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Savage stock/bedding project

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SavageMOA
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Posted: 8 May 2008 06:54 PM

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I just purchased a Boyd's laminate thumbhole stock in nutmeg laminate. I'm going to be doing most of the finishing myself with the help of my father. But as far as bedding the barrel and action, is this fairly easy to do myself? Or should I hire a gunsmith? If I should hire someone, how much does this usually cost?

varmintcaller
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Posted: 9 May 2008 02:34 AM

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I have glass bedded several rifle stocks. It's not all that difficult, but you have to be very careful with the preparation or you can permanantly bond the barrelled action to the stock.

I use Acra Glas for all of my bedding jobs. If you go to the Brownells Website, and look up Acra Glas, you can find detailed instructions on bedding wooden and composite stocks. I suggest you read and UNDERSTAND these instructions before you try bedding the stock. There are also other sites on the net that can help you with bedding instructions for other materials.

Be careful, take your time, and you should be ok.

As far as paying a gunsmith to do it for you, the prices will vary, depending on who does it, whether you want the action only done, or both the the barrel and action, if you want it pilllar bedded etc. etc.

Also you might take a look at ranchtrippen.com/bedding/ It describes how to glass bed a Remington, but the steps are basically the same for all rifles.

Also check out 6mmbr.com/pillarbedding.html

And scorehi.com these guys will send you a free video

Good Luck.

Last edited on 9 May 2008 03:14 AM by varmintcaller

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sako06
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Posted: 16 May 2008 05:44 PM

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Here's a site with stock information http://www.treebonecarving.com

SavageMOA
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Posted: 20 May 2008 10:09 PM

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So my bedding compound should be getting here tomorrow. My only concern is when I put the action into the stock with the compound applied, how much pressure do I need to put on the action? I'm afraid if I put too much, the action will push all the compound aside and I'll be left with nothing but a paper-thin layer of the bedding compound. Is there an easy way to determine how much pressure is adequate?

varmintcaller
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Posted: 21 May 2008 12:41 AM

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When you inletted the stock, you should have relieved the wood about 1/16 all around the action and barrel. Except for a "spacer" in the recoil lug area. By this i mean when i relieve the recoil lug area i leave a spot on the flat untouched so it is the original heigth. that way when you apply pressure to the trigger guard screws, you have a Bottoming out point, Just use enough pressure to seat the action against this point and the rear tang.

MAKE SURE you tighten both the screws down at the same time, together, not one at a time, or the action will rock causing air pockets and mis alignment. I bed the action first, and about two inches of barrel. when that is done and completely dry, i clean every thing up looking for voids. and if necessary, eliminate the voids by applying more bedding in the area and re seating the action.

After that, i then bed the barrel full length, some people stop at the action and the first two inches of barrel and let the rest of the berrel float. thats up to you.

Some people tape the sides and rear of the recoil lug, It makes for easy removal, i dont. I always cut back the face of the recoil lug on the stock about 1/4 of the way and insert a steel spacer, putting glass bedding all around the steel, this acts as an anti compression device, especially with magnum rifles. If you do this, the action will never loosen, and acuracy gains will stay.

I hope i haven't confused you, its a lot easier than it sounds. Please look at the web addresses i gave you in my previous post they will help you a lot.

Also, if you didnt leave some of the original wood as a stopping or bottoming out point you can cut a couple of wooden matches, glue them to the top of each side of the recoil area in the stock and use them for a spacer, just tighten a little past snug and you will be ok,

If yu have any more questions just ask.

Last edited on 21 May 2008 12:45 AM by varmintcaller

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SavageMOA
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Posted: 21 May 2008 05:40 PM

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haha well thanks for the advice. But I got impatient and went ahead and went for it. I already relieved about 1/8th inch from all areas except the recoil lug and a little bit on the tang for the action to sit on. I taped the barrel to ensure it would float, as per the 6mmbr website. It's on my kitchen table now curing. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Hoping for the best.

ohiococonut
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Posted: 21 May 2008 10:13 PM

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1/8"???

I hope you didn't relieve it to the point where it sits below center. If you did you'll never get it out of the stock.

I've done several and I've always free floated the barrel.

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SavageMOA
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Posted: 22 May 2008 04:57 PM

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Well however much I took out was apparently ok. It came out ok. I had a little trouble getting the action screws to line up but I got it fixed. I'll post pictures as soon as it's done.

ohiococonut
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Posted: 22 May 2008 11:33 PM

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Make sure the action screws don't contact the sides of the holes since you've only bedded the action and not pillar bedded it, you'll just exert undue stress.

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SavageMOA
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Posted: 23 May 2008 12:27 AM

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haha funny you should mention that Ohio. I had to bore out the action screw holes slightly anyway to get the action to screw down. Any more advice is MORE than welcome.

varmintcaller
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Posted: 23 May 2008 04:47 AM

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Glad to hear everything went ok, looking foreward to the pictures.

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SavageMOA
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Posted: 23 May 2008 10:48 AM

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Definately looking forward to posting some pictures to hear opinions, critiques, etc. It might be a few days before I'm done clear coating it. I already finished staining and the second coat has just been applied. Since the humidity is so bad down here, it's taking the polyurethane a little longer to dry. I don't want to rush this though so I'm definately taking my time.

Pictures will be posted by Thursday of next week for sure though, since that's when the range re-opens and I want it done by then! :wink:

Ansgar
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Posted: 25 May 2008 03:21 PM

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With respect to the learning aspects, you might want to give this site a look: http://smartflix.com/

Look in the firearms section. I know there's at least one video for rent that's all about bedding the stock. Also, I've watched the one about accurizing the stock rifle, which has a whole section on bedding; however, the rest of this particular video is really geared towards gunsmiths--unless you're wanting to get some knowledge about what a gunsmith can do to your gun to make it more accurate. But the bedding part looks like a workbench project for anyone who can follow directions and take care.

SavageMOA
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Posted: 25 May 2008 05:22 PM

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Well as far as the bedding went it was pretty straightforward like everyone said. I used the Devcon 10110 plastic steel. It's not perfectly smooth like the ones I saw on the internet and in videos but functionality is what matters to me since the bedding won't be visable. I'm still clear coating it now. I'm on the fourth coat. If it comes out the way I want, I think this will be the last coat. So far it looks fantastic!

SavageMOA
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Posted: 26 May 2008 03:29 AM

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It's finally done!

I want to hear opinions on how it looks. Praise, critiques, things I could've done differently, etc:. But go easy! Remember this is my first time I've ever done anything like this!

The first is a picture of the unfinished stock, the rest are the final results. Sorry for how dark the last few are. If I turned the flash on my camera on, the glare was unbelievable. Maybe six coats of polyurethane was a little excessive, but I wanted to be sure it was nice and shiny

Last edited on 26 May 2008 03:31 AM by SavageMOA

giturgun
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Posted: 19 July 2008 02:33 AM

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That looks ok to me , reminds me though I have not posted pics of my savage .. Need to git er dunn I guess . Just wait till you discover how thee barrel can magically change from one cal to another in only minutes

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Green Valley Bob
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Posted: 20 July 2008 04:14 AM

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The rifle looks GREAT. Take pride in a job well done.
Now go shoot something with it, and let us know how well it shoots.
Thanks for the pictures.

GVB

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Rockydog
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Posted: 20 July 2008 04:19 AM

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MOA, It looks very nice! Hope my current project turns out that nice. RD

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The_Mountaineer
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Posted: 20 July 2008 02:35 PM

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looks a lot better than the first glass bedding job I tried myself!

let us know how it performs

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varmintcaller
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Posted: 26 July 2008 11:21 PM

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looks like you did a fine job, thats a real nice looking rifle. How do you like the thumbhole stock?

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