Gunsmithing Finish damage while bedding????

[9sigman45]

I have a R700 barreled action out for pillar / skim bedding with the original builder. The stock is a NIB McMillan A5 and the bottom metal is a NIB Badger M5. The only inletting required is the lug recess, everything else was good to go straight from McMillan. I received an email from my smith today with this quote:

"I will note that the chances of needing to re-cerakote your rifle are high when we bed the rifle. The cost for cerakote will be $265."

Isn't bedding a procedure that's typically completed post-finishing? I had it in my mind this was the case, so I was really taken back by the comment from my smith. I'm now questioning if send it to him was the right thing to do.

 

[deadeye]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????


All my bedding is done AFTER the finish and there is NO reason for ANY damage to the finish by bedding.

Dan
Darkeagle Custom Inc

 

[Ol' RD]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

Grab your weapon and run like hell.

 

[tommyc279]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

That should never happen. All finished parts should be protected by release agent and completely safe. I would have someone else do that bedding job. A really good way to protect the finished parts is shoe polish.

 

[9sigman45]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

Thanks guys, that's exactly what I was thinking.
I'll try to contact him tomorrow and talk thru this. Maybe he just mispoke in the email. At least I hope so ;>).

 

[Marksman]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

I've had Dura-coat go bad with release agent, but my ceracote didn't have any problems.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

We've learned we can bed before OR after Cerakote. Just have to keep certain things in mind.

Cerakote should NOT be hurt by bedding or clean up.

The only finish that will easily be removed is Krylon. Bedding spray painted rifles is no fun.

 

[Kells81]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Robot Doc</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Grab your weapon and run like hell. </div></div>

This seems to be the best answer to this problem....

 

[LRI]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

You can bed a rifle either way.

Some like to get all anal that the ceracoat increases the outside diameter of the receiver and so doing so after bedding means you don't have perfect contact.

Maybe if you ceracoat with a Wagner Power Roller.

The ONLY exception to this I've ever seen is when I built a Palma rifle for a client who later decided to have his action blued again. They did a beautiful job on the polishing and the finish was top notch.

It also rattled in the stock like a marble in a can due to how heavy handed they got with the finish work. He ended up sending it back to me to bed over again because his shot plots were perfect waterline from 3 to 9 and back to 3.

We ALWAYS bed our rifles before we coat them. It's simply too easy to nick/scratch something. Our guns will go together/apart a half dozen times during the course of the build as we fit various pieces up. If we coated stuff ahead of time we'd just end up doing it over again.

The fact that your chosen smith was upfront with you about possibly having to do it over again means he's got a sense of honesty and is giving you a heads up.

Running like hell would be the last thing I'd do. I personally would be thanking him for being upfront about it. A fink is the type who says nothing, wrecks your stuff, and then demands that you pay for the fix.

I'd tell you the same thing. In fact its part of my standard "3 cardinal rules" that everyone gets the first time they call me and ask about stocking a gun. I GOING to ruin your finish. You can count on it 100% due to how we fit the tang up on the stock.

You can judge for yourself if our guns pass the test.

Good luck and hope you get what your looking for.

C.

 

[9sigman45]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

I did talk to him about it, and like you Chad, they typically bed prior to coating.

I've bought three rifles from them in the past, and they were all perfect. I simply asked him to be as gentle with the finish as possible, and hopefully the Cerakote will hold up OK. However, had I known this issue upfront, I would have considered a chasis stock versus buying a new A5 & M5 set-up.

I'm sure it'll come back just fine.

 

[Kells81]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

I see Chads point on it (Full custom build) but if the smith normally finishes before bedding then why would he email saying the chances of needing a refinish is high? Seems like an up sell of sorts..... Nothing can replace upfront honesty but if its a bed it and send it back out the door there shouldn't be much of a need for removing it from the stock a ton of times....

 

[9sigman45]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Poke</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I see Chads point on it (Full custom build) but if the smith normally finishes before bedding then why would he email saying the chances of needing a refinish is high? Seems like an up sell of sorts..... Nothing can replace upfront honesty but if its a bed it and send it back out the door there shouldn't be much of a need for removing it from the stock a ton of times.... </div></div>


You misread. My previous post says "they typically bed prior to coating".

 

[Kells81]

Re: Finish damage while bedding????

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 9sigman45</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Poke</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I see Chads point on it (Full custom build) but if the smith normally finishes before bedding then why would he email saying the chances of needing a refinish is high? Seems like an up sell of sorts..... Nothing can replace upfront honesty but if its a bed it and send it back out the door there shouldn't be much of a need for removing it from the stock a ton of times.... </div></div>


You misread. My previous post says "they typically bed prior to coating". </div></div>

LOL yeah I see that now