Gunsmithing Prep work for first bedding job (pics)

[RmeJu]

I'm getting ready to do my first bedding job. Posting the stock and action/barrel prep work before I get started. This look right to you all?

I haven't (yet) roughed out the mating surfaces... half the guides don't mention it, the other half seem to think it's important. What say you?

Any comments appreciated, thanks in advance!

 

[want2learn]

looks nice...

i've been looking at this topic a bit of late, certainly not well versed in the topic but some of the bedding jobs i've seen include a few inches of the rear of the barrel as well. not sure which is best.

when i review the gorgeous photos of the LRI bedding job they show a very similar pattern to what you've shown

 

[Sieg]

My last bedding job I used Hornady Case Lube vs Kiwi Neutral shoe polish as a release agent, it worked great and was much easier to apply and remove.

 

[RmeJu]

My last bedding job I used Hornady Case Lube vs Kiwi Neutral shoe polish as a release agent, it worked great and was much easier to apply and remove.

I bought the McLube 1700 from LRI, so keeping my fingers crossed that's as good as advertised.

That said, assuming these pics look good, my last bit of worry apart from the roughing is what to do to keep epoxy out of the pillars. Did you do anything for that?

 

[FisherT&C]

Do a dry run to make sure there are no hang up points with your prep. Particularly the clay can cause hang ups where you can end up compressing it too much and clay interferes with bedding compound. Have large gun patches and qtips on hand to be soaked with acetone or denatured alcohol to clean up over flow.

 

[stello1001]

Depending on how heavy of a taper you got on that barrel, you may want to bed an inch in front of the recoil lug. Let's see if anyone with more experience than I do can chime in and advice you on that...

Also, i would rough up the surface some bit as I would want to create some extra bit of space for bedding compound to live in, some will also say it'll stick better to the raw surface that you rough up.

 

[RmeJu]

Do a dry run to make sure there are no hang up points with your prep. Particularly the clay can cause hang ups where you can end up compressing it too much and clay interferes with bedding compound.

As in, bolt it together ahead of time without the epoxy in it to check that it all fits right without any snags?

 

[FisherT&C]

As in, bolt it together ahead of time without the epoxy in it to check that it all fits right without any snags?

Yes, exactly.

 

[RmeJu]

Depending on how heavy of a taper you got on that barrel, you may want to bed an inch in front of the recoil lug.

I've got an inch or two before the taper starts. I'm open to doing either, but if it makes no difference, I'll probably just bed behind the lug.

 

[spife7980]

Just bedding behind the lug saves you from having to sand out bedding in front of the lug later.

 

[ugsly308]

I wrap tape around the barrel around an inch back from the front of the stock. Build it up so it centers the barrel in the channel and just enough the rear tang touches the stock. Use studs for your action screws and wrap them with tape so they slide in and center on the pillar holes (use release agent on them also). I normally wrap the sides of the lug twice and the front of the lug once, use a new razor blade to cut the tape clean. A lot of prep goes into a good bedding job. Hope this helps,

Casey

 

[Praeger]

I haven't (yet) roughed out the mating surfaces... half the guides don't mention it, the other half seem to think it's important. What say you?

It is important, but it doesn't take much to provide sufficient "tooth" for the epoxy to create a mechanical bond to the stock. Just take an awl or nail set and dimple the areas where epoxy will be applied. A random pattern is fine. The epoxy will lock into the the dimpling.

This is especially important when the stock has some type of finish applied. I'm bedding a Boyd's laminated stock for a friend, and the area supporting the action has been sprayed with the same gloss finish as the finished areas. While I'm sure the epoxy will stick by virtue of its adhesive characteristics, but better to provide that mechanical lock achieved by roughing up/creating tiny surface features for the epoxy to engage when cured.

 

[RmeJu]

It is important, but it doesn't take much to provide sufficient "tooth" for the epoxy to create a mechanical bond to the stock. Just take an awl or nail set and dimple the areas where epoxy will be applied. A random pattern is fine. The epoxy will lock into the the dimpling.

This is especially important when the stock has some type of finish applied. I'm bedding a Boyd's laminated stock for a friend, and the area supporting the action has been sprayed with the same gloss finish as the finished areas. While I'm sure the epoxy will stick by virtue of its adhesive characteristics, but better to provide that mechanical lock achieved by roughing up/creating tiny surface features for the epoxy to engage when cured.

Thank you!