Even more on bedding (sigh)

[Charles E]

While searching, I came across this quote from Bill Meyers, on the 6mmBR site:

Myers is an expert on adhesives. He once worked in Fairchild Aircraft's composite bonding facility. He believes "half the epoxies used for bedding are junk--they have a very short shelf life and can become soft." He uses Loctite Steel liquid for his first bedding layer. This has a 20-year shelf life--many times longer than products such as Devcon or MarineTex.

It sounds as if this stuff is pretty liquid. One more quote:

Bill uses a two-stage bedding procedure on the action (normally, no part of the barrel will be bedded). Stage one consists of Loctite Steel Liquid and some fiberglass flock.

Now Meyers was known as a rimfire smith. That's what I'll be doing a couple bedding jobs on soon, so I have no qualms about using it for RF. But I wonder if anyone has tried it for CF bedding, & if so, how it worked out.

Most of us hobbyists don't do enough bedding jobs to avoid throwing out a lot of epoxy -- the Marine Tex I have has been sitting on a shelf at the house for over 4 years; Lord knows its true age. The 20-year shelf life of the Loctite is very attractive.

For a glue-in adhesive, I'm going to follow Jerry Stiller's recommendation (general, for actions with inserts like the Viper or Panda) and use a golf shaft adhesive:

http://www.golfsmith.com/cm/browse/tools-shafting-epoxies

Apparently it has high shear & torque resistance, as well as letting go at about 250F rather than the higher temp of J-B Weld. Jerry's recommendation is enough, but wondered if anyone else had tried it?

 

[Boyd Allen]

My rifle has a Viper action, and was glued in at Stiller Precision, where it was built, with golf shaft epoxy for the glue-in. After more than ten years it remains as secure as when I got it. If you are gluing an aluminum action that is not anodized, it is probably a good idea to polish up the area that is to be glued, with wet and dry sandpaper, until water beads, immediately before gluing it in, since aluminum oxide forms a relatively loose top layer that degrades the bond strength. Of course Jerry's actions are hard anodized, which forms a much more stable layer, and for additional security, he fly cuts the bottoms. leaving a coarse pattern that probably doubles the bonding area. they also lack a front action screw hole (unless one is requested) so you don't have to worry about solvent getting into your bedding, and softening it. (Jerry, I will be expecting my usual check in the mail ...just kidding)
Boyd

 

[Al Nyhus]

Charles, I've tried a lot of bedding materials. I'm familiar with the Loctite product you reference, but purposely haven't used it in rifle bedding. For a 'bolt -in' gun, ProBed has consistently given the me best results.

Glue-in's give me the heebie-jeebies....... -Al

 

[Hambone]

Same here. I have always used High Score's Pro-Bed 2000 and their Fumed Silica thickening agent for all of my bedding projects. You can mix it to any consistence you like and it does a first rate job.

I have toyed with the idea of a glue in for a c/f target rifle project but have never been brave enough to give it a try. Never considered using golf shaft glue though.

 

[Dennis Sorensen]

I have been using Brownells bedding products for about 44 years... and have seen no reason to switch to other products. Brownell's developed them specifically for firearms... a fine old product that is over looked by many today.

 

[sbowers5]

I also have used Brownells acra glass and acra gell and it works like a charm and if you want to add the steel they have that also. Never once had any problems at all with it and I have guns that have been bedded with it that are well over 30 years old now.
Steve

 

[lefty o]

I also have used Brownells acra glass and acra gell and it works like a charm and if you want to add the steel they have that also. Never once had any problems at all with it and I have guns that have been bedded with it that are well over 30 years old now.
Steve

welcome aboard steve!

 

[Charles E]

Brownell's developed them specifically for firearms... a fine old product that is over looked by many today.

Dennis, I may be wrong, but to be exact, I believe what Brownells did was to pick from (1) the epoxy formulations available at the time, and (2) manufactures willing to be an OEM supplier for the small amount that wold be sold for this purpose & carry the Brownells name.

That's not quite the same thing as "developed" for firearms use. Which is not to say it isn't a good product.

Too, thinking has changed over the years. I remember in the 1960s, the prevailing opining was that unless a stock was really binding the action, there wasn't much to be gained from bedding a .22 RF compettion rifle -- e.g., the NRA Gunsmithing book.

Of course, there was no rimfire benchrest then, but now, the RF -BR guys attribute all sorts of wonderful things to the perfect bedding job. Some go so far as to maintain that if you support the barrel when bedding the action, the job's no good, because that doesn't mirror the load on the action in the state it'll be in when used. (Some of these guys are a bit nuts. Apparently the best BR gunsmiths have a nose like Samantha in Bewitched.)

Anyway, we have more knowledge about epoxies now, and some specialized applications *may* benefit from different choices.

 

[Dennis Sorensen]

Dennis, I may be wrong, but to be exact, I believe what Brownells did was to pick from (1) the epoxy formulations available at the time, and (2) manufactures willing to be an OEM supplier for the small amount that wold be sold for this purpose & carry the Brownells name.

That's not quite the same thing as "developed" for firearms use. Which is not to say it isn't a good product.

Brownell's state 'manufacture' and I guess they contract to have it made with the specifications they want... with many pertinent details specific to the gun trade... so develop is not the best term but the product has been designed and produced with all the benefits for firearms.