Bedding Mosin Nagant

vorgath

New member
So I let it cure over night, had to tap it to get the barrel/receiver out of the stock. Now my question is, should I redo it ? I doubt I used enough JB weld, because it wasn't overflowing when I put the screws in.
 

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I'd probably redo it. Hog out the old bedding and start over. I'd like to have the bedding full embrace the action, where I intend to bed, like a glove. Few things to suggest.

1. The recoil should go to the cross bolt only. I will make sure the action screws are not touch the stock. I will put a few layers of masking tapes on the rear end of the rear tang. I will put masking tapes on 3 sides of the recoil lug, and be damn sure the back side of the lug is in direct contact with the cross bolt while the compound cures.

2. I'd like to support the action at 2 points. The chamber and the rear tang, so there are the 2 areas I'd bed. Nothing in between.

3. I'd cover the whole stock with masking tape. I always run into trouble when dealing with sticky stuff.

Hope this helps.

-TL
 
Oh so don't cover the entire inside with JB weld ?

I was wondering about the area behind the receiver tang, most people fill it in, but the old Soviet manual says no.
 
I would re-do the bedding.

Bed under the chamber.

Bed the flat behind the recoil lug.

Bed the flat around the rear tang screw, but do not bed the sides of the tang. Mosins do not respond well if the tang is bedded tightly.

Bed the flats on the magazine assembly where the screws go through, but make sure the sides of the magazine does not touch wood.
 
Could you guys post any pics of what you mean by not bedding the sides of the tang ?

This is my first rifle so I'd like to get it as right as I can
 
Oh so don't cover the entire inside with JB weld ?

I was wondering about the area behind the receiver tang, most people fill it in, but the old Soviet manual says no.


Correct. The action should be suspended at 2 points; the chamber/recoil lug area and usually a few inches of barrel in front of the chamber, and the rear tang. I will bed the sides at both points to eliminate lateral movement of the action. The recoil force should go to the stock through the cross bolt only. If you let the back of the tang contact the stock, it may compromise the above principle if the wood contracts. You can grind away the cured compound to have a gap of 0.020" to 0.050" behind the tang.

-TL
 
Yeah I was thinking about and figured why not, so tomorrow I'll swing by a hardware store and see if I can find the right size tubing for the pillars.

Tonight I was fighting with the rear sight removal, problem is I didn't have any punches at home, but biggest issue is my rear sight has a set screw. Sure some people say it's easier to remove the ones with the set screw, nope not here, the screw is mashed now, after twisting my weaker screw bits. So it looks like I now have to get a punch set, rust buster or whatever that awesome penetrating oil was called that I used years ago on cars, plus a torch. I also have to drill out the set screw.

Besides I can use the punch set on the bolt action to fine tune it a bit where the casing meets metal.

Lol I've had my Mosin for 2 1/2 weeks now and still haven't shot it. Point is my fiancée bought it for me so now I need to have it as good as it can get so she'll support the idea of more military surplus rifles lol !!
 
Also, am I the only one with lol a loose trigger pin ? When I used Pam as a release agent the damn pin just fell out
 
The trigger pin is quite loose, but it shouldn't be a problem. It is restrained by the wood once the action is in the stock.

BTW, you should strip the gun down as much as possible when you are bedding it. The less there to catch up with the sticky stuff the better. Also always look out for possibility of mechanical lock.

You mentioned you were using JB weld. I haven't used it before, but I have an impression that it is just plain epoxy glue. It will work fine as along as it doesn't shrink when it cures. Glass bedding compounds are usually loaded with fine metal granules. Plastic metal putty by Devcon is my favorite.

-TL
 
FINALLY !!!! Finally got the rear sight base off, the front pin was tough but I got it out, now the rear one was pure HELL, I broke several punches, had to drill it out a bit to use the remaining bigger punches.

I even managed to get a black eye, yes a black eye, didn't wear goggles when a piece of a punch flew out and hit me right under the eye.

The retaining screw, well that one I just drilled out and punched through.

Now I can finally focus on the rest of the project. Went to Ace hardware and bought some brass tubing to use as bed pillars, also got some thin strips of brass to use as shims. So now I'll do the pillars and shims first, before I finish with bedding the action.
 
Pillars and shims?

They're mutually exclusive...assuming your pillars are cut to the correct length (approx. .01" oversize) you would have no use for shims. Explain?
 
At least the forward shim, just to make a better solid base, because when I did the initial bedding the only place PAM didn't do its job was right there, tiny bit of wood came out.

Question regarding pillars though ... Wall thickness ? The brass I got is not .035 thick, but 0.014 I believe, however I have the next size bigger tube as well, so I was thinking maybe sliding the smaller one inside the larger one. It's a perfect fit.
 
I wouldn't do that...
Generally, 1/2" tubing is used. I've heard of brass being used, but I'd be a bit concerned about galvanic corrosion between the tubes and the steel action and bottom metal so be sure it stays dry.

That tubing is way too thin. I wouldn't (and personally, don't) use anything thinner than 1/16" wall thickness, and usually twice that, but the MN action screw is a bit larger in diameter than most guns.. Just be sure the action screw doesn't bind on the inside of the pillar.
 
Problem has been finding proper sized tubing, the 5/16 ID one is a perfect fit, but like I said a bit thin :-(
 
H.D. has 1/2" OD, 3/8" ID aluminum tubing, works just fine. This provides the 1/16" wall thickness. No way 50 or 60 in. lbs. of torque on a screw is going to compress this.

Whatever you use, take a grinding wheel and cut a number of grooves/slots around the outside to help bond the pillar in place.
 
But isn't 3/8 ID way too big, too loose ? I was looking at it originally and went naaaah too much room inside
 
Ok found the next best thing at Lowe's, 3/8 brass fittings, I figured oh well they already have the shape so I won't have to use my Dremel to cut slots in the tubing for the JB Weld to stick better
 
No such thing as "too much room inside", unless the wall thickness is compromised to the extent that it compresses.

You don't want the action screws to touch the inside of the pillars- and they've got no way of knowing how much space around them, there is....space, is space...
 
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