Devcon Bedding A Rifle

[EZM]

Dean walked me through (he did most of the tough meticulous work) on a 257 WBY Vanguard we did in his gun shop and we did not put any pressure points past the lug.

The stock is a Boyd's AT One and shoots amazing - It was sub moa out of the box with factory ammo and now shoots 5/8 to 1/2 with no pressure on barrel. It's free floated.

So, although I am not as experienced as many of you on here, I have had 2 WBY's bedded since and none of them got worse. Both shot better. The Vanguard in the picture ..... much, much better. Maybe those plastic factory stocks suck - I dunno.

One is a MKV 300WBY - so it's likely not a Vanguard or MKV thing - might just be fluke - but based on what I see, that's not been my experience.

The only issue I had to correct before we bedded it, was that the machining on the At-One was slightly off where the bolt came down - so I had to dremel it open a little - but everything else was pretty good. Wood will never be perfect so it totally makes sense to bed a rifle. (it might have been one of the very first AT-One stocks when I purchased it for a WBY long action). I'm pretty sure the AT-One was out for maybe a week when I ordered it brand new - one of the first customers out of the gate.



here's the side angle on it ...

[EZM]

Originally Posted by elkhunter11

Very often they do with the light contour barrels, but I had a Mark V in 257wby rebarreled with a #4 barrel, and t was an honest 1/2moa rifle when free floated.

I agree - see my next post - my experience with free floating Bees has been great.

300 WBY - MKV - went from MOA to .75

257 WBY - Vanguard in a Boyd's At-One - went from just sub MOA to consistently 5/8 or less. I've had some groups under 1/2" !!!

(and I am not a "shooter")

Both free floated. Both Devcon. Both Dean's method ...

[Lefty Bryan]

Thanks all. I’ll take a crack at it and see how it goes. Start simple by bedding action and go from there. If I remember I’ll do a bit of a thread on it with all the iterations, even if it is just a simple pre bedded to bedded with no other tweaks to pressure point required.

Cheers!


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[barsik]

I'm a bit late to the party but here is a pretty decent clip explaining how to bed a rifle. just click on the link. edit, added part 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0Z7...nel=GunBlue490

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MI-...nel=GunBlue490

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Lefty Bryan

Thanks all. I’ll take a crack at it and see how it goes. Start simple by bedding action and go from there. If I remember I’ll do a bit of a thread on it with all the iterations, even if it is just a simple pre bedded to bedded with no other tweaks to pressure point required.

Cheers!


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That's true - you could bed the action and lug and leave the barrel floated - if it doesn't shoot well - you can always go back and put in a pressure point (or full length bedding along the barrel).

I'm probably going to do a Rem700 BDL next - just going back and forth on either changing the stock out or not - I really like the classic look of the factory stock.

I'm going to do the action and lug first and leave that skinny spaghetti barrel free floated to see how it shoots - I can always go back and bed it full length if I needed to.

Anyone done a BDL long action? curious to hear what worked for you?

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by EZM

That's true - you could bed the action and lug and leave the barrel floated - if it doesn't shoot well - you can always go back and put in a pressure point (or full length bedding along the barrel).

I'm probably going to do a Rem700 BDL next - just going back and forth on either changing the stock out or not - I really like the classic look of the factory stock.

I'm going to do the action and lug first and leave that skinny spaghetti barrel free floated to see how it shoots - I can always go back and bed it full length if I needed to.

Anyone done a BDL long action? curious to hear what worked for you?

On a Long action 700 I would bed the recoil lug and first inch or two of the chamber, Devcon pillar the tang, then shoot it. Many of the sporter barreled ones shoot great free floated even though they all come from the factory with a pressure point near the tip. I have only had to put a pressure point in a couple and those I didn't full length bed just put in a 1.5" pressure pad just behind the black forend tip.

[270person]

Originally Posted by Dean2

On a Long action 700 I would bed the recoil lug and first inch or two of the chamber, Devcon pillar the tang, then shoot it. Many of the sporter barreled ones shoot great free floated even though they all come from the factory with a pressure point near the tip. I have only had to put a pressure point in a couple and those I didn't full length bed just put in a 1.5" pressure pad just behind the black forend tip.

Pretty sure this is what you did with my Whelen BDL if memory serves Dean. Tang and a half inch either side of the lug. I'm too lazy to go down and dig it out of the safe and look. The results speak for themselves with consistent under .75 moa with 225 AB's

[kujoseto]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Have used both and many others as well. Devcon is definitely harder to get the hang of using than many and it is more expensive. Once you do figure it out however I find the outcome significantly better. Devicon shrinks less while curing, has a slightly lower hot and cold expansion contraction delta, is harder and can be machined as well as tapped/threaded and is not affected by oils and gun cleaners to the same extent. Marinetex is really very good, probably my second choice after Devcon.

Thanks. Good to know

[catnthehat]

I have never seen an issue with a floated barrel that I bedded about an inch in front of the recoil lug except fir once, and it was a very whippy, light .270 on a Mauser action.
I have done 6 Weatherbys and every one increased accuracy with floating and a proper bedding job .
The exception of course , would be falling blocks and the Lee Enfield actions, but those get bedded differently than a standard bolt action rifle, the Enfield especially.
Cat

[B C BILL]

Anyone try to use JB Weld to bed a rifle stock?

[Dean2]

Cat

I agree that the regular MKV sporter barrel shoot good floated. The ones I was talking about that needed a pressure point, is the Ultra Light version. They have a much thinner profile barrel and it is 26 or 28 inches long. Even with the fluting they are pretty wippy and eith the high powder loads in a Bee cartridge it only takes 2 or 3 rounds to get them pretty hot. The pressure point seems to take out the wander caused by the barrel heating.

As to JB weld I have heard of people using it, I never have nor would I when there are so many better choices.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Cat

I agree that the regular MKV sporter barrel shoot good floated. The ones I was talking about that needed a pressure point, is the Ultra Light version. They have a much thinner profile barrel and it is 26 or 28 inches long. Even with the fluting they are pretty wippy and eith the high powder loads in a Bee cartridge it only takes 2 or 3 rounds to get them pretty hot. The pressure point seems to take out the wander caused by the barrel heating.
.

The one I am working with right now is just stamped MkV, but it has a fairly light, fluted barrel in a synthetic stock with an aluminum bedding block .
It's a bloody Cannon ( 338/378)
I originally loaded a bunch of ammo for the fella in 2007
And he has been smacking stuff with it since , everything dropping in its tracks.
However , with only two cartridges left he figured it was time to contact me again!LOL.
Accuracy was "okay" right out to 500 today but not nearly what it was when I originally did the loads.
I scoped it and it can stand a good cleaning, and there was some oil in the bed , so I am thinking it will smarten up tomorrow.
This barel is fully floated from the factory.
Cat

[marky_mark]

Originally Posted by catnthehat

The one I am working with right now is just stamped MkV, but it has a fairly light, fluted barrel in a synthetic stock with an aluminum bedding block .
It's a bloody Cannon ( 338/378)
I originally loaded a bunch of ammo for the fella in 2007
And he has been smacking stuff with it since , everything dropping in its tracks.
However , with only two cartridges left he figured it was time to contact me again!LOL.
Accuracy was "okay" right out to 500 today but not nearly what it was when I originally did the loads.
I scoped it and it can stand a good cleaning, and there was some oil in the bed , so I am thinking it will smarten up tomorrow.
This barel is fully floated from the factory.
Cat

That’s probably an accumark

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by marky_mark

That’s probably an accumark

Yeah likely is.
Very smooth action on that rifle, feeding and extracting!
Cat

[DLab]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Cat

I agree that the regular MKV sporter barrel shoot good floated. The ones I was talking about that needed a pressure point, is the Ultra Light version. They have a much thinner profile barrel and it is 26 or 28 inches long. Even with the fluting they are pretty wippy and eith the high powder loads in a Bee cartridge it only takes 2 or 3 rounds to get them pretty hot. The pressure point seems to take out the wander caused by the barrel heating.

As to JB weld I have heard of people using it, I never have nor would I when there are so many better choices.

Aside from Devcon and Marine Tex, what are all the better choices?
Also, I'm curious as to why you think JB Weld is not suitable for the application.

[barsik]

Originally Posted by DLab

Aside from Devcon and Marine Tex, what are all the better choices?
Also, I'm curious as to why you think JB Weld is not suitable for the application.

set time on the jb weld is too quick. it is meant to harden very rapidly where devcon has a much longer working time.

[Dean2]

Brownelles sells a high quality bedding putty that has stainless steel in it and is under their own name, similar to Devcon. There are a ton of other things you could use to bed a rifle. Personally, if you are going to go to that much work, and you are installing a permanent accuracy improvement to your rifle, I believe in using the best product you can find. For me that is Devcon.

[DLab]

Originally Posted by barsik

set time on the jb weld is too quick. it is meant to harden very rapidly where devcon has a much longer working time.

Kwik Weld JB sets up fast, original JB sets up in 3-5 hours, lots of working time.
If every thing is prepped correctly for bedding shouldn't need more than 15-20 minutes to apply epoxy to parts and set in place.

[DLab]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Brownelles sells a high quality bedding putty that has stainless steel in it and is under their own name, similar to Devcon. There are a ton of other things you could use to bed a rifle. Personally, if you are going to go to that much work, and you are installing a permanent accuracy improvement to your rifle, I believe in using the best product you can find. For me that is Devcon.

Not arguing that Devcon is an excellent product for this purpose and is used by many, what I'm wondering, if you've never used JB why you think it's not suitable?
It has many of the same properties that Devcon has and is a steel reinforced epoxy putty.

[catnthehat]

Some epoxies are more elastic than others as well.
Lately I have used an industrial epoxy putty tgat can be set under water. And can be machine within a few hours of the repair. It is used for pumps , shafted. Etc and is very easy to work with.
It has a tensile strength and elasticity similar to Bisonite
Bedding.
Cat

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by DLab

Not arguing that Devcon is an excellent product for this purpose and is used by many, what I'm wondering, if you've never used JB why you think it's not suitable?
It has many of the same properties that Devcon has and is a steel reinforced epoxy putty.

I have removed 2 JB weld bedding jobs and there was a good reason they needed to come out. The guns would not shoot well. The reason they didn't hold zero or group well was because they were poorly bedded. They would have had the same problem no matter what the bedding material but I was not impressed with the material coming out. Sort of like Accraglass, I like it for repairing breaks and stock cracks, but it is not my preferred bedding material.

I am not saying mine is the only way, lots of others use a ton of different stuff, just passing on my experience after bedding a pretty large number of different kinds of rifles, and fixing a lot of hack bedding jobs.

[Duramaximos]

Is this the devcon you recommend?

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B000KK...0T26CN0A&psc=1


I see a few versions available.

Sent from my SM-N960W using Tapatalk

[Dean2]

Nope

This is the one.

Devcon 10110 Plastic Steel Epoxy Putty (A), 1 lbs Bottle https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00065TMTO/...T9D4HB2BHP5ADT

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by Dean2

Nope

This is the one.

Devcon 10110 Plastic Steel Epoxy Putty (A), 1 lbs Bottle https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00065TMTO/...T9D4HB2BHP5ADT

Acklands has it as well, a little cheaper to boot. If you are able, vacuum seal the remainder, it will keep longer.

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

Acklands has it as well, a little cheaper to boot. If you are able, vacuum seal the remainder, it will keep longer.

Devcon has a 5 or 10 year min shelf life. There is a best before date on the box and it is good even past that as bedding from what I have read. Never personally had a tub last more than a couple of years. Biggest trick I learned a few years back is to sit the putty in real hot water for 10 or 15 minutes prior to use. Even with new putty it makes it way easier to mix. Never tried vac sealing it as I always figured the tub was air tight. Next new tub I get I might try that just to see.

[fps plus]

People will have sticker shock when the see the price of Devcon steel .

[270person]

I ordered my Devcon from Motion Canada. No idea how much price has changed in the last 2 years but I'd be willing to bet its cheaper than Amazon.

Ok just checked. Amazon out to lunch at $133. Motion is $104 and Grainger is $100

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by fps plus

People will have sticker shock when the see the price of Devcon steel .

They will, but a one pound tub can do a lot of rifles. Even if you can only do 5 or 6 it works out to less than 20 bucks a gun.

[partsman]

My late brother and I used to bed rifles, experimented with products our body man father had, brother passed in 95, in all the years not one has failed.
Even did some with modern bedding materials, it is daunting starting out, but you get used to it.

[Duramaximos]

Anyone in south Calgary want to split a tub?