How-To Bed a Rifle, in a new Fiberglass Stock

G'Day Fella's,

Over the years, I have seen and heard a few people tell about how they bed rifle barreled actions, into stocks.
Some of these blokes do have a good understanding of what it is they are going to be doing or done but a lot of individuals, have now bloody idea!

This is probably best left up to the photographic images, and a few words to describe, what it is your looking at, so here goes!

In the begining, we had a Winchester Model 70 Classic Stainless steel barreled action and a Welcome to High Tech Specialties fiberglass stock, to suit.
Attachment 1864
Attachment 1865

Here is a Before and After image of the stock.

Doh!
Homer

G'Day Fella's,

Not to sure what happened at my end but I don't have any of those images visible, so here goes again!
Attachment 1877Attachment 1878

Doh!
Homer

They work for me.

G'Day Fella's,

As can be seen (unfortunately, not by myself?), I have selectively removed just a thin amount of the epoxy resin this is like a Gel Coat on the stock.
The reason I have done this is to make sure I have removed any trace of remaining Release Agent, from when the stock was manufactured!
This has been done in any area, that I want the bedding compound to adhere to, this include along the top of the barrel channel, on both sides and at the forend tip.

Doh!
Homer

G'Day again,

Here is a close up of the recoil lug, receiver ring and barrel reinforce area, to show you where I have removed just a thin layer of Epoxy Resin/Gel Coat material and at the same time created a slight clearance, between the barreled action and inside surfaces, of the stock.
Attachment 1880
Hear is another image but of the whole action area, ditto as above!
Attachment 1881
You can also see the two Pillars that I have machined up, ready for use in this bedding job.

Doh!
Homer

G'Day Fella's,

OK, the next thing to do is to mask off all the areas of the metal work (barreled action, trigger guard and floor plate), that you want to have clearance in this bedding job.
I like most of my conventional bedding jobs to have two Pads in direct contact with the stock.
These two Pads are usually around the front and rear take down screws.
So in my case, I use 0.006" thick plastic tape and apply it to the metal areas that I don't want to contact the stock/bedding.
In some areas, I apply two or three thicknesses of this tape, to provide additional clearance between the metal and stock surfaces.
Attachment 1890
Attachment 1891
Attachment 1892

In these images, you should be able to see the two unmasked Pads (which includes the rear face of the action recoil lug), that will be in direct contact with the stock and the other areas, that I want to have clearance between the metal and stock. This includes the two action screws that have three thicknesses of tape around them to provide clearance between the outside of the screws and the inside of the pillars!

Next, we start preparing for and then sticking things together!

Doh!
Homer

Great pics, keep them coming.

G'Day Fella's,

Thanks for the kind words Stug!

I forgot to mention something above.
Please notice that the only vertical surface of the barreled action to come into contact with the bedding (when completed), is the rear face of the recoil lug!
Every other vertical surface (including the Front, Rear and Sides of the action and the sides of the barrel), has a layer (or Two, or Three) of plastic tape on it, to provide a small amount of clearance!

Doh!
Homer

hey homer is it a problem if the rear tang sits slightly higher than it once did? Id say around 1mm
I have a mate who um......er....... has that problem with a stock I, I mean he bedded the night before last

good stuff homes