Good bed job vs poor bedding

[jmd]

I'm looking for ideas on how to tell if the bedding job when well or needs to be redone. I broke down and tried the release again that comes with Accraglas since I wasn't satisfied with the release of the particular carnauba wax I was using. The issue I have is that it seemed really touch to get an even layer of the brownells release agent that comes with the kit. I had all kinds of the blue crud to clean off the action & the cured bedding compound. I'm concerned the skin from the release was too thick & I didn't do the job properly. With the horizontal stringing I'm blaming the bed job as I wasn't happy with it. I know the only real way to know for sure is to shoot a few more loads when the weather breaks. With that being said, I'm wondering how you guys determine whether the bed job is good or bad.

 

[BigDMT]

Its bad no matter how you look at it if you use Acraglas.

Get Devcon Steel puddy and use Kiwi Neutral color shoe polish as a release agent.

 

[fredhorace77]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-bedding-accessories/mold-releases/acra-release--prod1045.aspx

IMO it doesn't get any easier than this..simply spray on a lite coat and go to work

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I would not blame the stringing on the bedding. Stringing is more of a load problem. The way I check bedding is with a dial indicator on a magnetic base. Put the base on the barrel and the indicator on the stock. loosen one action screw at a time, if there is more than .001-.002 movement I would re bed.

 

[Minesweeper3433]

I go with exactly what Big DMT said. Devcon steel putty and kiwi shoe polish. I tried tons of release agents that people talked about on the web before giving kiwi a try and the difference was so great I have never tried anything since. You can see the metal finish in the bedding on some of the 700's I have done with kiwi.

 

[OB]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but does the kiwi work if you have a rough matte finish?

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but does the kiwi work if you have a rough matte finish?

Yes, and Johnson's paste wax works equally well too. Don't be scared to buff it all off too.

 

[timeout]

Devcon steel putty and kiwi shoe polish have worked best for me. I pillar bed. IMHO the pillar height has to be correct. There must be clearance everywhere under the action - and barrel - except at the pillars. If clearance is insufficient, I use steel shim washers purchased from Ernie the Gunsmith website. When the bedding job is complete, you should see a lengthwise strip of the aluminum pillar metal about an 1/8" wide. This shows that the pillars are actually doing what they were designed to do, support the action. IMHO if you don't see the top, center portion of the pillar, you have bedded the action, not pillar bedded it. Then as zfastmalibu stated, the proof of a proper bedding job is loosening the action screws one at a time and checking with a dial indicator. The next debate is on how much of the recoil lug should contact the bedding and should the front portion of heavy barrels be bedded? Like always there will be differences of opinion. I tend to imitate what the top gunsmiths are doing. I may or may not succeed in doing the job as well, but in most all cases that is where I want my info to come from

 

[bheadboy]

+1

Its bad no matter how you look at it if you use Acraglas.

Get Devcon Steel puddy and use Kiwi Neutral color shoe polish as a release agent.


Acraglas is not consistant and often awuful in my experience, the best is Devcon Steel puddy, I use Johnsons paste floor wax, never a problem,

For years a product non longer on the market was also great, MicroBed, if you could find some don't hesitate to pm me and I will buy it/

Bob

 

[azmetalman]

OB I recently bedded a matte finished action action and the shank of the barrel with Devcon 10110. I used Kiwi neutral paste. Just put a good coat of Kiwi on everything and let it dry. Then buff it off with a towel or soft rag and reapply a 2nd coat being just as careful to coat every nook and cranny. Let it dry, buff it off and you are ready to go. No release problem at all. Devcon 10110 is easy to work with, has a good working time and the results are much better than other compounds I have used over the years. I actually called Devcon and spoke to a customer service tech. He knew exactly what I was doing and give me a few tips on mixing and application.

 

[cncmill]

Its bad no matter how you look at it if you use Acraglas.

Get Devcon Steel puddy and use Kiwi Neutral color shoe polish as a release agent.

+1

 

[jghoghunter]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-bedding-accessories/mold-releases/acra-release--prod1045.aspx

IMO it doesn't get any easier than this..simply spray on a lite coat and go to work

This is the best stuff you will ever try makes acraglass easy to use. Believe me or not but you have to be careful when you are taking the action out of the stock for the first time because it may fall out. When I first tried it I damn near dropped my bbl'd action on the floor it came out so easy. I thought well its probably just a fluke. The next one came out just a easy. I'm glad my gunsmith recommended it to me. Like Fred said it doesn't get any easier than this.

 

[BigDMT]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-bedding-accessories/mold-releases/acra-release--prod1045.aspx

IMO it doesn't get any easier than this..simply spray on a lite coat and go to work

This is the best stuff you will ever try makes acraglass easy to use. Believe me or not but you have to be careful when you are taking the action out of the stock for the first time because it may fall out. When I first tried it I damn near dropped my bbl'd action on the floor it came out so easy. I thought well its probably just a fluke. The next one came out just a easy. I'm glad my gunsmith recommended it to me. Like Fred said it doesn't get any easier than this.

Im sure that stuff is an excellent release agent, but your barreled action falling out of the stock is most likely because Acraglas shrinks and your layer of release agent is too thick. Or perhaps you are not doing full action bedding jobs?

Whatever it is, thats not right.

 

[jghoghunter]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/stock-bedding-accessories/mold-releases/acra-release--prod1045.aspx

IMO it doesn't get any easier than this..simply spray on a lite coat and go to work

This is the best stuff you will ever try makes acraglass easy to use. Believe me or not but you have to be careful when you are taking the action out of the stock for the first time because it may fall out. When I first tried it I damn near dropped my bbl'd action on the floor it came out so easy. I thought well its probably just a fluke. The next one came out just a easy. I'm glad my gunsmith recommended it to me. Like Fred said it doesn't get any easier than this.

Im sure that stuff is an excellent release agent, but your barreled action falling out of the stock is most likely because Acraglas shrinks and your layer of release agent is too thick. Or perhaps you are not doing full action bedding jobs?

Whatever it is, thats not right.

I'm going to politely say you are absolutely WRONG. This is not the first bedding job I've done nor the last I did. You have never tried it. You cannot get it too thick. It is a superior product to anything out there. Try it before you say I did something wrong. That gun shot in the o's and 1's at 100 yds and 1" at 500 and a consistent 6" 10 shot groups at 1000yds with more than 1, 5 shot group at 1k that were 2" If need be I can take a pic of the full action bedding job. You have to push the bbl'd action to get it back into the stock after the release agent is cleaned off the action. This product just works better than anything that you wipe or buff onto your action for a release agent.

 

[BigDMT]

Jghoghunter,
Sounds like goood release agent, might have to try some. Though kiwi works just fine for now.

Where did you shoot those groups? In sanctioned matches? Or by yourself at the range? Just curious. You should be a very reputable shooter amongst the competition world with the ability to shoot like that. Especially using Acraglas. Thats simply amazing...

 

[LitLBoy]

What about using WD-40 as a release agent? I've done this several times. Good results. I make sure not to have it dripping wet.
Opinions?

 

[jhn]

WD40 as a release agent shure, it worked for you. but.
WD40 does as far i know inpregnate too, wich may harm the Devcon.

My first bedding job i used Tana universal leather wax, spray can.
(i live in the Netherlands) and kiwi not really a brand overhere.

Onley downside of this spray can was, my gun smelled like new shoes for half a year.
Worked great on the Defcon Pillar/bedding job.

Found a litle upscure shoe smith who does have Kiwi, boucht a smal can right away,
for my next bedding job.

Much regards Johan

 

[jghoghunter]

The five shots groups were shot with friends at reade range and Mifflin co range. Most of the 10 shot groups were shot at Williamsport and reade range during matches. Since I bought my company I haven't been able to shoot as much as I use to. I spend most of my time working. 2009 was my best year I was in the top 10 at williamsports world open that year I was also I believe 13th at the Pa States at reade range that year. So in case you are curious I can shoot I just don't have the time I would like to devote to it. In case you are curious there is an article over at Long Range Hunting where we have a acraglas bedded rig that we killed a prairie dog at 2218 yds and where we were able to pound the hell out of the pd mounds out to 2 Miles but we just never connected on a pd. It takes 10 seconds for the bullet to get there and if you know anything about pd they never stand still for 10 seconds but we will get one, one of these trips.
Nice try.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I used a release agent from brownells once, it dried as a film and you could peel in off after your done, released great but does not give a perfect fit to the action after you remove the release agent. I would not use anything that ads dimension to the action.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I might be wrong, but none of the reputable gunsmiths use Acraglass. I'm not saying it's not any good, but if I send my gun off for a bedding job and it comes back with Acraglass, I will be asking for my money back real quick!