bedding choices

L

Longshot4

New member
I see quite a variety of bedding materials since I last got into them. I don't recall a gel... used years ago.

Should I avoid one for any reason. Uther than perhaps fire hazard or tox.
I suppose ese of use would be nice.

I want to stiffen up my Savage bedding and forearm.

Comments welcome
 
Bedding can improve the fit of action to stock, but it won’t really stiffen the stock. If that is your goal, you need a new stock.

I used steel bed from Brownell’s.....good stuff.
 
You're probably thinking of Acraglass gel from Brownells.

Stiffening is a challenge. I know some folks have managed to work lengths of carbon composition arrow shafts into the ribs molded into thermoplastic stocks to stiffen them, but haven't tried it myself. The main problem is that little sticks to most of the thermoplastic stocks are made from.
 
I have stiffened up forends for some of my customers by pouring the forend full of glass It works because once the glass sets up it is more rigid than the thermoplastic stock. Probably not the best way to deal with the real problem, the stock is flimsy.
 
I route the forearm on both sides in the "combed" area and place a welding rod (1/8" or 5/32") with the flux hammered off of it, then I used Loctite Epoxy Heavy Duty High Strength Builders Formula to fill the voids. It is thick enough to have a controlled pour and sets up very hard.

Works like a charm on the flimsy Savage stocks and is much less expensive than a new stock.
 
I have only fooled with one plastic stock, they are to me, butt ugly! But I got one as a gift years ago from a girl friend. Had to let her go for getting me something like that! The rifle, Rem 700 ADL, did not shoot well at all, bedding was worst I'd ever seen. once I got it cleaned out to where you could get the barrel action out without pounding on the barrel in front of the stock, I re-bedded the action area tight but still able to lift it out. I've read about the horror's of plastic stocks bending around, think that's the right word, when shooting and read about epoxying a push rod in there to stiffen the barrel channel. I didn't have a push rod so I took another route. From the front of the action forward I floated the barrel a good bit. Trying to recall, think I could slide four pieces of typing paper between the barrel and stock all the way to the action. My thought was to remove enough stock that it couldn't bend far enough to effect the accuracy. Seem's to have worked well. Rifle went from firing pattern's to a 1/2" rifle. Have since replaced that thing with a wood stock. The old girl friend now lives in southern Texas, good three day drive from here, fairly safe distance!

Something to note, if you go ahead and float the barrel like that, you can always put back material using epoxy and tighten it up some. My favorite is liquid steel!
 
Remember that static testing for barrel/forend clearance should be more than that with a light barrel as light barrels do whip a good bit more 1
 
For stiffening the forestock there are several options.
1) www.ballisticstudies.com Nathan Forester sells a stock stabilizer made especially for this.
2) Cut a channel on the inside of each side of the forestock. Cut carbon fibre arrow lengthwise. Epoxy into forestock with open, cut side facing towards outside of stock.

3) Lightweight auto body filler.

I haven't tried the stock stabilizer yet. Of the other 2 options the arrow is lightest, but the body filler worked better.
 
Thanks to all for your input. std7mag your Nathan Fauster information was very interesting. There is a lot of information there. The glass jobs he performed are a bit different but end up looking quite solid.
 
Maybe I missed it, but didn't see what the stock is made from. If it is a wood factory stock, I definitely recommend "pillar bedding" using aluminum pillars between the action bottom and the top of the bottom metal. WHY?
Even though some will recommend glass bedding the action in place, that alone is not enough. The capillaries in the wood are now open after the stock drying process, and the capillaries are what carries the sap through the wood to feed the leaves.
If the stocker uses aluminum pillars, the action can be drawn down tightly on top of the pillars and the now open wood fibers will not collapse, thus ruining the bedding job.
It's always a good idea to "seal" any bare wood in the barrel channel to prevent ingress of moisture and possible forearm warpage. Oft times a free-floated barrel will be more accurate, or with a skinny barrel, a pressure point ( dampening pad ) toward the front of the barrel channel that just touches the bottom of the barrel.
 
If it's a Savage and flexible it's almost certainly one of their thermoplastic stocks. Savage even developed its own reinforcement for those in what they call their Accustock. I bought my FP10 before they had those or the Accutrigger, unfortunately, and that stock whipped so badly it wore through the bluing on the underside of the barrel at the tip of the stock. (Well, OK, I helped that happen by putting a Harris Bi-pod on it to really make it flex.) Anyway, finding a method of stiffening them is important. I put mine in a Choate stock to solve it.

It looks from Nathan's site like he has developed an epoxy that will bond to the thermoplastic. I don't know how he managed that. In the past, the epoxies I've seen for thermoplastic required treating the surface by lightly roasting it with a propane torch or other special measures. I haven't read through Nathan's instructions yet, though, so maybe he's got a treatment for it, too.

The main problem I see is that Nathan is in New Zealand and says he can't ship the individual epoxy kits to other countries like the U.S. by mail. It looks like he has to get together enough orders for a sea shipment, with 148 unit minimum purchase. So it looks like you'd have to put together a group buy to make it happen.
 
I tried the Acraglass, both regular and gel. Didn't like it for bedding. Seemed too soft.
I've since removed the Acraglass and re-bedded all my rifles with Devcon.

There is a gunsmith in PA that uses aluminium filings and epoxy to make custom fit pillars.
I'm not sure of his process, but would like to try it!
 
checking back in. The stock is thermoplastic. Sounds like I might as well try a Choate stock or some thing like that. The stock only uses 5/16-1/4" notch cut in what looks like soft aluminum to support the recoil lug. The notch in the stock looks scratched up and I don't think it will last very long. Since the lug stability is important for accuracy. I will be making a change. Also a short pillar has a thermoplastic seat. That's another negative. I thank all of you for your input.
 
I bedded with Devcon metal worked great , the wait is scary . Will my rifle ever come out of the stock , then that tap on the barrel and out it comes , great feeling . It's Rock Solid even now 3 years later .
 
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