Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Bedding a Browning AB3 Composite

I have a Browning AB3 308win bolt weapon that’s fired about 560 rounds to date. It has a carbon fiber composite stock. Been working loads with good results but I am plagued by occasional outliers which may or may not be result of my shooting skill.

In any case, I just popped my weapon apart and found no factory bedding, but the action seemed to fit tightly into the stock and the composite stock itself doesn’t appear to be flexible. I’m considering whether I should take this as an opportunity to learn how to bed a rifle. Research so far includes watching lots of YouTubes which makes me lean towards bedding at front lug and rear bolt and increasing free float clearance - but I can’t find anything specific to a Browning AB3.

My questions..

1. Do you guys recommend bedding this rifle?
2. Do you guys recommend “Gray Marine Tex” epoxy as a bedding material to bond to a composite stock?
3. I’m concerned about bedding at rear bolt around my trigger assembly. This weapon has an odd trigger assembly where all the levers and catches are exposed rather than typical bolt-on trigger box, but part of the trigger structure appears to be a rear bolt bearing surface between stock and action so I cannot remove it during bedding. So I am considering how I can mask the exposed levers and catches from the bedding material. I’m wondering if I can clean out a lot of plumbers putty or modeling clay out of the trigger works. Have any of you dealt with this?
4. I assume that I should use a dremel tool to dig out pockets of composite stock material for bedding to provide additional bearing surfaces, but keep existing bearing surfaces intact... And of course use lots of neutral shoe polish and plumbers putty on the action. Do you have any other advice?

Thank you.

https://goo.gl/images/CmFcUi

This link shows what my trigger assembly looks like.

It's already bedded. Do not do anything to it

I decided to proceed with adding some bedding because I’m not satisfied with factory fit. I actually do not see any epoxy bedding in this rifle stock.

Main concern for me is at the back bolt where I don’t see a lot of load bearing surface between action and stock. I can see indentation marks on the trigger mounts on both sides of the rear screwhole, but I only see 1/4-inch indentation on the receiver itself at a point forward of the screwhole with nothing at the screwhole itself. Plan will be to do minimal epoxy bedding where I don’t see existing bearing surface, and of course do not disturb areas where I see evidence of existing bearing surfaces.

I relieved my earlier concern about leaving trigger levers and catches in place because I covered everything thoroughly with masking tape, and I also plan to put plumbers putty and wax on top of everything.

I am not as concerned about the front log and bolt area because I already have a tight fit there - which probably explains why the weapon shoots as well as it does. But since it is a very conventional design with good access, I’ll add some bedding to fore and aft of the lug recess.

I should have some gray “Marine Tex” epoxy tomorrow and I’ll probably bed it in a couple days after I’m thoroughly satisfied with my prep.

Wish me luck!

Keep is up to date on the project, I bet it turn out great!

I applied the epoxy this afternoon and plan is to pop it open tomorrow.

Looks like I'm a little late to the party! I was going to recommend bedding just behind the recoil lug only! Ive done this with a few A bolt 3s and it solves the flier issue and tightens up to one hole groups. Pretty risky putting any compound in the tang area considering the design of the trigger.


Also for the record the A bolt 3 is not bedded from the factory


Trystan

You know this how? That is about as true as this rifle having a carbon composite stock and sells for 699?

I just popped it open and it looks great. The action separated from the stock without a lot of effort. I hope it will shoot as good as it looks.

Oldelkhunter: I realize that the stock was probably injection molded to a close tolerance so that’s what I assume you meant when you said it was already bedded. But I was not happy with lack of bearing surface at rear tang as described above. I also realize that the “carbon” composite finish is cosmetic only but it does look good and more importantly it fits my shoulder well. I actually paid $519 for my weapon last spring.

Trystan: Thank you for your note and for your encouragement. I realize that bedding the tang area was risky but the lack of bearing surface there was main reason I did the project. I was very careful with masking tape and plumbers putty and I did not put a lot of bedding compound back there. I hope I am as successful as you described your work.

I wish I could share a lot of pics but it seems this board doesn’t want me to upload them from my iPhone. It comes up with error message about files being wrong type and too big.

Have a good one!

If anyone wants to see pics, just send me a Private Message with your email.
F.

Browning beds most of there rifles from the factory however the A bolt 3 was brownings version of a budget rifle. The action doesn't have a finished feed ramp, the trigger is plastic, and no bedding. I've never personally seen one with a carbon fiber stock



Trystan

Frankk,

Sounds like a worked out well and best wishes on your project.

I'd like to mention that the ABolt3 benefits tremendously if you take a file and file in a feed ramp than polish it up a bit. The Abolt3's I've worked on didn't have a feed ramp a money saving move to make the rifle less expensive I guess. I agree about the lack of support in the tang area. I torqued the front action screw Armstrong tight and am reserved on the back screw so as not to crush the support.



Trystan

Not familiar with that stock but many of the composite stocks are kind of soft or springy and are good candidates for pillar bedding. Even a minimal stainless tube pillar would at least add consistency when you remove the barreled action. How does it shoot now?

My riflestock does not seem to be flexible so only other plan for now is to increase clearance just a little bit on the existing free floating.

I’ll leave it the stock alone for now to let it cure. I’ll clean it up and put it together next week.

Just a FYI........If you raise the action higher in the Stock the end result can be a rifle that won't feed because because it increases the distance between the magazine that attaches to the Stock and the action. Not trying to badger in any way just letting you know in case it gives you any grief you will know what it is.

I agree with what Tejano says about the pillars. The Abolt3 would especially benefit from a pillar installed in the tang area and in fact am going to do just that on one rifle that has already been bedded for the sake of being able to snug up the rear action screw without having any issues

Trystan

I’ll just have to hope for best regarding the feed. I tried to take my bedding down to existing bearing surfaces at both front lug and the tang so I hope I don’t need to do more major rework. I did note Trystan’s remark about feed ramp but I have not had any chance to research that. At this point, I hope I don’t have to deal with it.

I hope everyone’s pillar work goes well, too, but I hope I don’t have to deal with that either. I hope that I can depend on the original structure of my stock to provide sufficient support - my stock is fiberglass but it doesn’t seem to be soft or springy at all.

My bedding project is done now. I have everything cleaned up, everything fits perfectly and the feed works as well as it ever did. I will have to wait until weather breaks to see how it shoots. Thank you all for the advice.

Frankk:
What was the end result of your bedding project? I saw another of your thread where you had some fliers and simply cleaned the action mating surfaces and then it was fine again.

I have a Browning AB3 300WM Composite Stalker and was interested in bedding it, and/or going to a Boyds At One. The thing with the AB3 Long Action is that the 2 action screws are basically fore and aft of the mag well. The trigger/sear assembly area doesn't really bolt to the stock. It just floats from what I can tell.

I've read numerous threads discussing the merits of full bedding, front of recoil lug, and minimalist (rear of recoil lug, and the 2 action screw areas). I also saw a review of the wooden AB3 coming from Browning with bedding pads in front of the recoil lug and behind the recoil lug, and the author mentioned bedding at the 2 screw holes.

I was thinking of just bedding the recoil lug area and the 2 action screw hole areas, and not really supporting all of the action sides/etc.... Same with the Boyds At One except that can be ordered with metal pillar bedding. The only reason I am hesitant of going straight to the Boyds is if I can get my composite stock bedded properly with just some slight work and not have to spend that money on a full wood laminate stock.