Glass Bedding

[rickystl]

In muzzleloading builders circles is it still considered advantagous to glass-bed the barrel to the stock? Especially on longer barrels. Thanks.

 

[chipper]

I'm a beginner gun builder but I've done it twice to traditional rifles and several times to modern rifles with nothing but absolute confidence that it is the only way to go if you seeking accuracy. The best part is... It only takes a short time to do the bedding. It's like a win win situation unless.... you mess up and the barrel sticks to the stock. I use pam cooking oil and have never had any major problems.
I hope that helps.

 

None of the pro builders that I know that build muzzleloaders, bed their barrels. With long guns the barrel supports the foreend, and not the foreend supporting the barrel. To me it would be like putting premium gas in a Yugo. Yeah it'll run, but no way will it improve the performance. The only reason I would bed is to repair a break or major flaw. Bill

 

[LRB]

It can be overdone, but I most always bed the breech area out to around three or four inches. This greatly helps to prevent the tang from chipping the wood behind it, and helps prevent oil softening in that area. Just don't do it in a manner that it shows.
In a case of poor bedding, It definately will improve performance. All of us can't be pro- makers, although I'm pretty good at it.

 

[Vaino]

I normally use 44" swamped barrels and make the fore ends very thin and don't really know how there would be any room for glass bedding that wouldn't show. Also w/ such thin fore ends, what would be the advantage, seeing the barrel supports the wood? Using epoxy at the breech ensures a solid back stop for the recoil and also compensates for inletting miscues, so would be worthwhile. In the end though, a properly made fore end {thin} wouldn't have any bearing on a LR's accuracy unless the barrel pinning causes interference.......Fred

 

[LRB]

I agree. There is little or no reason to do much more than the breech area, or at most, just beyond the first pin.

 

[rickystl]

Gentlemen: Thanks so much for all your replies. Most helpful. This is just another example of why this Site is great. Thanks, again. :thumbsup: