I'm gonna puke.

[GuyWithGun]

Got all excited about my fist bedding job and got through inletting fine, always heard that was the hard part. Got the clay in and the stock damed up and comensed putting two big coats of the brownells gel release agent stuff on every metal part I could find, including action screws and holes... Ready to lay some glass. Things immediately started going wrong.

First, the Devcon Aluminum I was using was WAY thicker than I thought it would be. Was actually hard to spread because stuck to the applicator better than itself. Ended up with putty everywhere. Figured "No big deal? Is what Q-tips and release agent are for." Put the barreled action on, no problem. Then came the action screws...

Front one wouldn't go in, was getting "push back" like had a spring in the hole. Took the screw out and it had Devcon all over it. Not sure how that happened, though I had cleared the pillar before put it in (Mauser). Set it aside and put rear screw in. Some Devcon at opening at top once screw in, but otherwise went in smooth. Cleaned the front screw and hole from as much Devcon as I could, sprayed it and the hole down with Pam (all I had) and put the screw back in. No resistance and fully seated. Thought I was ok.

This morning NEITHER action screw will budge... Think I'm going to be sick.

What now?

 

[rcmodel]

A torch with a tiny tip to heat the action screw heads hot enough to smoke the epoxy out of the threads.

You need to do it fast though, or the whole action bedding job will get too hot.

You could also try putting it in a deep freezer if you have a full size freezer.
Then take it out and pop each screw with a well fitting screwdriver bit and a small hammer.
The shock on the cold glass should pop the threads loose.

rc

 

[GuyWithGun]

Tried the torch thing, kept trying to catch the Houge overmolded stock on fire. Do I need a smaller still torch or a gunsmith?

 

[rcmodel]

NO, sounds like you need some heat sink putty, or a soaking wet shop towel around the screw head to keep from lighting the stock on fire!

Maybe a gunsmith might be a real good idea at this point!

rc

 

[BBBBill]

Rubber coated stock changes things. Forget the torch. You'll only ruin the stock. Put it in the freezer.

 

[GuyWithGun]

Thanks guys. Am gonna go vomit and the call a gunsmith.

Just out of curiosity, where did I screw this up?

 

[rcmodel]

Ended up with putty everywhere.
Front one wouldn't go in, was getting "push back" like had a spring in the hole.

Rat Cheer!

At the first sign of troubles like that?

It's time to back off & regroup.

Clean all the bedding goop off everything before it sets up.
And start over clean again.

But only after figuring out what you did wrong the first time!!

rc

 

[Slamfire]

Wish you luck.

I wrap tape around the action screws and liberally coat with Johnson’s paste wax.

I also tape the outside of the stock, so the epoxy only sticks to the tape, and rub paste wax over everything that I don’t want sticking.




Glassbedding is messy and glue goes every where.

 

[Jim K]

I had a friend who insisted that one of the tools a beginner should have before starting a bedding job was an ax. To chop off the stock after he messed things up.

Jim

 

[GuyWithGun]

Ax, check!

Bought the cheap Houge stock because I figured would pork it the first try and need a second. Never occurred to me that I would actually glue the silly thing up. Shame too... Was going to be my elk gun. I think my old 700 snuck out of the safe and sabotaged it during the night. Those skinny little mountain rifles are treacherous little minx!

 

[25cschaefer]

In stead of a torch, try holding a soldering iron on the screw head for a bit. The heat is more controlled and shouldn't effect the finish or stock too much.

I just had a happy little experience with that, my gun has a painted aluminum bottom metal and it did not effect the finish at all.

 

[lathedog]

If you want to use a torch, apply the flame to the shaft of a screwdriver with the screwdriver's tip placed firmly in the slot of the screw you want to heat.

The freezer trick works well, but I have never tried it for a stuck action screw. I used it once on a pump handle for a shotgun and it popped free, but I did not have epoxy on the threads.

When you do this next time, use inletting screws. # 319-415-098 is the Brownell's part no. for a Mauser.