Remington Model 37 Rangemaster re-bed

J

jmaurer

Guest
Almost exactly a year ago today I posted bedding questions about my Rangemaster. Thanks to all that responded. After noodling on it and researching for 11 months I finally decided in November to rebed and refinish the rifle myself. My logic being that no one would care as much as I do about it :).

My family probably thinks I'm crazy, but I'm pretty happy with the results for a first time effort. Here's a pointer to some of the work in process:

http://ultrafreaks.smugmug.com/Other/Rifles/7041594_87D57/1/451015561_3N7vc

And here are some pointers to links that I found valuable on bedding:
http://www.6mmbr.com/pillarbedding.html
http://www.shootingtimes.com/gunsmithing/ST_bedarifle_200904/index2.html
http://riflestocks.tripod.com/bedding.html
http://www.larrywillis.com/tip021.html
http://www.varminthunters.com/tech/bedding.html

Used DevCon Plastic Steel epoxy. Found that window cleaner did a great job of cleaning up epoxy prior to drying (and doesn't rust the steel as ammonia does). Followed Richard Franklin's (www.6mmbr.com, above) excellent instructions for the most part, including the puckering job of separating the stock and action after the epoxy is dry.

Still trying to locate a 5 shot clip - if anyone has a pointer to a good site to watch, let me know. I do watch GunBroker and a couple others. But parts for these are rare as hen's teeth.

Cheers!
Jeff
 
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Good luck on finding a 37 clip. Your best sources are gun shows...keep your eyes open and know what one looks like. I own 6 37's and not a clip among them. I'd watch e-bay too if I were you. Every once in a while one shows up, but be prepared to pay a bunch.

Also know that the clip has to be fitted to the rifle or the rifle to the clip. They usually don't interchange well.

Nice looking bedding job! Hope it shoots as good as it looks. If it does then you can be proud! bob finger
 
Jeff
Alex Sitman indicates that the 37's should NOT be bedded up the sides of the action. I have done both of mine and there is value in what he says.

Clarence
 
Good to know - thanks

Any idea what the thinking is? The only thing I could think of is that it might have a higher likelihood of entrapping the action in the stock when bedded.

So what's the recommended approach? How far up should it go ideally? Do you go for a finished edge or just leave it as-is (i.e. the way the epoxy flowed)?

thanks!
-j
 
My attempt at bedding (pillars), the 37 resulted in the rifle not doing any better than before, after I discovered the information I removed the side bedding down to just below center line and the rifle began to shoot well. I would finish the parting line. I don't know the method in the madness but it works for both of my 37 one is a Womack "400" the other is a Kenyon smithed unit.

Clarence
 
I have pillar bedded several Remington 37's.
The 37 is built like a brick and the large flat surface on the bottom makes for a super bedding job.
I like to use Devcon Steel putty, gives a super strong bedding surface and takes a long time to set-up. That means there is no hurry in getting the excess material wiped off.
As for the sides touching the bedding, I have seen it work both ways, some have shot VERY well when completely bedded (up the sides of the action) some have not.

Personally, I prefer to bed up the sides of the action at least for aesthetic purposes, even if the side bedding is non-functional. It looks VERY nice when the actionis removed from the stock. Clean, crisp, finished and professional.

I use two layers of masking tape on the sides of the action to keep the action from touching the bedding, if that is the outcome that I am looking for.

Something that I noticed from the pics above........
Personally I would stay away from clamping directly over the action. This could cause stress and flex in the action/barrel/bedding.

Try this..........
Just forward of the action and bedding, wrap layers of masking tape around the barrel.
Do the same at the very end of the forearm, wrap layers of tape around the barrel.
Do this, varying the number of wraps of tape, until you get the action to sit down in the stock at the desired height and and angle.

Bolt your pillars directly to the action using studs and nuts. Fill the pillar holes with bedding and paint a thin film of bedding on the pillars. Cut a ring or groove in the sides of the pillars for bedding, this will keep them in place after the bedding hardens.
You wil have a bit of trouble getting new bolts and or studs. They are a bastard thread size, 12-28. I drill and tap all my actions out to 14-28 so it is easier to find standard hardware.

When you are ready to actually bed, squeeze the action down into the bedding material by pushing between the rings of masking tape. DO THIS BY HAND! No clamps.

Tip: apply a thin film of bedding directly to the action with a small brush. This will help to eliminate voids and bubbles that may be visible wen the action is removed from the stock.

When the action finally gets down to where you want it (this will take a bit of time) Wrap several layers of masking tape around the barrel and stock, between the two rings of masking tape. This is just to hold it in place until the bedding dries.
By using this method you will get as close to a stress-free bedding job as you can get.

Remember, no clamping pressure, no force, just hold inplace with masking tape.

Give it at least 24 hours to harden
Hope this helps.
Good luck with your 37, they are my all-time favorite.
Joe Cowan
 
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Great learnings - thanks

Appreciate the tips. I did not try to float the barrel using masking tape. Found varying guidance on whether that should be done for a heavy/bull barrel or not. I will shoot the old girl as is for a few months, and give re-bedding another go trying your suggestions (tape forward of the action and at the end of the stock). I used electrical tape to hold the action in place during curing and was happy with that. I'll avoid the clamp next time. I think I was having trouble getting the tang to seat all the way but in retrospect I could've done the same with tape.

I didn't pillar bed this time. My first bedding effort so I was glad to get out alive and not screw something up too bad :) But I see the merit in it and will likely give it a go next time.

I bought the rifle back in the early 80's for $150 and used it for biathlon practice for a couple years. Embarrassed to say it wasn't until a couple years ago that I realized that it was kind of a special beast.


-j
 
37

I suggest the use of Devcon Aluminum putty rather than steel. Its lighter and you won't have a rusting problem you speak of. Same material but aluminum rather than steel.

bjm
 
For several of you..

BrianJ said:
I suggest the use of Devcon Aluminum putty rather than steel. Its lighter and you won't have a rusting problem you speak of. Same material but aluminum rather than steel.

bjm
Click to expand...

that have bedded 37's, what improvement did you see on the target after doing so vs. before bedding? Tks --Greg
 
Bicycle inner tube for bedding

I like to use a bicycle inner tube to strap the action in place while bedding. I lay a piece of 1X2X8 or 10 inch wood on top of the action to spread the force and gently wrap the whole thing together. Gentle wraps are important as several wraps produce more pressure than you'd think and you don't want to bend action or stock. The only downside is this makes it a bit difficult to clean up the squeeze-out. I use long skinny slips of wood as little scrapers to strike off the squeeze-out.
 
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