Gunsmithing DIY glass bedding

stello1001

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  • Feb 20, 2017
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    Corpus Christi TX
    I have a hunting rifle that I plan to take out of its original Tupperware stock. I plan on getting a laminated stock that comes with V-blocks. I want to give it a glass bedding job as well. Is this even something people do? Do people bed their own actions into new stocks? Or is this something that's best left to professionals? I don't need it pretty, just functional. I've seen so many videos and read a lot on the subject so I have a general idea of the whole process, just don't know if it's too much of a task for the average joe.
    Thanks...
     
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    its actually really easy to DIY.......

    however since you mentioned your stock has V blocks, it may not actually be necessary.

    what stock are you using?
     
    I'm an "average joe" when it comes to gun mods, and I bedded my Rem 700 action into a Choate stock with Brownells Acraglas. I just watched a few youtube videos on it and went for it.
    I'd say it turned out pretty good. The only problem I had was I did it with the trigger removed, so it took a bit of Dremmel work to make room for the trigger assembly afterwards.
     
    Mcameron is right that it MAY not be necessary, depending on the brand/quality of the stock. On the other hand, I bedded my .338 LM in the HP Precision stock it comes in from the factory. That stock comes with v-blocks, but it did not sit evenly in the blocks and shot like crap as purchased used from the original owner. After bedding it myself, the rifle shoots well under moa out past a mile and I have ragged one-hole 5-shot groups at 100 yds. shot during OCW testing.
     
    I'm an "average joe" when it comes to gun mods, and I bedded my Rem 700 action into a Choate stock with Brownells Acraglas. I just watched a few youtube videos on it and went for it.
    I'd say it turned out pretty good. The only problem I had was I did it with the trigger removed, so it took a bit of Dremmel work to make room for the trigger assembly afterwards.

    Creative use of materials you might already have at home, like cardboard, clay/play dough, and masking tape can help reduce the need for grinding much accept for final cleanup. Like many DYI projects, advance prep work is the most important way to reduce excess work after the fact.
     
    It is a Ruger American Predator. I know many get decent accuracy from these rifles out of the box but I'm getting a bit over one MOA. I know it's a budget rifle and i will use it for hunting so I don't need extremely accurate results. I just want to switch the stock because the original one is so cheap, and if I can get accuracy improvements, then heck why not.

    I want to get the stock listed below.


    https://www.stockysstocks.com/stock...ical-grip-sporter-varmint-ruger-american.html

    I do not have a dremmel although I'm assuming I'll end up buying one if I move forward with this project. How much $$$ will I be spending more less on all material for this?

    Thanks...
     
    yeah that stock has an aluminum bedding block....which is comparable to bolting it into a chassis.

    i would try shooting it first without bedding it, and seeing how it shoots....chances are itll shoot just fine

    if youre not happy with the accuracy, i would try bedding the recoil lug only......and if that still doesnt do it for you, ide bed the rest of it.

     
    See, that's one thing I have not heard of. I'll admit, I don't know all there is to know about rifles and shooting, so sometimes I ask here. I'll do some research on bedding the recoil lug only. I do enjoy working on my rifle myself and learning more though, so thanks for the info.
     
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    I just did my second bed job. I absolutely hate doing them but using marine tex was a far better choice for me than whatever the pita acraglas stuff I used on my first bed job. I was really pleased with marine tex. A 2oz box of it did my savage action to boyds stock with lots of epoxy to spare and there was no rush. Just my 2 cents.
     
    Creative use of materials you might already have at home, like cardboard, clay/play dough, and masking tape can help reduce the need for grinding much accept for final cleanup. Like many DYI projects, advance prep work is the most important way to reduce excess work after the fact.

    Yep, I agree. Painters tape (or regular masking tape) and plumbers putty help a lot. I just miscalculated a bit on trigger clearance.

    WP_20161202_004.jpg
     
    It isn't bad, but like others have mentioned, prep work is important. On a v-block they often will not set perfect out of the gate, so make sure it does before you bed it in. If it is sitting slightly crooked or off center in the stock fix that before you you bed it to that off location. Modeling clay works great for filling any holes in the action you don't want the glass getting in (trigger pin holes, etc). Also, I would not bother with more expensive aerosol mold release agents. Johnson paste wax or neutral shoe polish put on and buffed off works just as well (or better). Paste wax will fill any super small scratches in the action and leave a perfectly smooth and shiny bed job behind. It takes a bit longer in application than just spraying on, but it is cheaper and I think gives a superior end product.
    While you can clean up a bed job with a dremel, I would not recommend that course unless you flat out don't care what it looks like. Ideally access to a mill would be best, but if I did not have that I would use sanding blocks on the final show lines vs a dremel, though the latter would be ok for removing the bulk, just don't touch the final line.

    Of course that last part is easy for me to say as I have access to all the tooling to make it easier and i am sure a customer would (rightfully) lose their mind if they got a new rifle with a bed job that had been cleaned up with a dremel. However, even if it was my own gun and I didn't have any mills to use, I would figure out something other than a dremel for final clean up.
     
    As mcameron said, shoot it first. My motto is "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"... you may get lucky with a solid, non-stressed fit in the v-block. The Predator is usually a very accurate rifle, especially in the context of a hunting application. I'd say if you're getting 1-1/2" or less, I'd leave it alone.

    Bedding isn't rocket science, but doing it right- zero stress, barrel centered in the channel and free-floated, proper clearances for epoxy depth...and many more- isn't a piece of cake either. In fact, it's pretty easy to screw up and induce stress or miss filling a reverse angle with clay and gluing the action into the stock.

    Unless the rifle doesn't shoot as-is, for your application I'd leave it alone as your accuracy requirements for a shortish range hunting rifle aren't worth the risk of a first-time DIY (nor the expense of a smith). Not trying to talk you out of it per se, just saying you probably won't need it. But, if you like the idea of the project for its own sake there's plenty of good info here to be found. Good luck.
     
    The first Rifle I glass bedded was ~ 16 years ago with a copy of Gunsmithing rifles by Sweeney in my hand
    https://www.amazon.com/Gunsmithing-R.../dp/0873416651
    I got epoxy on my shirt, pants, chair, and rug.
    The rifle would not come apart, and I had to break up the stock to get the barrelled action back.
    Now ~ 40 rifles later, I make my own pillars and V blocks. I use Devcon steel putty so I will not have to fight time or gravity.

    Here is a pic of 20 degree V block and pillars I made for a short action Savage 2 weeks ago.
    It has Devcon Steel putty all over it.
     

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    • Devcon Steel putty on V block and two pillars Sav 12 9-17-2017.jpg
      Devcon Steel putty on V block and two pillars Sav 12 9-17-2017.jpg
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    Another vote here for the "if it ain't broke" approach.

    I'm not a fan of using room temp epoxy products for stock bedding. Most have a fairly low glass transition temp which, in real terms, means it's possible to cause warping from heavy use or leaving it in the car on a hot day. Many room temp epoxys have a heat deflection temp of 120 degrees f. I use heat cure resin for this reason on the carbon fiber and fiberglass stocks I make.

    If a stock is already bedded with a quality bedding block, I'd be inclined to go the other way and free float as much as possible.

    If you are going to glass bed as a diy project, make sure to use a quality product, not some repurposed epoxy putty or casting resin off eBay.

    Also, don't cheap out on the mold release. I always use mirror glaze wax with pva mold release for anything epoxy related. It's very easy to get the action stuck if you do this bit wrong.

    personally, I have never experienced any noticeable benefits from glass bedding a stock that already had a decent fit and aluminum pillars. I have found more benefit in investing in a stiffer and more sturdy stock though. That doesn't mean there is no potential benefits. That's just been my experience.