The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Best rifle bedding techniques and compounds

Gator Weiss · December 14, 2010, 09:52 AM

It would appear there are many ways to bed rifles. Piller bedding is an interesting method, and there is some disagreement over contoured pillars verses flat top pillers.

It would appear there is much disagreement over bedding compounds. Many experienced gunsmiths like the accra glass bedding compound. Many experienced gunsmiths say they wont use it. Some are really into metal putty compounds ranging from steel to titanium to aluminum. A few use only JB Weld in key points only.

I have a model 91 Argentine that I am about to bed into a laminate stock. I am interested in using a combination of pillars and bedding. I chose the Argentine action because it has a very thick-walled barrel, and the recoil lug is very wide. It was affordable, yet it will be accurate, and I can contionue to make brass from common 30-06 cases if I need to. Not a bad little rig for the handloader. Not a bad little cartridge for bench shooting or occasional hunting of deer. There are better rigs. There are better cartridges. But I like this one.

The stock came from Richards, and it is one of those situations in which too much wood was removed from some places and not enough in others. It came that way. There is no such thing as 99 percent press inlet gunstocks in my opinion. All in all, it is a very good stock, and I expected to have to work it considerably to get it where I need it to be.

I am looking for some feedback on the various stock bedding compounds.

Q: Is there any disadvantage to the mettalic compounds vs the glass?

Q: Of the metalic compounds, is there any disadvantage to Aluminum, vs the steel or titanium?

Q: Is ambient temperature a factor in curing bedding compounds?

Q: I have been advised to put my action into the oven to warm it before bedding it. Some have told me that this is Bull ****. Anyone else ever heard of that before?

Q: Some smiths are using car wax for release agent, some use neutral shoe polish, and some use vaseline. I know of one who users toilet bowl ring wax heated and brushed on and polished off with cloth. We do know there are commcercially produced release agents out there that some smiths seem to want to avoid in favor of improvising with things that were not necessarily meant to use as a release agent. Why is this?

In the case of my stock, there are weak spots in points where too much wood is gone from the action area, and I intend to strengthen those areas by using finely cut glass fiber mixed with a cold metallic paste polymer compound applied in a few strategic points. After that is burnished down to an acceptable elevation, I intend to bed over top of that with a good bedding compound in which to set my action. Fortunately, the lug area is not one of the weak spots. Does anyone have a different technique for such a remedy?

December 14, 2010, 09:52 AM	#1
Gator Weiss Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2007 Posts: 117	Best rifle bedding techniques and compounds It would appear there are many ways to bed rifles. Piller bedding is an interesting method, and there is some disagreement over contoured pillars verses flat top pillers. It would appear there is much disagreement over bedding compounds. Many experienced gunsmiths like the accra glass bedding compound. Many experienced gunsmiths say they wont use it. Some are really into metal putty compounds ranging from steel to titanium to aluminum. A few use only JB Weld in key points only. I have a model 91 Argentine that I am about to bed into a laminate stock. I am interested in using a combination of pillars and bedding. I chose the Argentine action because it has a very thick-walled barrel, and the recoil lug is very wide. It was affordable, yet it will be accurate, and I can contionue to make brass from common 30-06 cases if I need to. Not a bad little rig for the handloader. Not a bad little cartridge for bench shooting or occasional hunting of deer. There are better rigs. There are better cartridges. But I like this one. The stock came from Richards, and it is one of those situations in which too much wood was removed from some places and not enough in others. It came that way. There is no such thing as 99 percent press inlet gunstocks in my opinion. All in all, it is a very good stock, and I expected to have to work it considerably to get it where I need it to be. I am looking for some feedback on the various stock bedding compounds. Q: Is there any disadvantage to the mettalic compounds vs the glass? Q: Of the metalic compounds, is there any disadvantage to Aluminum, vs the steel or titanium? Q: Is ambient temperature a factor in curing bedding compounds? Q: I have been advised to put my action into the oven to warm it before bedding it. Some have told me that this is Bull ****. Anyone else ever heard of that before? Q: Some smiths are using car wax for release agent, some use neutral shoe polish, and some use vaseline. I know of one who users toilet bowl ring wax heated and brushed on and polished off with cloth. We do know there are commcercially produced release agents out there that some smiths seem to want to avoid in favor of improvising with things that were not necessarily meant to use as a release agent. Why is this? In the case of my stock, there are weak spots in points where too much wood is gone from the action area, and I intend to strengthen those areas by using finely cut glass fiber mixed with a cold metallic paste polymer compound applied in a few strategic points. After that is burnished down to an acceptable elevation, I intend to bed over top of that with a good bedding compound in which to set my action. Fortunately, the lug area is not one of the weak spots. Does anyone have a different technique for such a remedy?