Gunsmithing Devcon in the lug recess area

[Raygun]

In bedding my rifle, I forgot to plug the front guard screw hole. Needless to say, I got Devcon inside the lug recess area. I managed to get most of the stuff out before it dried. But there's a splotch of it. I can see and feel it. It feels rough. The bolt closes without any problems though.

Is there an easy way to remove it? Think it will be a problem?

 

[Ken1941]

I think that I would try some heat on it. You could mix up another small batch of Devcon and apply it to a piece of steel bar stock, old barrel, etc. Wait until it sets up, and then apply heat to the steel, and see how the Devcon reacts. I can try it when I get home this afternoon, let it setup, and put the heat on it tomorrow morning, here at work.

 

[Blackbrush]

If it's a flat bottom action, use a non auto-shut off iron and heat the action that way

 

[turbo54]

I say forget about it for now. If you've been greasing your locking lugs ocassionally and didn't degrease the area prior to bedding, the epoxy didn't get a good bite anyway. It'll come out of there on it's own.

If not, thoroughly clean it out of there next time the barrel is off. Or, buy yourself an action wrench and barrel vise, pull the barrel and clean it out of there now.

Either way, if nothing is rubbing it's not huring anything.

 

[xs hedspace]

Dental pick and kroil. Probably pop right off, after soaking in kroil for an hour. Also probably not a problem, if it doesn't rub on the lugs. Smoke the lugs with a candle, work the action, look for rub marks(this is a good way to tell if both lugs are bearing evenly, too).

 

[seanh]

plug the chamber, stand the rifle on the muzzle and pour in some Kroil...let it sit a day. After it sits, dump out the Kroil and see if the Devcon can be popped out.

 

[Raygun]

Thanks for your insights and suggestions. I have the chamber soaking in Kroil. Tomorrow, I will heat it with an iron. I may be able to fit a flexible Dremel brass brush in there. If I can, I will try that. Will post the results shortly.

 

[E. Bryant]

I would be hesitant to leave it in there, if only for the reason that it might pop loose at the worst possible time and jam something.

Heat is my preferred method to remove epoxy. I wouldn't expect penetrating oil to do the job if the epoxy got a good "bite" on the metal.

 

[insight3b]

You would need to plug the front screw hole for any penetrating oil to be able to soak. I would just apply a few drops of penetrating oil to the bedding compound 4 times a day for 2 days. Then I'd use a dental pick to scrape the bedding away.

 

[Raygun]

Quick follow up to say again, thanks for all your help. I soaked it overnight in Kroil. Then used a bronze circular brush with a flexible Dremel. That took out all the stuck Devcon that I could see and a bit of the bluing too.
Took it out over the weekend and still have all my fingers.