action screws are released.

Strips of tape, rubber strips and cheap "instant metal" are not used, because they dont work.

Be aware a correctly done bedding job will add up to a complete days work.

I spent 6 hours yesterday making a new recoil lug for a tikka, then bedding it. It will need another couple of hours work when its cured and pulled out of the bedding.

 

 

+1

[Wildcat69]

I agree, Baldie on that one that too, having the right equipment for the right job is a must, can anyone direct me to someone how does in the south west as close possible to Cornwall? I am keen to try myself but what if something goes wrong. In theory it's seems easy enough but practically speaking there is always a snagg I guess.

[Jagged 77]

Whilst I agree if you want a top class bedding job done right then take it to a qualified smith - I would if I was having an expensive F-class rifle built. However if it's a case of bedding a factory rifle or having it rebarrelled then DIY can be a perfectly good option. Don't forget that you can also dremel it out and start again if it all goes wrong (assuming you don't glue the action in place by forgetting to apply release agent....!). Devcon and Marinetex are the compounds of choice and the idea is to achieve a stress free bed in which the action sits. The theory and principle is pretty straightforward - the application and end result take time care and experience to get it right. No reason why you shouldn't try it though. The results of a DIY bedding job done right can be very noticeable in terms of accuracy and consistency.

[oaken]

I will admit that I bought a rifle recently that had been bedded so badly that I had to rip it out and start again. The rear pillar was about 1/4" short and the compound used was soft in places. No wood had been removed to alow a decent key.

If you are having a quality rifle built then yes I agree with Baldie. The cost can be absorbed and you will/should get a professional job.

But, if you don't have bottomless pockets and are of a practical nature, have a go. Its not rocket science despite what some would tell you.

[gun nut]

Sometimes it's not about saving money, some people just enjoy working on their own rifles, me included. As long as you're not kack handed and do the requisite homework, there is no reason you can't do a perfectly effective bedding job yourself. Read Nathan Foster's book on the long range hunting rifle and look at the videos on his website, follow the instructions and you'll be dead on.

 

Mike

[baldie]

I,m all for having a go yourself. Hell, i,ve made all the spending money i,ve ever earnt since leaving school that way, and am completely self taught in most things.

 

However, I see many, many , many home bedding jobs, and hand on heart...I havent seen a good one yet. Seen some pretty bad "proffessional " ones too.

 

Having access to a mill is crucial. Having means to fit pillars square and true is critical. Having screwed bedding tools is very important too. You have to be able to get the pillars in correctly to make sure the action is sat square and unstressed. You then have to get it all in on top of them properly, without stressing the action, or gluing it all together.

 

Finally, it has to look 100% if its a proffessional job. Folk say...ahh but its only my gun, those bubbles and voids dont matter....they do, because it looks a t wat.

 

There are several trade secrets in bedding a rifle, that I have never seen revealed online, or in books. NO ONE gives them away.

 

Good luck with your project however.

[Wildcat69]

You are right, it's not really about the money and sure love spending hours tinkering on me rifles.

 

But I understand what Baldie means also!

 

This is my first Fclass rifle so..........!

 

How about we meet half way and tell us what are your working criteria Baldie to make a good bedding job.

 

Presume these would be.

 

-Releaving enough material during inletting,

-Obviously I presume you want equal pressure all a long during the process without any distortion of the stock, hence you said the rubber and tape bands could be a problem.

-Good pillar job to the right length

-The right epoxy

[Wildcat69]

Lol you read my mind mate.

[Ronin]

Interesting this thread started;

 

ive done a couple of pillar beds this week (not to mention a few more over the years...) , the second, this week, a Tikka.

 

Interesting to me, as I also machine a new recoil lug and fit pillars as part of the process.

 

I started at 10am, broke for half hour at lunch and answered a couple of calls through the day.

 

The action and stock are now curing - it took seven and a half hours from stripping the rifle, to leaving it to cure.

 

Ive taken a few photo's while doing it, which I may post, but it wont be a "how to do it"

 

We'll see how it turn out in 24 hrs time...then another couple of hours finishing in the mill.....

 

 

Probably as involved a job as re-barrelling (well almost)

[Wildcat69]

That's a good idea! Looking forward to see your " How to"

[Ronin]

Read my last post carefully

[Wildcat69]

Daaa! Silly me.

[Chris-NZ]

..

A correctly done job will show no movement on a dial indicator when the action screws are released.

..

 

How often do you actually achieve zero Dave? The local lads will live with anything under 4 thou- if it's more, they will redo it.

 

Did my pre-64 .280 Ackley the other day and it went 3 thou. They're a bit of a pig with that intermediate screw- very little base area there or at tang. Got a PSE stock for my son's new T3 and that was way easier. Haven't measured it on the dial gauge but first and only 5-shot group went under 3/8" so can't be too bad.

 

Chris-NZ

[baldie]

Dont measure them that often Chris, but have done it and seen no movement. Sometimes you may see a couple of thou, depends on the gun and the stock.

 

Its also a better guage to tighten/untighten a few times to "settle" both bedding and screws.

 

This subject is often one to quote when folk say AICS stocks dont need bedding. Slacken the front screw off on a torqued down action, and see the action rise by millimetres, not thou,s.

I,m a big believer in plenty of material. 3/16" deep at minimum. Deeper around the pillars and lug area. The stock cant really affect the bedding then, especially if wood.

 

Just my 2 cents.