what you wish someone would have told you before bedding your first time!

[GaCop]

Being somewhat lazy, I leave the trigger in place and cover with blue painter's tape and Kiwi. To date, never any issues when bedding this way.

[philkryder]

has anyone tried using a couple of layers of the thin plastic wrap rather than the painters tape?

[Eric in NC]

You want the thickness of the tape.

[Elkbane]

The last several I've done, I used electrical tape. It forms to shape really well around the recoil lug and trims easily. And you can use it to cover the gaps around the magazine box too. Being fairy slick surfaced, it take Kiwi really well. I even use it to cover the action bottom around the trigger and sear release, just a strip there instead of clay. After doing this once, I quit using clay altogether.........
Elkbane

[GaCop]

I'll have to give the electrical tape a try.

[rsbhunter]

Iv'e used electrical tape for all the bedding iv'e done, and really like it, even without the Kiwi, it will release, but i still coat it anyway...always easier to do it right the first time.....rsbhunter

[possible]

Excellent thread. Good question with great answers

[teebirdhyzer]

well, thanks guys for all the great tips and answers to my question. Today I took the plunge and did my first bedding job. I took all your advice and went with the Kiwi neutral polish for release agent. I had already ordered the Pro Bed 2000, and had heard good reviews, so I went ahead and used it. I went WAY overboard on the blue painters tape, but better safe than sorry..... I used a dremel tool to rough up the spots around the pillars and drill a few small holes to get a good lock. Also, a cheap woodcarving set to take some wood out from around the pillars and on the sides. Also, I ended up leaving the trigger on the action. I used modeling clay to fill in the nooks and crannies, and taped it all up with electrical tape. Hopefully when I get home from work tomorrow, i will be able to pop everything apart and begin cleanup. Here are a couple of pics....one of the prepped stock, and one of the whole thing after I squeezed it together and taped her up to dry. Thanks again for the help.....and if anyone is reading this that is thinking of doing your rifle for the first time, so far it hasn't been bad at all.

http://i387.photobucket.com/albums/oo315/fullup3/IMG_3641.jpg

http://i387.photobucket.com/albums/oo315/fullup3/IMG_3679.jpg

[geargrinder]

Looks good. There is no such thing as overboard with the painters tape. Let us know how it turns out.

[teebirdhyzer]

thanks geargrinder. When I got home this afternoon, I removed the black electrical tape and then turned the rifle upside down and hit the barrel with a rubber hammer. Shockingly, it popped right out of the stock! I then removed all the blue tape, and started peeling and chipping the bedding material away from the edges and places where it didn't belong. The hardest part was getting the modeling clay out of the few nooks and crannies and out of the front of the trigger mechanism where I used it to keep the bedding out. I still will probably have to spend a few minutes tomorrow making sure its all gone. I then cleaned everything up really good and oiled all the metal down. Snapped her back together and put the scope back on. Everything is now back together and it looks great. I'm very surprised at how easy this process actually is. All of your tips were a great help, and I appreciate the feedback very much. Sadly, due to work, and an out of town wedding I have to attend, It will probably be one day next week before I can get to the range. But I will post an update as to whether or not the accuracy seems to be improved.....but I'm sure it will be! ;)

[TonyBen]

I'm getting ready to do mine this week. I removed the trigger group and clayed a couple of small spots around the trigger area. I also removed my magazine from the receiver and clayed the notches in the receiver.

My stock had a large plastic bushing on the bottom for the front action screw so I removed mine and bedded in a large steel bushing. I got some brass pipe from home depot and bedded it on top of the bushing. I also bedded in a rear pillar and had to cut an angle off the top to let the bolt release lever clear since it is so close to the rear action screw.

I got most of the routing done so far but just need to touch up a few spots. I've got my barrel nut taped as well as the front of the recoil lug. I bedded an M14 before this and the thickness of Kiwi polish is not ideal for that type of bedding so I took some advice and went with Valspar 225 for release agent. It's expensive and hard to find but I'll be using that on my Savage since I have about half a can left over. When I bedded my M14, I could see the manufacturing stampings in the bedding.

I don't think mine will be as pretty as others I have seen here, but it should work.

Thanks for this thread. I'll be re-reading it this week before I apply the JBweld.

Tony.

[dcloco]

Mother's California Gold car wax is an excellent release agent.

I would leave your mag box attached to the receiver. Lightly coat metal with the car wax suggested, roll some clay out to form a 3/16" string, apply to the joint between action and mag well.

[TonyBen]

But I will post an update as to whether or not the accuracy seems to be improved.....but I'm sure it will be! ;)


Sorry if I missed it but I just looked through 2 months worth of threads and didn't see your results.
How did it all turn out?