Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What bedding compound for Kimber Montana and where to get?

I was about to order the Acraglass gel bedding kit from Brownells to do my Montana. Just wondering if there was a better option than spending $34 on the kit and $17 for shipping.


Do you guys dye the gel? Perhaps a different bedding agent has a closer matching color?

Is the release agent sold in the kit the best option? I know folks use all kinds of stuff,just wondering what is the most idiot prof.

Marine Tex, you can usually find it locally at places like West Marine. Devcon is good as well but may be a bit harder to find. Ace Hardware carried Marine Tex for a while but noticed it wasn't in stock the last time I was in.

I like Devcon Plastic Steel 10110. It's about $30-40 at welding supply stores or on Amazon. The consistency is about like peanut butter, so it is easy to work with. I use Johnson's paste wax as a release and have never had a problem with probably 20 rifles. I did have one batch of Devcon a while back that had curing issues, maybe due to freezing, but that's it. It cures a dark gray color.

Were you able to remove before complete hardening and trim edges?

Yes. I wait until the overflow is about as hard as an old Tootsie Roll (usually around 2-2.5hrs) and will just take a decent dent with my fingernail, then I pop it out and trim along the taped top edges with an Exacto knife. The overflow that goes into the mag box area, I just let that harden up and get it later with a Dremel, although I put masking tap in there to catch the flow before running too far down. I drill out the action screw holes at the same time.

Here's a little tutorial on bedding a MT... my method anyway.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth.../10774365/Kimber_Montana_Bedding_And_Pre

TAG

MarineTex is good but use the gray only. The white is designed for gel-coat repairs and very brittle.

Probed 2000 is the easiest bedding compound I have ever used. It has a nice long setup time and let's you work at a nice pace without worrying about it setting up at the wrong time.

I would like to try Devcon but so far have not found a need to do so.

How is the consistency compared to Acraglass gel?

10-110 putty !
It will last for years in the fridge .

A guy on long range hunting did a test on shrinkage -he made three 1"x 1" blocks a few different types of bedding compounds --long-short --marine tex shrunk the most 10-110 was best.

Can you name a source? I've never heard of it and a quick google search turned up nothing.

Devcon 10110 is what I'd suggest. I do not know what this "10-110" is he speaks of.....


Devcon 10110 steel

You really cannot go wrong with AcraGlass Gel.........I've used it on lots of rifles.

I dye it black & usually add stainless powder which makes is a tad lighter.

The other items mentioned are good as well; I've used Devcon a number of times.

Technique & working carefully goes a long way no matter what compound you use.

Whether you intend to have the barrel floated or use a pressure point, bed it floated 1st & add the pressure pad in a 2nd operation.

MM

I like Devcon 10110. I tried marinetex but went back too Devcon. Just make sure to get the ratios right. I do it by weight on my reloading scale. I just ordered another can through brownells the other day to do my new 28 nosler. The last can I got from scamazon was 7 years old.

Bb

I have tried them all in the past 25ish years

My absolute hands down favorite is the original JB Weld and short cut fiberglass flock you buy at AutoZone.

This one just last week...the tang is also done in JB and flock

I like Devcon and prefer to use it but have used Marine Tex and Arcaglass also. They all work well, some are just more messy than others.

Most recently, I have used JB Weld because its cheaper and can get it locally in the big packs. I mix it up, let it sit for 30 minutes until it thickens up a bit, then spread it on. No issues so far.

I used JB Weld before I found Devcon and had good results there too. It was a bit runny, but letting it sit a few minutes might indeed help there.

I've used many. I prefer gel to work with. But I've seen little difference in performance with any I've used.

A bit thicker and it comes with thickener as well. I have never had an issue with it ever. I absolutely positively will not use any Acraglas anything.

He is referring to Devcon 10110 putty. THey also make a titanium putty.

The fiberglass flock solves the runny problem and adds strength to boot for slow cure JB

Acraglas is intended to be mixed with the floc to thicken it, and it works well when that is done. It's a good bedding product...not better than DevCon unless you add steel to it. Marine Tex works best in some applications.

And exactly how do you decide which one to use for each of the imagined applications?

+1 on the Probed, good stff and very easy to work with.

I used Acraglass - no issues.

For a release - I used OneShot. Case lube from Hornady. I figured with a spray I had a better chance of covering everything.

Worked ok.

On the cheap = JB Weld

More $$$ = Steelbed (the best I have ever used)

I've used Devcon and JB. Prefer Devcon simply because it was easier for me to work with. As mentioned the Jb was a bit runny.

I use Devcon, unless I'm redoing a rifle that was originally bedded with something else. Floor wax for a release agent is great stuff, releases perfectly and there is little or nothing to clean up after.

A trick I've learned is to wait until the compound is at just the right stage of hardness, then shave the extruded excess with a disposable plastic knife like people use at barbeques. Plastic isn't going to scratch steel and it gives a nice even finish on the edge.When you take it apart you're already done.

JB Weld here.

All I use in my shop is Brownell's steel bed. Best I have ever used and super strong. Probably is repackaged Devcon.

I'm one of those oddballs that uses Acraglas Bedding Compound and Brownells release agent.

They were made for bedding rifles and seem to do a good job of bedding rifles.




Travis

All I've used has been Marine Tex. I've no complaints but haven't tried any others. It's color is pretty close to a Montana stock.

I just now ordered the Pro Bed 2000. Acraglass might have been just as good but the Pro Bed 2000 and Devcon 10110 had the most positive reviews when searching all over different forums. I chose the Pro Bed over the Devcon for it's non critical 1:1 mix ratio and long shelf life.

I'll try to post some pictures of my first bedding job in a couple weeks.My plan is to do several rifles,starting with the less expensive ones.LOL

R H, are you going to use pillars?

I've used the Acraglas gel and like it. I've also used JB Weld and it works too. Probably just stick with the JB Weld as I don't see how something such as Acraglas works 'better'. I do like that idea of adding some glass in there. I'll have to think about that. All of the options are as solid as the stock so just go with one.

Initially bedding the Montana was my goal,which already has pillars. I hadn't really thought about whether or not to add pillars on the other rifles.