Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing what is the BEST release agent for making sure the action and bbl come apart eas

We have all been there. Accraglass or Steel bed or other bedding compound is all set up and hardened and now it is the nervous time to see if the rifle is EVER going to come out of the stock! We remove the action screws, pull off the bottom metal (Hopefully this comes off easliy but....) then we wrap our fingers around the barrel and tug. UGH! No movement! Pull harder and harder then go up the force continueum until we HOPEFULLY at last are holding a barreled action and a still in tact riflestock in two separate hands. WHEW! Another close call! Now it is time to analyze, how much damage did we do to the bluing, metalwork or stock before it came apart for us?

So, to avoid all of this angst, what do YOU all use as a relaible and easy release agent when glass bedding a rifle? I have three of them to do for a rancher who is allowing me to hunt bear and cougar on his large tract of prime bear and cougar habitat and I want these jobs to go smoothly. I have a can of Brownells spray on release agent coming to try out, but wonder if this is THE BEST or if there iss omething else out there that is even better. Car Wax and PAM non stick spray been tried with minimal success so far.

THANKS in advance for the intel and suggestions,

MARK

We haven't all been there. I use Johnson's Paste Wax, have done from day one. Never seen a need to change. Never stuck an action. That said, any wax, paste or liquid should work fine. The old canned shoe polish would work. If it will dry, or film over, I wouldn't have any problem using it. Certainly the Brownell's spray on release agent will work. If it didn't, they wouldn't sell it. The key is covering everything with the stuff. Even places you don't expect the epoxy to go.

I use Pam Cooking Spray most of the time

I use PAM on my snow blower's discharge chute and it works great for that, so I don't know why it wouldn't work as a release agent for bedding.

one shot is the ticket for me. 2 coats to be sure and never an issue.

When you take off the bottom metal, and if the action and barrel is stuck, screw the action screws two or three turns back into the action.

Tap the heads of the screws with a soft faced hammer. I have removed several glued in barrels and actions using this method.

But, as others said, a good release agent and complete coverage is the best way.

I use Johnson paste wax. to help get better coverage, I put on a single coat, covering everyplace that I think might stick. After this first coat dries, I put on another coat, just to cover any places that I might have missed the first time.

Fumunda?



Agreed.
I think paste waxes are good, you can see your coverage very well once the wax dries.

I think a bigger concern is being careful not to create a mechanical locking situation where bedding can flow around action features in a hugging or holding fashion resulting in a mechanical binding situation after bedding dries.

All the release agent in the world wont help you in that situation.

+1 to what Malm said. I use kiwi natural shoe polish but like malm said be sure to get all the sneaky spots and make sure not to let it go around or into any areas that would keep the action from coming straight up and out.

yep just saw northern daves post +1 to what he said too. same as I was trying to say.

It is probably the 'sneaky spots' that have given me the most trouble.

thanks to all who have offered a contribution. Even the smart alecks <G>

+1 for me. Never fails.

Horny one shot spray LUBE. Shake the snot out of it and I use 3 thin coats...

Your welcome.

I have probably done two dozen rifles and I use the blue mold relaesae furnished in Brownells kit.Never had a problem. I think most of the problems are that guys do not put two coats on,they are not as fussy about filling all voids with modeling clay, and theydo not leave clearance on the front of the recoil lug.

When I am ready to remove the actiom.I put a towel or padding on top of a wooden work bench,hold the stock and rap the barrel on the padding a few times

Kiwi Neutral Shoe Polish. Richard Franklin told me to use it and it has worked great on several guns I have done. Wipe it on generously and when it dries buff it softly with a cloth or paper towel to leave a thin non-stick layer.

I worked with a buddy who was a master with fiberglass, and if you think getting a barreled action stuck is something, it's nothing compared to sticking a car body or 30' boat in a mold.

What he taught me was to put on a couple coats of paste wax, buffing it between coats, and then spraying on a thin coat of PVA (poly vinyl acetate)

Honestly I don't think what you use is so imporant with a barreled action compared to making sure you use something and get it on all surfaces that will be exposed to the bedding compound, and making sure you don't have mechanical problems with zero or negative draft.

A lot of stuff will work, paste wax has a long tradition. But I use the stuff in the can or bottle that says "release agent" and follow the directions. Industry uses a lot of release agents and you gotta figure they have it pretty well worked out by now. I rely on their expertise and spend my worrying time on more interesting stuff.

Mechanical locks are the only things that has given me problems. Fortunately they were tiny and broke free with a couple good whacks or less. After fighting a couple I have a better eye for them now, little things like pits and forms that taper ever so slightly the wrong way.

Where does one go to find Polyvinylacetate? Sounds like an interesting idea to try.

I use Carnuba paste wax.