stock beding

[bench]

I have a new wood stock for a hunting rifle do I need to bed it??
Never done this before can I do it myself or should I have it done.
Thanks

 

[josh.rizzo]

You can definitely do it yourself, and it's not expensive. Get a kit like Acraglas off of Brownell's or Amazon and it will have everything you need plus instructions. Browse some YouTube videos if you need extra information. The biggest key is to take your time and make everything clean and precise.

I haven't had good luck with the Bedrock kit from Midway, but YMMV. Some people also swear by JB Weld or other hardware store compounds, but the big selling point on Acraglas for me is that your normal gun cleaning solutions will dissolve some of those and Acraglas is made to resist them.

PRO TIP: use A LOT of release agent (it comes in the kit). The only way you can do any permanent damage is if you accidentally bond or lock your action into the stock. The release agent prevents the important parts from bonding to the bedding compound. I'd almost venture to say that there is no such thing as too much release agent. You can always touch up the bedding job, but it's much harder to get a locked action out. Heck, as long as you don't lock the action in you can chisel out a bad bedding job and redo it, so don't be afraid to try a DIY job (I have redone several that I wasn't happy with the first time).

As far as if you NEED to do it - no, you don't NEED to. That being said, I've seen some pretty good results on most rifles from doing a good bedding job. It improves accuracy and can mitigate barrel temperature issues. It's also a good opportunity to free float a barrel that wasn't free floated before. Given that most of the bedding kits are under $30, and you can usually get two rifles out of them, I feel like it's too easy and cheap to pass up on.

 

[Raythemanroe]

I had fun doing mine, I went with the midway kit..I would recommend my second venture (Devcon).. If your not into DIY projects and don't have a dremel or access to a mill, probably just as cheap to hand it to a Smith..

 

[jonbearman]

I like marine tex and wil continue on using it.One thing you should do is start reading up on it and our site and many others have good tutorials with video's to better help you understand the process.I take all triggers off and bottom metal off and use bedding screws.Sooo before you start, read everything you can to completely get the picture and your first will be perfect.

 

[titanxt]

I have done my own in the past and it seems far scarier to do than it really is. I used a kit from Brownell's and it was simple. As the other post says, do use plenty of release agent and avoid mechanically lock in the action in place (a condition were bedding compound gets in to screw holes, recesses, etc. and despite the presence of release agent, has ahold on the action (think of it as a finger of material that has hooked onto something and wont let go).That condition is fairly easy to avoid, but you should be mindful of it. Youtube a few videos and have at it! Disclaimer: If I had a very expensive competition rifle, I would send it to a gunsmith. IMO, Factory rifles are perfect for tweaking on your own...

Andy

 

[jonbearman]

Use modeling clay to fill in any milled slots and tape the bottom and sides and front of the recoil lug as well. Again the tutorials will explain the process very well.

 

[bench]

Thanks a bunch Guys,
I will do it myself and order kit from Midway
Thanks
Bench

 

[Area Man]

Nothing like that first time and trying to sleep at night wondering if the dang thing is going to come apart in the morning.

 

[udiablo]

Hey, it's no big deal if it doesn't release.

Then you just refer to it as a "glue-in" and you pretend that it was done that way intentionally.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Some folks will throw it in the freezer if you get a lock...Clear shoe polish works well as a release agent...

 

[Killshot]

PAM cooking spray (not butter-flavored!) is also a decent release-agent if you don't have the task-specific stuff that Brownells sells.

I've found that the DevCon steel putty works very well for stock bedding and setting pillars. It has the consistency of peanut butter, it stays where you put it, has a long working time and it cures rock-hard.

 

[MGYSGT]

If you buy the kit, make sure it is the green box not the red box. The green box is thicker and stays put. I tried the PAM thing. Didn't work out for me. I now use Kiwi Neutral past shoe polish for a release agent. Apply it like you would a pair of shoes.

Tom