Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Bedding with Devcon 10110

After some study and research I have decided to use Devcon 10110 for my next bedding job. This will be a 700 action put to sleep in its original walnut bed. The rifle shoots around MOA now. I'm hoping to improve that.

I am using aluminum tubing (.274ID/.376OD) for pillars. This is only my second bedding job. The first was many years ago and I didn't use pillars.

I ordered the Devcon from Midway yesterday. It should be here next week. Meanwhile I have prepared the stock and action. Any advice gladly welcomed and appreciated.

Works good, very similar to Brownells Steel Bed. It smell the same, looks and works the same, heck it probably is the same.

Does it cost the same?

Does it cost the same?

I've done three guns with it, and the rings/bases on three scopes. The only issue is that it is thick, which has pros and cons. It does not run, but on the other hand it does not fully extrude out under significant pressure. All three times I did not put enough of it in, and had to redo. You can't patch it.

Hope that helps some.

It is cheaper than Brownells, not by much.

I agree with Ron that the thick consistency of Devcon steel putty has pros and cons. I'm sure it contributes to its strength and compression resistence, but you have to be careful dealing with its flow or lack thereof, if that makes sense. Viscosity is a key factor in how epoxy handles. That and open working time.

It's been a long time since I used Devcon steel, but it seemed to be just a bit stiffer than Steelbed. As I posted previously, it had a slight gritty feel.

The big difference between the two products is that Devcon is regular steel and Steelbed is stainless. This off the top of my head; I haven't researched it to confirm. Devcon may also produce a stainless steel epoxy. They have a pretty extensive product line.

When I first started messing with Devcon back in the '70s, I followed the advice of a benchrest guy named Bob Pease. He published a set of guides, in one of which he advised to always use a second coat of a thinner epoxy, such as Devcon aluminum putty followed by Devcon liquid aluminum. In those days a one pound kit cost $5. As epoxy prices have skyrocketed, that would now be an expensive proposition. I always use a two step bedding process, but for the second or paint coat I use regular Acraglas, mainly because it handles and sets up well in thin coats. Depending on the circumstances and my mood, I may add a bit of flock or aluminum powder to thicken it a tad.

Regardless of source, professional grade epoxies aren't cheap. To get a decent price you have to buy it in large quantities. That seems to be why Brownell's epoxy is so expensive. They package and sell it in smaller quantities for typical gun work. Yesterday I had to drive all over town to find some J-B Weld, and it was $6.50 for a couple of ounces at Lowe's. I usually stay away from the hardware store stuff.

Paul

I did notice a wide range of prices for Devcon. All the way from $50.00 at some industrial supply companies to the lowest, surprisingly, at Midway, $37.00 for a one pound can. I checked at least half a dozen sources.

I read that Kiwi neutral is a good release agent. I have already installed the pillars in the stock anchoring them with the Devcon 2 Ton Clear Weld Epoxy. I used Plumber's Putty to keep the bedding compound out of places it shouldn't go.

As soon as the Devcon gets here I'll give it a whirl.

That Midway price sounds like a good deal.

Keep in mind that you can put your leftover epoxy mix in the freezer, and it'll be good for about 24 hours. It will stiffen slightly, but it will still be usable for touching up gaps, etc. However, be very careful about using a putty type epoxy like the Devcon for touching up, because its density may lead to high spots that will cause trouble. I like to do my touching up with thinner epoxies, and be mindful of not creating dams or hydraulic locks. I often use a Dremel tool to rout small "escape channels" when filling in the inevitable divots.

It isn't rocket science, but you need to think through what you are doing.

Good luck!

Paul

Thanks for the tips.

Would that Devcon two ton stuff work for touchup?

I honestly don't know about the 2-ton stuff. I admit my prejudice against hardware store epoxies, but I have no real technical knowledge. I leave that to Sitka Deer.

That said, the issues I worry about are unknown qualities such as working time and especially setting up hard in thin layers. That's why I like regular Acraglas for thin coats. I know it will set properly, and I am used to it.

About working times. Yesterday I bought some Loctite epoxy weld that seemed like J-B Weld, but cheaper. I needed it for a non-critical job. The stuff set so fast that I barely had time to get things in place. Another lesson about using unknown stuff.

Paul

I recently bedded two 700s, one which I installed pillars too. I used devcon, and the advice all from here. I have no prior gunsmiting type experience, but just on the advice here both were a success.

Kiwi neutral worked great as a release agent, the only hitch I had was the tape from the bottom of the recoil lug getting stuck. It was easy to scrape out, but perhaps I needed to use a more adhesive tape.

I liked the thickness of the devcon, I felt it was really easy to work with and I could take my time loading up in the right spots without having to worry about it running.

When it came time to let it rest I wrapped the action and stock with surgical tubing to maintain a more even pressure as opposed to screwing in the action screws. Whether there is any truth to that I'm not sure.

The both shoot better now so I'm calling it a success.

Well I did it. Devcon, Kiwi, aluminum pillars. I wrapped it in a Ace bandage and opened it up this morning. Looks good. Now I'm having one helluva time getting the trigger back together. It's a Rem 700 long action.

Any advice?

For those who mentioned how thick Devcon is and how that is a +/- for it, I've found a trick that helps a little. If you'll set the can (with the lid closed) out in the sun while you are preparing the stock, the sunlight warms it up just enough to make the putty easier to work with. Granted, this is on a warm day, but it helps a lot.

A third hand is helpful.

My guess is you are having trouble with the spring for the bolt release. I put the front pin in so the rest of the trigger would pivot from that point. From there I put a toothpick in the rear pin hole from the opposite side and worked the pin in from the other pushing the toothpick back out. If the toothpic is too flimsy I suppose you could use a small nail or other steel rod.

Of course someone more experienced than me may have a better tip.

Yep, I do what jr suggested. You need a punch or even a nail as a slave pin. As far as pushing down the bolt stop spring, a third hand (wife's) with a small screwdriver does the trick.

Congrats, you're almost there!

Paul

Thanks, all. I got it back together after many tries. Now I'm cleaning up the stock with the Dremel. I sure learned a lot with this job.