Glass bedding bolt action rifles

I have done four different Savage stocks. One was a Richards Micro-fit and the 3 others were all Boyd's. I have generally use Marine-Tex epoxy but I believe the Devcon produces better results. It is not quite as thick and flows better. Just make certain you apply the release agent everywhere it will clean up easily when finished. Much easier than epoxy stuck to the receiver. Wear latex cloves as this stuff gets everywhere, tape up the stock to protect it from oozing epoxy. The first job I did after it was finished I stripped it all out and started over because I didn't like the finished results. So don't be afraid to keep tat option in mind also.

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I too LOVE the ProBed 2000 epoxy! Had the best results waxing the metal, then spraying with PAM cooking spray with olive oil ... action pops right out. Else chill the rifle in a fridge, if not.

Have bedded a ton of Savages and wrote the original Lefty's Savage Bedding 101 article that was very popular on many rifle Sites well over a dozen years ago now. Here's the proof that even alleged good factory stocks can even benefit. Savage Palma 28" H-Barrel LH 308 in a McMillan A5 stock, 10-shots @ 200-yards prone, using loads developed by Dan Newberry's Optimal Charge Weight (OCW) method.

Me thinks the Left/Right is due to shoulder pressure (bipod) ...
 

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The first one I did ... I had to get the action out of the stock with a Mallet ... I tried to do the complete rifle , action and barrel all at one time and the glass began to harden before I could get the stock screws tightened down ... I also got bedding compound on/in the stock screw threads and had to destroy the stock screws getting them out with a hammer and chisel . I didn't damage the action threads , thank you Lord but the screws had to be replaced !
I will never try to do a complete rifle bedding job again .
Obtain Stock Makers Action Screws , plenty of Release Compound , and only bedding the action first ... letting that cure and next bedding the barrel channel or free floating works much better ...
than trying to do everything all at once !
I've been chipping all the old bedding compound out of that nice French Walnut sporter stock ...and will try again but will take my time and do it in steps ... There was no such thing as U-Tube when I did my first ...just the printed instructions that came with the Herter's Fiber-Glass Bedding Kit ...( 1968) and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing ... I learned ... The Hard Way !
Gary
 
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I use Devcon and cooking spray for a release agent.I use the threaded studs in place of the action screws,I think Forster makes the best ones.I put pieces of drinking straws over the studs to keep them from sticking and not letting it come apart once the epoxy sets up.I tape off all but the rear surface of the recoil lug with electrical tape.One layer of tape will give just enough play to let the action come out easily once it's all done.I use electrical tape to make enough of a bump to keep the barrel centered in the channel and to keep the action sitting as it should when it's drawn down into the epoxy.I don't use the action studs for anything but keeping the action properly aligned in the stock.I wrap electrical tape around the action tightly and in several layers.Doing it that way keeps the fit stress free.I use masking tape to protect the stock from what squeezes out.If I'm leaving a good bit of clearance in the barrel channel,I use an inflatable wedge slipped between the barrel and the stock and getting them to separate after the epoxy sets up.When I do one with Devcon,I've found it's a lot better to give the epoxy 4 or 5 days to completely set up.Other compounds are different,but I rarely use anything else.Devcon is strong,has a curing rate that gives plenty of time to work with it before it sets up(usually at least 4 hours),has the right consistency and has a very long life.Some of the older bedding epoxies will soften and break down over time.I have a 300 Win Mag that's in a very expensive Brown Precision stock that I bedded with Acraglass gel back in the mid 90's and it's going to need redone before it gets shot again.Ironically,the next Brown stock I did actually came with a tube of Devcon and after a phone call with them,I understood why they want their stocks bedded with it.I've done in excess of 50 stocks in different configurations with the methods I've described and have had good results,provided I didn't do something stupid.Once I tried silicone spray lubricant for a release agent and that was the stock I first used the inflatable wedge on.Try to learn all you can before you dive into it,and you'll get along well.When trying to get a tight one apart,take your time and be firm but gentle.
 
Lets say hypothetically, someone fails at the glass bedding and gets their metal stuck to the stock but it's still a complete piece. Would it still be a useable firearm, albeit you'll never take the action out of the stock again?
 
If a good bedding job, then I would say yes, meaning they did not induce any ‘new’ stress point, i.e., from faulty taping, etc.

I don’t think I saw the word mentioned, but when using bedding material you must prevent a ‘mechanical lock’, a feature (recess or projection) in the action that the epoxy can flow into or gets caught by, that then ‘traps’ the action to the epoxy when cured.
 
Lefty38-55 said:
If a good bedding job, then I would say yes, meaning they did not induce any ‘new’ stress point, i.e., from faulty taping, etc.

I don’t think I saw the word mentioned, but when using bedding material you must prevent a ‘mechanical lock’, a feature (recess or projection) in the action that the epoxy can flow into or gets caught by, that then ‘traps’ the action to the epoxy when cured.
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Holes are sometimes overlooked.

Pitting, or other surface irregularities, can also cause problems.
 
Heir Kommt Die Sonne said:
Lets say hypothetically, someone fails at the glass bedding and gets their metal stuck to the stock but it's still a complete piece. Would it still be a useable firearm, albeit you'll never take the action out of the stock again?
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I have been seeing articles on some of the Competition forums with talk of Glued-in actions, with this being done on purpose. Tried to find an example but was unsuccessful. Could be that I am no using the correct verbiage.
 
I've done a few dozen bedding jobs, including all of my centerfire rifles and some of my rimfires. I started using boat epoxy kits because they hadn't yet made bedding epoxy kits They've all come out very well, but I took my time, especially in preparation, prior to glassbedding. Did my first glassbedding job on my own after-market Bishop-stocked, Savage 110 bolt action. That was done when I was about 15 years old and it turned out very well. All of my centerfire rifles are bedded these days.
 
OK,power is down in our shop today so....

Here's another,don't do this illustration. Back to the cheapy tupperware stocks. Let's say you didn't listen to repeated warnings to not waste your time on these "flexible flyers" and you did a pretty durn good job of bedding...

If,you then spraybomb the snot out of it,to include the bedding,don't wait for it to dry... go ahead and bolt the action in. What you have now is what we call a "hillbilly glue in". It works purty durn good!
 
BWS said:
OK,power is down in our shop today so....

Here's another,don't do this illustration. Back to the cheapy tupperware stocks. Let's say you didn't listen to repeated warnings to not waste your time on these "flexible flyers" and you did a pretty durn good job of bedding...

If,you then spraybomb the snot out of it,to include the bedding,don't wait for it to dry... go ahead and bolt the action in. What you have now is what we call a "hillbilly glue in". It works purty durn good!
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Awwww shucks, guess ive wasted alot of time and good bedding compound, and paint, cant forget the paint!
 
It is easy to do well enough at home to see an improvement. There are some good videos and not so good ones, online by pros that explain the process. You can also look into a process called mock bedding so you can see how much improvement you will get with a "real" bedding job. WIthout as much mess, investment, or hassle.
 
Old Dog said:
You guys are actually emboldening me to try this myself. Used a lot of epoxy, fiberglass and paint back in the day working on boats and other projects with my dad.
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Not really difficult if you take your time, pay attention to what you are doing, understand the process and sequence. Then have a Dremel Tool handy if it doesn't turn out pretty and you want to do it over.
 
Old Dog said:
You guys are actually emboldening me to try this myself. Used a lot of epoxy, fiberglass and paint back in the day working on boats and other projects with my dad. Never felt compelled before to try my own glass-bedding, but heck, I need a new hobby.
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Yeah so bascially it looks like we should start out with something simple, like a Winchester model 70. Then work up from there until we get to M1A which is the final benchmark of our skill.


This video is informative enough



Don't like imbedding videos because the links are more temporary compared to the text record but there it is for anyone who wants to try it
 
Old Dog said:
Gosh, it just so happens that I have an old Model 70 from around 1983 (push-feed) in need of an accuracy fix...
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Those things can be pretty bloody accurate too.....
Spun a stock ruger 77 barrel on to my sister in laws .270, fixed the bedding, cleaned/set the trigger at 3lbs, and put the last 13rnds of federal blue box I bought for testing into a sub moa group.
 
Actually, bedding rugers can be interesting. The 77s with their angled tension screw, and the minis with their rock in/out action and low horizontal contact.
 
Heir Kommt Die Sonne said:
Yeah so bascially it looks like we should start out with something simple, like a Winchester model 70. Then work up from there until we get to M1A which is the final benchmark of our skill.
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Yep when you make it to the M14 stock and do it correctly, you have accomplished the ultimate challenge in bedding a rifle stock.
 
For those playing the home game, to confirm the quality of a bedding job, use a mag-base dial indicator.
 
I bed all of my rifles. I even skim bed those with any sort of chassis.

Just go slow amd take your time and keep in mind that it's very unlikely that you'll ruin anything. Whatever you do, you can likely undo with a Dremel. The only caveat to that is gluing the action to the stock or causing a mechanical lock between the action and the stock.

Once you get one under your belt, it'll get easier, or at least less intimidating. I just did my first CZ 457 and wound up doing it 3 times before it came out to my satisfaction.
 
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