Gunsmithing First Bedding Job Results (Pics)

[RmeJu]

I just finished my first bedding job (full length) using Marine Tex Gray and McLube 1700 as the release agent. Pics are below.

In some respects, I thought it actually went ok. I didn't glue my stock to my action, and most of the lines turned out fairly clean, although I did have a couple of areas where I had to clean up, and I did get some voids. There were also some very thin spots around the various contours (mag & trigger wells, pillars, etc.) since I didn't grind into them all the way to the edge. The biggest heartbreak, though, was the rear recoil lug recess... that just looks like a straight mess. I think I might have to try that again, since that's one of the most functional parts and unless I'm misunderstanding, this isn't going to cut it for accuracy purposes (which is the whole reason I did this). Any idea what I can do next time to avoid that?

 

[Mike Casselton]

That's actually not bad. I've seen bedding jobs that gunsmiths have done that look a lot worse.

Check out the thread that Chad from LRI posted about the bedding and repair on an Anschutz.

 

[iceng]

Came out real good for a first pull. The recoil lug are is a bit... Average, a few other areas seems flakey / thin, but that's a nice job.

Practice makes perfect.

 

[pmclaine]

I bet it would shoot fine.

The only issue you may have is breakdown over time.

Fire it up and if its shooting well save repairs/skim for another time.

 

[Praeger]

I'd say this is quite good for first time around. Functionally, the key areas are the recoil lug, and major areas surrounding the action screws. The skirt areas mag well and trigger play a minimal role. I would re-bed the recoil lug. Not a big deal, it's easy compared to the rest of the stock. Grind it out and re-bed.

 

[RmeJu]

That's actually not bad. I've seen bedding jobs that gunsmiths have done that look a lot worse.

Check out the thread that Chad from LRI posted about the bedding and repair on an Anschutz.

Thanks! I think I'd like to rebed the lug recess, since that's a critical area. Is the LRI post you're talking about the "biathalon crunch" one that he did? I took a look at that one and it looked like he just started over from scratch, but maybe I'm looking at the wrong post?

 

[Mike Casselton]

That's the one.
Your bedding job looks a hell of a lot better than the gunsmith that bedded it before Chad got ahold of it.

 

[iceng]

Clearly is wasn't a gunsmith.....

 

[sandwarrior]

I think it looks pretty good.
As to functionality, you might try some Dykem/Russian blue and see if it's in full contact with the rear of the lug. Full contact is what you are looking for and that should show you if you aren't fully contacting the lug to the bedding. The other thing is any torsion. The action should fit in cleanly without having to twist or wiggle it in. That's an indication you might have some kind of torsion on the action as it goes in.

 

[RmeJu]

I think it looks pretty good.
As to functionality, you might try some Dykem/Russian blue and see if it's in full contact with the rear of the lug.

Thank you! That said--and maybe I'm missing something basic here--there can't be any way that the lug is making full contact given that last pic is there? It looks almost shattered, and there are definitely major voids. Given the importance of that particular spot, wouldn't it just be better to grind it out and give it another go? If that's not necessary, I'm all for it, but... isn't it?

 

[sandwarrior]

Thank you! That said--and maybe I'm missing something basic here--there can't be any way that the lug is making full contact given that last pic is there? It looks almost shattered, and there are definitely major voids. Given the importance of that particular spot, wouldn't it just be better to grind it out and give it another go? If that's not necessary, I'm all for it, but... isn't it?

That’s why you go the least expensive route first. By bluing the action, you see what is disturbed and what isn’t. If it isn’t then it’s not making contact.

If you can already see it isn’t making contact, then you need to decide to skim-bed or remove it and re-bed. I could not tell that you had major gaps from the pics. But, my ability to view them super clearly isn’t there.

 

[RmeJu]

If you can already see it isn’t making contact, then you need to decide to skim-bed or remove it and re-bed. I could not tell that you had major gaps from the pics. But, my ability to view them super clearly isn’t there.

I took a new pic, below, which is hopefully a little better. I was thinking that the areas outlined in red couldn't be making contact, because the voids are recessed further back than the epoxy that didn't rip out when I pulled the action (and the cracking also suggests to me that the epoxy is weak and too thin in this area). If this is not the case, and it's worth it to put some dykem, etc. on to see if all rubs off, I will. To my untrained eye, I just figured this part was a re-do.

 

[Praeger]

I don't think Dykem works in the application because the thin rim of epoxy at the recoil lug to action body junction is higher than the voids below. As you push the action down, the Dykem will be scrubbed off leaving you with the false indication that full lug to epoxy contact is being made. You've correctly identified the problem visually. There are voids. No need to test further. Grind off the existing epoxy and re-bed. Thin epoxy is only weak if there are voids below, or there is poor adhesion.

 

[sandwarrior]

I took a new pic, below, which is hopefully a little better. I was thinking that the areas outlined in red couldn't be making contact, because the voids are recessed further back than the epoxy that didn't rip out when I pulled the action (and the cracking also suggests to me that the epoxy is weak and too thin in this area). If this is not the case, and it's worth it to put some dykem, etc. on to see if all rubs off, I will. To my untrained eye, I just figured this part was a re-do.

View attachment 7261966

Okay, I see those are holes/voids now. They just kind of looked like surface scuffs to me in the original pics. A cosmetic issue I thought. It's not. So, as Praeger suggested grind it out and do it over.

 

[LRI]

One of the tricks I've used for a long time when bedding a rifle is lowering the effective viscosity of the material, but doing so only temporarily. (mEh?)

Basically a magic wand to make the stuff stupid runny in its consistency for only as long as you need it to be. To do this find a hobby shop that deals in RC airplane stuff. Buy a heat gun used to apply Duracote to airplane wings. The operating temps are much lower than the nuclear reactors you buy from Lowes or HD.

Spoon your gunk into the lug well Then put some heat on it from a little distance and poke at it with a popsicle stick. That's how you purge air trapped down in the void. It'll start to raise up and form a blister that'll pop if you keep the hot air on it. Once the stuff stops "boiling", pull the heat away.

Do this ONLY when you are about to stuff the action into the stock. You are shortening your working time when you heat cycle resin like this. It harms nothing once cured, you just gotta be careful not to overcook it and have it start going off on you. Just make sure all your poo is in one little pile and your not forgetting something or racing to grab tape or whatever.

Smooth is fast, fast is not smooth...

Last. If your mixing your resin in a cup. STOP. Throw that shit away and go find a piece of glass. Mix it on a board and keep the film on the thin side so you don't whip air into it. Keep it thin and squeegee the stuff off with a putty knife. The idea is to not allow it to build much heat while your mixing/applying. YOU decide when/where to heat it vs letting the chemistry run away from you. Make sense?

Practice and preparation obviously helps tremendously, but using these little jibs of info will help in a big way as well.

Good luck. Keep at it.

C.

 

[RmeJu]

Last. If your mixing your resin in a cup. STOP. Throw that shit away and go find a piece of glass. Mix it on a board and keep the film on the thin side so you don't whip air into it. Keep it thin and squeegee the stuff off with a putty knife. The idea is to not allow it to build much heat while your mixing/applying. YOU decide when/where to heat it vs letting the chemistry run away from you. Make sense?

Thank you for taking the time to reply (again). Your other bedding posts have been very helpful, as has this one.

To answer your question, yes. I actually watched your video on mixing on glass before doing this job. Based on that, I bought a 1' x 1' piece of Lexan from my local Lowe's, along a pair of wide/thin disposable putty knives, and mixed it on that, flattening it out like you did in the video. Worked like a charm... Honestly, I (think) my issue was that I bumped my barrel after the epoxy was in, when I was having some trouble getting the front action screw in. They came slightly apart for a second, and I thought right then and there that it might create some air bubbles. No way of knowing for sure, but I'll redo the lug recess again this week and see how it goes.

I'll give your low-temp heat gun idea a try just to make sure though. Maybe this is a dumb question, but any reason a hair dryer wouldn't work?

 

[RmeJu]

I don't think Dykem works in the application because the thin rim of epoxy at the recoil lug to action body junction is higher than the voids below. As you push the action down, the Dykem will be scrubbed off leaving you with the false indication that full lug to epoxy contact is being made. You've correctly identified the problem visually. There are voids. No need to test further. Grind off the existing epoxy and re-bed. Thin epoxy is only weak if there are voids below, or there is poor adhesion.

Okay, I see those are holes/voids now. They just kind of looked like surface scuffs to me in the original pics. A cosmetic issue I thought. It's not. So, as Praeger suggested grind it out and do it over.

Thank you both. Your input and help has been very much appreciated. I'll post pics after I redo the lug!

 

[Sieg]

On my last bed job I used Hornady Case Lube as a release agent and was very pleased with ease of application and release. Downside was my Devcon Steel Putty is aging and not as fluid as it could have been. A thinning agent for the Devcon would be nice.

Your job looks like it will achieve the objectives, cosmetically it could be better (like mine) but it's out of sight. As long as the durability is good..... shoot it.

Air bubbles are our enemy as Chad notes.

 

[LRI]

Thank you for taking the time to reply (again). Your other bedding posts have been very helpful, as has this one.

To answer your question, yes. I actually watched your video on mixing on glass before doing this job. Based on that, I bought a 1' x 1' piece of Lexan from my local Lowe's, along a pair of wide/thin disposable putty knives, and mixed it on that, flattening it out like you did in the video. Worked like a charm... Honestly, I (think) my issue was that I bumped my barrel after the epoxy was in, when I was having some trouble getting the front action screw in. They came slightly apart for a second, and I thought right then and there that it might create some air bubbles. No way of knowing for sure, but I'll redo the lug recess again this week and see how it goes.

I'll give your low-temp heat gun idea a try just to make sure though. Maybe this is a dumb question, but any reason a hair dryer wouldn't work?

It might, but hair dryers typically run at a much higher cfm than a low temp hot air gun. Once this stuff "gets to temp" it has about the consistency of hot peanut butter. My reservation is that your work area would look like a crime scene.

Try it. It's just resin...


Good luck.