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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,138 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 23,138 Likes: 6 |
I've used West System to bed a bunch of rifles. It all started when faced with a project and needing a fresh batch of Brown-"give me all your money"-ell's goop and the drums of West System in the corner of the shop caught my eye. Not a lick of worry/issues with the stuff - but, as a disclaimer I never bedded anything nastier than .30-06's with it as magnums don't have, and never will have, a useful place in my life.
Last edited by gnoahhh; 07/30/21.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
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Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,339
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,339 |
Acrsglas and Acraglas Gel....both good stuff! Have used it for 20 + years like many on this thread.
There is certainly nothing wrong with its stability. The stuff dries solid as a rock. The Gel version is really easy to work with. What’s not to like? Just follow the directions and it’s fool proof.
Sounds like the original poster’s gunsmith knows a thing or two about bedding rifles.
Leftybolt
Last edited by Leftybolt; 07/31/21.
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Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,811
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,811 |
Its not always easy to do the right thing, But it is always the right thing to do.
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 594
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 594 |
I have used Acraglas, Acraglas Gel, Devcon Steel, Devcon Alum., and Marine-Tex. I did not like how runny the Acraglas was, and Devcon lost their mind on cost so I now use Marine-Tex and Acraglas gel. for most of what I do. My feelings and experience exactly!!
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,211 Likes: 9
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 37,211 Likes: 9 |
Acraglas Gel is my go to. I Steel Bed the lug on big boomers.
DF
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Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 3
New Member
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New Member
Joined: Aug 2021
Posts: 3 |
HI All, I am new to this site, my first post I live down under Buying acraglas in Australia is frightfully expensive I I have made up my own using every day epoxy resin, fumed silica powder called Carbosil and Powdered stainless steel, it cures as hard as could be expected so far so good. My steel bench has 1/4 plate and I had a dallop left over and it had cured on the bench, it resisted a savage blow from a hammer. I had expected it to disintergrate and break the bond on the Bench it did not. I do not used the stainless steel when filling up a barrel channel just use it around the recoil lug I usually throw in a little brown dye to get it away from the silver colour cheers Vaughn G
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Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 29
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 29 |
I forge and make a lot of knives. When i need a solid connection, i use acraglas and have had great results. I began using it for this application because i had good luck with it when bedding firearms.
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 442 |
Acraglass is good. I’ve used in many years ago, but it’s nothing more than thickened epoxy and way overpriced. Any good industrial epoxy will do the same. Avoid fast setup stuff. The closest thing to AG I’ve seen is epoxy adhesive from FGCI in St Pete. Seems identical. At a tiny fraction of the price. Wouldn’t be surprised if Bnells bought it in bulk & repackaged it. As for strengtheners, metals don’t work nearly as well as fiberglass floc or better yet, long carbon fibers. Silica or microspheres etc, weaken it. Good for fairing or filling a void in a Kevlar stock before painting as it easy to sand with those in it. FGCI also has a good variety of epoxy pigments you can mix to match your stock color.
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,235 Likes: 1
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 32,235 Likes: 1 |
I like Acraglas Gel, but have used regular Acraglas, J-B Weld, and Marine Tex.
I have fixed several broken stocks with Acraglas and Acraglas Gel, very useful stuff.
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,366
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,366 |
If your need is for a semi-flexible bedding compound where stability isn't the primary goal, either AcraGlas or AcraGlas Gel is your ticket.
WTH are you talking about, Al... While AG does take a couple days to fully set up, once that's done it ain't goin' nowhere..
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,644 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 10,644 Likes: 2 |
IMO, there is no one best, at least not in the sense of one type fits all.
The nice thing about the "runny" original Acraglas is that it sets up in thin layers, something not true of all epoxies. Great for surface or paint coats over the main bedding.
Stupidity has its way, while its cousin, evil, runs rampant.
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Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 9,147 Likes: 4
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 9,147 Likes: 4 |
If you want the very finest, strength, longevity, impervious to oils and solvents, vibration, shock loading etc...get your hands on "Chockfast" 604. Machinists and marine engineers etc have used it almost exclusively for years for the final bedding of marine engines, reduction gear boxes, pumps, compressors, shaft pillow blocks. It's a 3 component system. I don't know how small of quantity they sell, I used it in pails...a bit much for the hobbyist. I once had a hydraulic winch spline drive (225 hp) strip out, I cobbled the stripped adapter with 604 and with care it made it through the voyage.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
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Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 30 |
I use that mostly and no complains
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,951
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,951 |
I have had good luck with Acraglass Gel on quite a few rifles, however I did use a kit from Score High that had an epoxy that I like even better. It was much more like a soft putty and make working with it much easier.
"Give a lazy man the toughest job, and he will find the easiest way to do it"
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Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 30
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 30 |
The prime purpose for me is to accurize a rifle
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Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,398 Likes: 3
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,398 Likes: 3 |
All I’ve ever used is Acraglass and fiberglass flock I’m not changing
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,316 Likes: 9
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,316 Likes: 9 |
As per Al Nyhus's post about flexibilty, Accraglas was developed when wood stocks were still common, and the that flexibility is important. But, all composite/tupperware stocks expand and contract with temperature, and having a bedding compound that accommodates that is probably a good thing too.
There's lots of good bedding compounds/epoxy out there, I have a Remmy tupperware stock that I Accraglas bedded 28 years ago, and just changed out the stock last year, the bedding is fine--and tupperware stocks are the hardest to get anything to stick to.
I have used more Acragel than any other bedding though.
Al, I've always wanted to know how a guy gets a glued in stock off the barreled action--judicious use of a chainsaw?
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,316 Likes: 9
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,316 Likes: 9 |
IMO, there is no one best, at least not in the sense of one type fits all.
The nice thing about the "runny" original Acraglas is that it sets up in thin layers, something not true of all epoxies. Great for surface or paint coats over the main bedding.
I keep Accraglas around just for that purpose.
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,316 Likes: 9
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 26,316 Likes: 9 |
Just checked, Brownells has been out of Acraglas and Acragel since early summer, still are.
Another supply chain victim, I suppose.......
Casey
Not being married to any particular political party sure makes it a lot easier to look at the world more objectively... Having said that, MAGA.
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