Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Winchester Collectors Glass bedding a Winchester model 70 (my way)

Hi guys. I'm continually getting pm's about glass bedding Ruger m77's and Winchester model 70's so I'm going to try and walk you thru the process I've found to be the most simple for me. I've been glass bedding rifles since I was about 20, so I've been doing this for a while. This is something where your first time is always the hardest and most memorable. Hope this can be of some help to some of you guys that are on the fence about bedding some of your own rifles:

The first thing I'm going to do is make up a list of things you will probably need (besides the barreled action and stock):

1. Bedding compound
a. This can be anything from JB weld, Acraglass, Devcon 10110, or even marine tex.

2. Release agent
a. I've found Johnston's paste wax and Hornady one shot case lube to work great for this.

3. Measuring utensils for the bedding compound.
4. Something to mix the bedding compound with, a container for this and something to apply the bedding compound with.
a. I prefer using a 1/4" dowel cut to about 12" long. I grind one end to a point for easier more precise application of the bedding compound.
5. Q-tips. Never forget the q-tips!!!
6. Inletting guide screws.
7. Blue painters masking tape.
8. Electricians tape.
9. Dremel
10. 40-60 grit sand paper for roughing up the surface of the stock being glass bedded.
11. Good rifle vise.
12. A LOT of patience!!

Ok, first thing I do is remove the barreled action from the stock. I make sure the surface of the rifle is clean. I then apply Hornady one shot case lube to the hard to get to areas of the barreled action. I let that dry and then I finish applying release agent (in my case I use the Johnson's paste wax) to the receiver and barrel and all the small parts: IE, mag box, floorplate, and trigger guard.




Next step is to work on the stock. I use a dremel tool with a small grinding stone attachment and rough up the recoil lug area and tang. I use the 40-60 grit sand paper to do the final sanding and roughing. This is more than enough to hold the bedding compound for years to come. Especially if you are using my favorite (Devcon 10110 steel bed). My rifle (XTR FWT 270w) looked like this when I started:

Now after roughing up the wood, it looks like this:

Notice I left the area around the front action screw hole high so the action will sit at the correct depth in the stock. I then apply the blue masking tape in the barrel channel just forward of the recoil lug. I apply some release agent to the blue tape so the compound that does go into the barrel channel won't stick. I also use release agent (paste wax) in the barrel channel if the stock is to be freefloated. This makes cleanup a lot easier since the bedding compound won't want to stick to the stock there:


I then apply Johnston's paste wax to the outside of the stock (sans the checkering). This minimizes time. I can generally bed a rifle stock in about 45 minutes if all goes as planned. Of course this does not include the cure time of the bedding compound and clean up time.

When you are 100% sure the barreled action has enough release agent on it, you can mix your epoxy.
You will need 2.5 parts (by volume) of the epoxy and 1 part hardner when you are working with the Devcon 10110:

I use about 1 1/4 tsp of epoxy and 1/2 a tsp of hardner for most recoil lug and tang bedding jobs..

I then apply the mixed bedding compound to the sweet spots:
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0769_zpsf468450d.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0770_zpsa2ffea8e.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0771_zpsf7eddcb2.jpg[/img]

Keep in mind, this doesn't have to be overflowing out onto the floor to work. Try to keep it in the right areas and you don't have to worry about it getting onto everything else!!

After you are happy with the amount of bedding compound in the stock, you can then carefully lower the barreled action into the stock. Most of the time, I'll throw the trigger guard on, put the mag box in, and use the middle screw to keep things together (just snug the screw up), I also put the floor plate on to make sure the mag box stays put and then wrap electrical tape around the receiver. Don't worry, this won't torque the receiver. I've done this many different ways and sometimes even use my action screws to hold everything in place. I've yet to see any difference in performance and have yet to torque an action. This is what some call a neutral bedded action or stress free bedding:

[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0772_zpsbb22f15b.jpg[/img]

Continued:
After the action is dropped into the stock and secured, the epoxy will start to ooze out of the top of the stock (hopefully):





I let it sit there for about 10 minutes and then use a Q-tip with some Johnsons on it to remove the epoxy that comes out:



This was the left side of the receiver. When it's wiped clean I go over the receiver with a little Johnson's paste wax. I feel the surface with my finger when I'm applying it to make sure there is no residual epoxy on the receiver anywhere. The paste wax will come off very easily after the bedding compound has cured. Here's the same thing, but on the right hand side of the receiver:
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0780_zpsc8c017e8.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0781_zpsecd580c1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0783_zpsd6dd0bf9.jpg[/img]

Thank you, that was nicely done.

Continued:


If you do this right, you will use about 10 Q-tips per side:

Once you fill one up, go to the next and make sure you use plenty of Johnsons paste wax on each Q-tip. Trust me, this works much better than anything else I've tried. I know a lot of guys just wait until it's set up for about 4 hours and cut it off with a sharp stick, but I like to set it and forget it. I won't have to touch this stock for another 24 hours and that's the way I like it!!

Usually if you do a Winchester right, you won't even have to use this step on the tang:


Give your project a quick once over to make sure you didn't accidentally get bedding compound anywhere it doesn't belong:





Also remember you used the paste wax on the stock too, so that will keep the epoxy from sticking to it. If you do accidentally get some epoxy in the checkering, you can just use the Q-tip cleaning method on it and you'll be golden.

This bedding project took almost exactly 1 hour because of the extra time to take pictures.

We'll separate the barreled action from the stock around 11:30 A.M tomorrow.

Excellent. Do you got a pic of the rear tang area prior to filling it with bedding material, but after any dremeling?

This is what the tang looked like before:


I roughed up the sides and a little of the btm. I'll be danged if I didn't get a pic of the tang after I roughed it up. Here's the grinding stone that works pretty good for this:

That's perfect. Kudos on the thread.

$3 bucks headed your way so you can pick me up two bags of Reese's jumbo bags thanks

Very nice. I'm gaining courage to bed my Montana's.

Right, you know you want those "nuts, nuts and more nuts"... You gay 270 shooter you...

Damn nuts get you real excited I see calm down

Now you won't want to buy this XTR from me because it's not factory bedded . Hey 79s, what do you think of the factory bedding anyway. Do yours look like this? It seemed pretty faint, even for a factory job:

Thanks Paul. I've walked a lot of guys thru this process through PM's so this seems like a better route and it's out in the open this way. Guys that have bought my rifles, know they perform very well due to being properly bedded. Some even comment on how smooth the bolt operation is after bedding. Part of that is because the receiver itself was probably bound up or "stressed". I'll be popping the barreled action out in a few hours and will show more pics of that process. Thanks for the comments...

All mine look like that they shoot good but if bedded would shoot better. My damn good bud in AK used to bed them for me I buy the stuff he do it. But now I guess is need to do it.

Thanks for posting this BSA. I've been bedding, the lug area only, on my winchesters and have had pretty good luck with that so far.

However, the next one I try I may do the tang also.

Looking forward to seeing how you clean up the bedding in front of the lug in the barrel channel.

Appreciate the post!

Thanks for taking the time to post this essay; I know they take a lot of effort. I have never wanted to be messing with a camera while I had bedding compound about.

There are lots of ways to skin a cat, and likewise there are different techniques to bed. I mask the front, sides, and bottom of the recoil lug. The clearance makes the barreled action easier to get in and out of the action, and also ensures that I am not scrapping off the edges of the mortise bedding as I take the action in and out. More a matter of personal preference than anything.

But with all due respect, I do think you are doing something significantly questionable in your bedding. I really think the back of the trigger abutment should be masked so it is not functioning as a secondary recoil lug. It is not designed for that, and can lead to splitting in the tang. (Know that crack that so many Savage 99's have? That is from the tang bearing recoil.)

When the cartridge is fired, the recoil pushes back on the recoil lug and flexes the walls of the stock around the magazine out, and the stock shortens. (That is why so many old Win70's have a split in the wood behind the magazine--from that outward flex. That is also why crossbolts help--by holding the sides in.) That means that there has got to be some "give" between the length of the action and the stock or forces are being directly applied to the stock in places you don't want. That is why the rear of the trigger abutment on a Win 70 needs to be masked so that it is not a bearing surface.

I also believe you do not want the stock bolts, the magazine, or any other surface of the action functioning as secondary recoil lugs.

bsa, what are your thoughts on pillar bedding prior to full bedding the recoil lug and tang?

Thanks Utah. You are absolutely correct. I'll be along with pics to let you know how I deal with the trigger abutment (rear of the trigger assembly). I don't mask it, because I don't want the masking tape to get in the way when I'm trying to lower the barreled action into the goop. You could end op with a big mess. As far as taping the front and sides of the recoil lug: not necessary. ASK redneck and Karnis if they bed them "tight" and see what they say. Works good for me too and the accuracy of my rifles is pure testimony to the process. Taping that stuff is a waste of time. Again, this is why the title says "my way". I totally agree about skinning a cat too. Many many ways...

Generally if I'm going to bed a rifle, I'll do pillars and glass all at the same time.

Alright, I have 58 pictures from earlier today when I popped the action out of the stock. They only let me post 10 pics per post so this may require multiple posts labled "continued". Here goes:

Here's how the rifle looked when I started today:


I start by breaking the inletting screws loose, then they can be unscrewed by hand if you used enough release agent on them. The electrical tape can also be removed:



The release agent should work like this:


After the mag box is out and the floor plate and all screws and tape are off, we need to pop the barreled action out of the stock. I always grab my heavy plastic coated hammer and a towel for this job:


Start by sitting down in your chair, place the rifle across your legs with the stock facing you. Put the towel over the barrel to protect the finish:

[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0798_zpsc9c53a54.jpg[/img]

Now you are ready to separate the action. Grab the stock near the forend (about 5 inches back from the tip). Lift up on the rifle and give it a few good smacks with the plastic (or rubber mallet) hammer:
[img]http://i1180.photobucket.com/albums/x401/chiefbsa/IMG_0799_zps9c2062a1.jpg[/img]