Thought I’d write an explanation pertaining to the simplest (well close) and the cheapest (maybe) way to get good results from your efforts at glass bedding a barrel.
Of course you need tools, the following does the job for me:
A vise or some cradle to hold the barrel or stock as work is being done and while curing .
I have used a barrel bedding tool made by Gunline Tools, which I got from Brownells for about 22.00. Nice but not necessary unless you’re tackling a stock unfamiliar to your rifle and you’re not glass bedding. So why did I even mention it?
A tool I consider essential for any wood inletting is a dremel. A ½ inch drum inserted in that momma jomma and the woods coming out, at a rate and speed I can control. The dremel costs about 35.00, the ½ inch drum costs about 5.95 and can be bought at any building supply or hardware store.
This is really all one needs to achieve the desired barrel channel.
There is one other inexpensive tool which will make the job easier and quicker, a pair of inletting guide screws, made for your particular rifle. These are just headless screws that screw into your guard screw holes to hold the barreled action in alignment.
They cost about 5.00.
Supplies needed are:
~Barrel bedding tape - this looks like 2 inch wide electrical tape and is specifically made for this purpose. Run the length of the stock bedding, a roll will last years and costs about 10.00. If you’re not going to freefloat, then you won’t need the tape.
~Acraglas gel (don’t bother with the runny stuff) - this is a two part epoxy which, when directions are followed (please do), will be much stronger than the wood itself when cured. A kit, which contains the epoxy, spoons, release agent and stirrer (tongue depressor) can be purchased from Brownells for about 20.00. You can purchase the dye, black or brown, separately for about 4.50. A word of caution, a drop of this stuff goes a long way; you’ll see!
~Release agent – DON’T FORGET TO USE THIS AS DIRECTED or you’re screwed.
This can be purchased separately from Brownells for about 5.00, and is used anywhere you DON’T want the adjoining parts to stick together or anywhere you DO want to separate the adjoining parts.
~Permatex Prussian blue – this is marvelous, messy stuff in a tube, made by Permatex, which will show any high spots in barrel channel which would need to be removed. A tube costs about 3.00.
~Vinegar – this is the only thing I know of to clean the acraglas from hands (while soft). Speaking of cleanup, make sure you have a bunch of cleaning rags about, ‘cause you’ll
need ‘em when you get close to the Prussian blue.
Before you start, make sure you have everything you need at hand and free time allotted, this will be repeated.
Ok, you have your barreled action out and in front of you. Screw the inletting screws into the action. Lay the barreled action aside and measure the stock from a point about two fingers width forward of the lug recess, to the front edge (length A). Lay the barreled action in the cradle/vise, lug side up, and if you’re gonna free-float, center a strip of bedding tape the length (A) + 1 inch, starting about two fingers width from the front of the lug and press down just along the centerline of the barrel. Next pull the tape down around the barrel, making sure you leave no air pockets (we want this to be slick as you-know-what). You can go ahead and apply some of that release agent to all the taped surface of the barrel. At this time I’d go ahead and apply the release agent to the inletting screws too. If you’re not going to free-float, just skip the taping. I, personally, use the thickness of two strips of tape. You can now lay the barreled action aside, knowing that you’ve used release agent at least one time on barrel and inletting screws. Just in case,
Put some release agent on and on front the lug – can’t be too careful.
Now for the fun – place the stock, right side up, in the cradle/vise and wait a few minutes
For the release agent on barrel to dry, after which, break out the old Prussian blue and smear a little over the taped up barrel. Oh, did I mention the clean-up rags? Now guide
the barreled action into the stock trying not to place downward pressure on the barrel.
Raising the barreled action with the same care, you should note high spots (blue spots)
which is where the dremel comes into play. Don’t be overly concerned about taking
out too much from the barrel channel except on the sides, which will look bad; actually
the more glass in the channel, the more benefit. I repeat, be careful not to leave gaps
along the sides of the barrel. Keep lowering and raising the barreled action and relieving
the channel until you are sure you see no more blue high spots. As you near perfection
(God, I love that), you may want to rap the receiver with your hand to make sure of
contact. When you’ve done the deed (are you sure?), lay the barreled action aside (again).
Oh, you should prolly clean the Prussuin blue off the barrel now.
Now - Let’s play with the goop.
Remember what I said about free time; if ever there was a need for it, now’s the time. For the next little while, no visits, no phone calls, just you and IT. Get out the Acraglas gel and all the fixin’s and following mixing directions, mix enough of the stuff to fill in the void in the barrel channel when the barrel is inserted. You have to guess; I don’t know how much you took out, but if you guess too little, there will be ugly little pockets in there. These, of course, can be fixed, but don’t forget the release agent if you go in again, and if you’ve taken the tape off, it must be put back on. Sound like I’ve made a few mistakes before? Before smearing the goop in the channel, stretch a piece of tape along both sides of the barrel channel to protect the finish. If you’re neat enough, this job’s gonna look great. When the goop is in – you did remember the release agent? (not in the barrel channel) – lower the barreled action into position, slowly pressing down on the receiver. Goop (I can’t help it) will be oozing up around the barrel; if not, there’s not enough of it in there.
You can remove most of the excess, making sure not to go below the plane of the stock.
Remember, any Acraglas on anything without release agent will not come off cleanly.
Lookin’ good and laughing easy; if you’ve got the action in a press and it looks good, It’s time to wait the curing time, usually about six hours, ‘til you can separate the parts and check your handy work.
Ok, time’s up, let’s look. The best way I’ve found to separate the parts is to hold the rifle by the stock, trigger side up, and rap the barrel on a table top. Hopefully it’s apart and the channel is nice and slick as a babies butt. If you free-floated, you should be able to slide a dollar bill or card, depending on the free-float. If not, and the channel’s slick, you have full contact and you’re GOOD.