Anyone ever did a bedding job?

[DIRTYDAVE]

I have a rifle I'm trying to put together.The stock is a great old piece but my barrel is a bit to small for my stock.Would you with experence say to find a new barrel or stock or apply some type of bedding in the stock to make a snug fit.It is a long gun with pinned stock.any info would probally help.thanks

 

[Rogue River]

How much gap is there?

 

[DIRTYDAVE]

looks like about 1/16th of an inch.

 

[Rogue River]

If it's only a 1/16" I think I would glass bed it. Brownells has the material in a kit and it's called "Acraglas". I've only done a couple with good results, easy to use. Read instructions carefully and be sure to use the release agent on anything you don't want to stick permanently. Your preparation work is the most important, take your time and think ahead! NEW MEMBER TO THE FORUM NEEDS HELP. I don't have that much experience with glass bedding a stock and I hope someone with more experience chimes in with some help.

 

[Melton Kidd]

Is that 1/16th on each side of the barrel? That will leave a line that you cannot hide. If the stock is already inletted for all the hardware I would get a barrel that would fit the channel. If the hardware (lock, butt plate, trigger guard,etc is is not inlet, I would get a new stock. I don,t think you will be please with bedding compound showing the full length of the barrel.

 

[DIRTYDAVE]

The barrel is 42 inches long and is 7/8 and the stock is cut out 13/16 inches

 

[Deerstalker]

I'm a newbie also, but I think I would look for the same or similar barrel in 13/16 and sell the 7/8 barrel, or keep the old barrel for another project, but I would opt for another barrel.
Bryan

 

[Walks with fire]

Well; since we cannot see just what kind of barrel/stock situation you have going on here I guess I will try to assume just what you have here. I believe you have stated your stock channel as being 13/16" and the barrel being 7/8". I think the reverse is probably more likely.
7/8 is 14/16 if you prefer to look at that way. I think you have a 13/16 barrel and a 7/8 channel. Another thing I wonder about is whether or not the ramrod channel is seperate from the stock channel; in other words; if you can see the ramrod channel when the barrel is out I don't think I would attempt to glass bed it until you have a bit more experience with bedding. There is just too much that can go wrong. If you just want to put it together as a shooter I would not be concerned with what little bit of gap you will have. As long as things line up good and there is no movement of the barrel in the channel it should shoot just fine with it being glass bedded.

First make sure that everything is just the way you want it before you start to bed it. Does the lock sit up tight to the barrel; if it's a flinter is the touch hole in the correct position; does the ramrod fit correctly; etc.
The main thing is that it fits at least well enough that everything is workable. I have never done a pinned barrel; mine are all hooked breech and center fire rifles. I will say that I glass bed almost every rifle I intend to keep and have seen good to very good improvements in accuracy when it is done correctly.

The first rifle I ever glass bedded scared the living bejesus out of me at first but if you read the directions and proceed correctly you should be able to do it; it's just one of those things you have to do/learn yourself if you have no one to show you. It will take you some time to do it; and I would rough bed it by staying back away from all the edges and then re-bed for finishing touch up.

The post would take pages to explain all circumstances so think it all though a bit more and ask away. If everything fits and lines up well but just has a little slop in the barrel I think if it were mine and it's just a shooter rifle I would do it.

If you could post some pic's it would help us a great deal.

 

[BLAHMAN]

The barrel is 42 inches long and is 7/8 and the stock is cut out 13/16 inches

Save yourself some trouble, get a 13/16 barrel, keep the 7/8 for another project.

 

[DIRTYDAVE]

Well I have not even fitted the breechplug yet.But just wanted to get advise before I went any farther.The barrel and stock are both the pinnined type would have to drill more holes in stock or add more lugs under barrel they dont line up.May just split these up.Just another excuse to build another.Will post a picture soon to show the difference.thanks

 

[billd]

If you decide to do this, make sure the side flats are polished real good. Even with the release agent you have to pull pretty good to get it apart and the this forearm isn't going to take much pressure before cracking. I would use several coats of the release agent and/or some good cooking spray, like PAM. A heat gun on the barrel will also help get it apart. Taking it apart would scare the brown stuff out of me.

 

[Walks with fire]

Is this a kit rifle or some parts that you have gathered up for a project? If the stock is still unfinished and you like the balance; looks and feel of the rifle but are concerned with a little bit of play with the barrel in the channel; by all means; button her up and glass bed it in the channel. Hey; if you don't have much in it you can't lose anything. You will learn much more than you will ever imagine doing it. Stay well back away from those pins with the gel (don't get the liquid kind) or you may never get it apart again. With hooked breech rifles I glue the tang and the barrel together(use a glue that hold them together but you can still get them apart later) and glass bed them together staying back away from the wedge keys; then after it's dry I go back in and touch it up real nice. You will get the idea as you go.

 

[Walks with fire]

Yep; the first time it's done it will definitely have ya thinking a bit. I really like what it does for a production sidelock rifle though. It's well worth the work in my opinion. I have one TC flinter that has changed dramaticly from what it was originally because it just had a little to much slop in the barrel/channel fit. After you do a couple it's not hard at all. Bedding of the tang is just as important as the barrel. Use the gel though because the liquid type just doesn't stay put as well. One more thing needs mentioned as well; if your doing a TC it would probably void your warranty and second--behind the tang there is a slot cut-out that extends into the tang bolt hole. Fill that with plumbers putty before you glass bed the tang in or it will work into the tang bolt and you will have a huge problem. If you have trouble getting it apart freezing the gun works really well; never tried a heat gun or hair dryer but that might work well too! Anyway; it's a bit of work but I like the results of doing it. I have also been told that the serious traditional shoots don't allow glass bedded rifles. I wonder why!!!!

 

[DIRTYDAVE]

No this is not a kit.It is a older stock.the barrel has nothing stamped on it I can make out A little wore on outside,all brown and a pit or two.Inside looks all good.think its a 42 cal.Bigger than my 40 but smaller than a 45

 

[Walks with fire]

Get er done!!!