attempting my first bedding job

[Huntbear]

Looks good there..  Now get er cleaned up, and slapped back together and see how she shoots! 

[BULLBLASTER]

When you bed the action do you only bed the areas where the bolts hold the rifle together? It looks like the back area by the safety then skip the magazine area? Then bed at he front bolt to a bit in front of the recoil lug?
Or is the entire thing bedded (around magazine and everywhere)?

[Huntbear]

Bullblaster,

I always bed the 1st inch of the barrel, and the recoill lug area, with Devcon.  I use Acra Gel to bed the rest of the action, so as to get as close a 1 to 1 fit as possible (a lot of this is for aesthetics) and then bed the rear tang area, to make that area stronger as well as give it a good tight fit.

All of my rifles, fit tight enough that I can take all the screws out, turn the whole thing upside down, and the barreled action will not move or fall out.

That all said, I did not answer part of your question.  No, the magazine area is usually not bedded, it simply is there to hold shells.   Just bed the action, it is the part that is critical.

[Huntbear]

Gutpile,

The air bubbles are from stirring to vigorously when mixing.  If you mix slower, keeping your mixing stick always in the compound, there will be a lot less bubbles to worry about.

[BULLBLASTER]

Thanks huntbear. Another question. Other than gluing gun together could this process make a gun shoot worse? I want to give this a shot but am scared to disassembly my gun and don't want to screw up.

[whacker1]

Thanks huntbear. Another question. Other than gluing gun together could this process make a gun shoot worse? I want to give this a shot but am scared to disassembly my gun and don't want to screw up.

Try it first with something you care less about, maybe a .22 long rifle or some less expensive make or a cheap aftermarket stock, like a ramline.  I am willing to bet you will find some things you will differently the second time around.  Like Gutpile was saying earlier that this was cheap synthetic stock to begin with.  This way you can be prepared to replace it with a good aftermarket stock if you don't like the results of your bedding activities. 

[Camp David]

Thanks huntbear. Another question. Other than gluing gun together could this process make a gun shoot worse? I want to give this a shot but am scared to disassembly my gun and don't want to screw up.

If you mess it up; worst case..... you get to buy a new gun 

[whacker1]

Thanks huntbear. Another question. Other than gluing gun together could this process make a gun shoot worse? I want to give this a shot but am scared to disassembly my gun and don't want to screw up.

If you mess it up; worst case..... you get to buy a new gun 

or a new stock?

[Huntbear]

The biggest thing to remember is LOTS AND LOTS of wax or release agent.  If you do not get release agent on the gun itself, you now have a one piece gun.  I know a guy that had to take an ax and chisel to get his gun out of a stock.. but then he forgot the release agent completely.

As long as you read, watch some youtube tutorials, and follow the instructions to the "T" you will be fine.

Where are you located at?  I am always willing to help or ?

[BULLBLASTER]

I'm in Spokane. Having to buy a new gun/stock or paying a smith to fix what I f up is my biggest fear... I like my.gun.
Sorry gutpile.. didn't meant to jack your thread. Been good at that lately.

[Gutpile]

No problem. LOL. I did my 30-06 ADL this morning. the second run goes a lot quicker. Just start with one you dont care about and give it a go. there are some great vids on youtube so watch them. I have several beddef rifles and they all shoot well under an inch so I figured bedding this 7 stw couldnt hurt unless i screwed up on the release agent and glued the stock to the reciever. Its accuracy (lack of) was giving me fits but I wanted to use the lightweight stock not the heavy wood one. I sure hope it does the trick. Anyways bedded rifles shoot way better I hope it holds true on the jobs I'm attempting.

[high country]

Be careful of too much release. I have seen guys get silly with it and after polishing it off it is not right. When you mix your material, work it on a thin wide surface and go back and forth....not in circles. Leaving it thin will afford you extra time also as it slows the reaction. You can add material to the action and the stock and it will help the air bubbles. In the event you should fail to get release on your action......don't panic.....and don't destroy a stock. Pull the scope, insert a copper bar or place an iron on top of the action and let it heat up. Devcon turns to goo and releases around *400

[BOWHUNTER45]

how did it trn out 

[high country]

If you are going to bed a bunch of rifles, go find a few 1/4-28 bolts about 3" long. Cut the heads off and use them to align the action and prevent goo in the threads. Next you need to try your hand at setting some pillars. It's pretty easy and a big help on cheap stocks.

[Gutpile]

how did it trn out 

good. i put pics up. the adl came out better. 

If you are going to bed a bunch of rifles, go find a few 1/4-28 bolts about 3" long. Cut the heads off and use them to align the action and prevent goo in the threads. Next you need to try your hand at setting some pillars. It's pretty easy and a big help on cheap stocks.

. When I get the nerve I'm going to do pillars. Baby steps to start though