Rifle stock bedding question

[cbrown]

I have an old ruger stock that I want to try to bed just for fun and to learn how.

The stock has a floor plate so there is of course a gap there when the action and bottom metal are removed.

I have watched several videos on youtube but does anyone have a good step by step video or pictures of what to do?

Do you fill the hole with play doh or just just not worry about it?
How much wood do I need to remove from the area where the bedding material will be used?

[txfireguy2003]

Never done it myself, but I've seen videos of guys completely filling the void with clay of some sort. That's how I plan to do it, as well as completely filling the chamber area of my action and the obvious screw holes etc.

As far as wood to remove, that seems to be an area of contention. Some say 1/8", others say JUST in the area behind the recoil lug, others drill shallow holes for a mechanical lock, I think it boils down to personal preference. From my understanding, you're not trying to have a large hunk of epoxy for a make shift bedding block, just even contact with the entire action, so I would remove just enough wood to releave any contact spots, with the exception of the rear tang area. You can even hollow out the tang area a bit, but leave enough wood contact at the very rear of the action to act as a landmark for proper bedding depth (keeping the action seated right at 1/2 way into the stock, and level along the whole action/barrel package). Other than that, it seems to be just skim coating for even contact.

Again, this is all from my research, not personal experience, but I plan to do it once I have the spare funds put together to buy a decent stock for my .308.

[Coach W]

Speaking from experience...

Take it to your smith and have him do it... Its a pain in the butt! and no part is fun! and if you screw up you have to remove all the epoxy and try again... and if you remove too much wood your in trouble!!! Ask if he will let you watch... he probably wont unless you know him.

Its worth every penny for an experienced smith to do it.

[JBS]

I charge 4 times my regular bedding price to re-bed a gun the customer has bedded for a reason.

[cbrown]

Speaking from experience...

Take it to your smith and have him do it... Its a pain in the butt! and no part is fun! and if you screw up you have to remove all the epoxy and try again... and if you remove too much wood your in trouble!!! Ask if he will let you watch... he probably wont unless you know him.

Its worth every penny for an experienced smith to do it.

I appreciate the advice but like I stated, this is an old stock. It's not being used on the rifle so I want to learn how to bed it.

[texag93]

I have done 4 in my life......and the most recent one was 1992. What I remember most is you can't use to much release agent on metal parts.

[SmTx]

Have you watched the brownells videos? Think they have a good step by step video.

[Cajun Blake]

a lathe would be your best friend , however you can use a barrel bedding tool (see pic below) or a dremel tool to relieve 1/16" ~ 1/8" of wood or stock material.

tape off the stock (an exacto knife comes in handy to remove tape from inside action area) , use modeling clay to fill holes in action, be generous and use lots of release agent all over the action .... inside and out.



this is how it should look




another valuable resource ... http://brscustomrifles.sports.office...m/default.aspx




.

[Coach W]

I charge 4 times my regular bedding price to re-bed a gun the customer has bedded for a reason.

WHat do you charge... and where are you located... I have one that needs to be done, I havent tried to bed it, so I would like the 1/4 price discount!

[Husker]

I did a savage that I put a Boyd stock on. It was stressful being my first but having done it I'd do it again. Lots of release agent relieves some of the stress. Worst mistake I made was using colored clay...pink...I still find flecks of it stuck in places I don't remember filling.that being said try to use clay near the color of the stock. I used a Drexel and took my time removing a little wood at a time.

[cbrown]

a lathe would be your best friend , however you can use a barrel bedding tool (see pic below) or a dremel tool to relieve 1/16" ~ 1/8" of wood or stock material.

tape off the stock (an exacto knife comes in handy to remove tape from inside action area) , use modeling clay to fill holes in action, be generous and use lots of release agent all over the action .... inside and out.



this is how it should look




another valuable resource ... http://brscustomrifles.sports.office...m/default.aspx




.

Very helpful and a wealth of knowledge as usual! Thank you CB

[Cajun Blake]

Very helpful and a wealth of knowledge as usual! Thank you CB

you're welcome CB

[dustoffer]

Watch out on the Ruger--it has the angled action screw, so not as simple as Cajun blake's pic.

[Cajun Blake]

Watch out on the Ruger--it has the angled action screw, so not as simple as Cajun blake's pic.

dust,

thx for pointing that out as I overlooked the OP's thread about a Ruger rifle . I was thinking a std rem 700 ... my bad

if it's an M77 , pretty sure the action screw is at a 62* angle and mounts thru the floor plate assembly . The recoil lug is part of the M77 action

watch this video


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exFUzYLGWTk"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exFUzYLGWTk[/ame]