This board probably has the highest concentration of SUCKS owners anywhere......so some incredibly stupid bedding questions. I've bedded a half dozen rifles but all have been Rugers or M 98's - this is my first SUCKS.

First, when I remove the action screws, my action slides all over the place, side to side, in the wood stock.
Question 1: How do I ensure I get the "correct" location of the action to stock fit when I apply bedding compound? Do I use the action screws to hold it in place or use the rubber band method w/o the action screws?

Second, the inside stock surfaces are rough, with numerous bubbles and "other" stuff. I'd like to sand the surface smooth and apply glass to the action rail areas to give a flat smooth surface and help hold the action from sliding around.
Question 2: Is this a good idea and if so whats the best way of doing this.

The bottom metal appears to fit reasonably well.
Question 3: Is glassing the bottom metal a good idea on a SUCKS?

Question 4: I assume I bed the radiused tang section as well - any other places of interest?

Question 5: Do I pillar bed this thing while I'm at it?

I assume my standard method of bedding the recoil lug and first 2-3 inches of barrel still holds for a SUCKS.

Thanks in advance for the info cause I'm sure I'll have more questions.

Also, anyone have any thoughts on the SUCKS finish? I have a significant scratch/small gouge under the pistol grip that I would like to sand out but don't really want to re-finish the whole stock.

1- i use the action screws (center the action screws in the stock - i wrap w/ tape - and use release compound on the tape and screws and threads in the action, and chamber, too if you don't plug that hole). torque until the stuff starts oozing out evenly, wipe it off, let 'er sit.

2- i use a dremel w/ a sanding drum on it to relieve all contact spots (red lipstick on the action, mate the two together, pull apart, sand contacts, repeat as necessary until there is no contact). once that part is done, i use a 'cutter' tip, and carve fairly deep gouges the length of the rails to make sure the glass has something to hold onto.

3- i glass the bottom metal if i have time. if no time, i don't worry about it.

4- i bed from about where the shoulder of the cartridge would sit all the way back to the tang, and everything in between. do remember to tape off the recoil lug, plug the vents, and don't let the stuff get onto the rail.

5- i don't know.

good luck! i've found remingtons to be the easiest of the rifles to bed - nice smooth, round action... it is a snap. if you can bed a ruger, you can for sure bed a remington.

Pillar bed it and then glass bed it.

I'll post a few pointers tonite for ya, more to follow if you are patient. My way of pillar bedding takes pics and a quite a bit to post so this will be for conventional bedding.

1. Take the bolt out. Remove the trigger assy, bolt stop by removing the two pins with a small punch & hammer.

2. Go down to the hardware store and purchase a couple 1/4"NF bolts about 3" long, cut the heads off and chamfer. These will be your guide studs to use instead of the action screws. Wrap a little electricians tape so they center in your stock's holes. I prefer to use these guides instead of the screws when bedding, wrap surgical tubing or plumbers tape around the action to settle it down in the stock when bedding. Be sure to wipe off excess bedding compound with a razor blade before wrapping though.

3. Prep your stock for bedding. Set the action in stock with the guide studs screwed in the action. Check your barrel for center and level, you may have to wrap tape around it near the forearm if you want to float it. The ejection port and cut-out should mate up evenly too. When your action and barrel are properly aligned, take a fine point pen and scribe a line around the rear tang. This will be your guide so you don't have bedding compound showing around the rear tang area later. I would leave two small small tabs ^ so the rear tang has someting to rest on while bedding. Now relieve material from the stock inletting in the rail areas with 80grit wrapped around a wood dowel or deep socket. I leave about a .030" gap for bedding in this area, more below the stockline. Relieve the recoil lug area about a 1/4" back and the front receiver ring area about 3/16" deep. A dremel tool with the appropriate cutter will work here. The rear tang area can be prepped with a dremel tool also just be sure you leave the two small tabs for the rear tang to rest on, they should look like this symbol : ^. About 3/16" deep should suffice here in the r. tang area, stay inside your scribed lines. Check to make sure you have adequate clearance for bedding compound by running a slip of paper underneath the action, any areas contacting should be relieved. When done correctly, your barreled action will be supported at the rear by the two small tabs ^ and up front by the taped barrel which should be centered and level in the barrel channel.

4. Tape off the mag well, this will save clean-up later. I always fill the trigger and bolt stop recess areas on the action with modeling clay to avoid locks, trim off excess clay with a razor blade.

To be continued

bigtime - like the lipstick idea, I've used water based markers in the past for this but will likely try the lip stick idea this time. Do you think passion pink will look good with the walnut stock and white line spacers? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Mtn - thanks for the lengthy reply, am waiting for further instructions. I assume in the rail area, I recess under the stock line for glass and when cured will provide a small shelf of sorts to support the rail area. Thanks again.

-- BW

continuation of bedding a sucks.

5. Tape off the front and sides of the recoil lug with one layer of electrican's tape. Trim off excess with a razor blade. Make sure you have relieved enough material from the recoil lug area for clearance, the taped recoil lug should not make contact with the stock. Since this is a conventional bedding job I would also wrap painter's tape around the barrel just ahead of the shank area for supporting the barreled action while the bedding is setting up. Wrap just enough tape for support only, it should not change the postioning of the barrel's center and level.

6. Tape off the stock along the sides of the receiver and tang within about 1/4" of the inletting. You will be wiping off any excess bedding compound right up close to the action/receiver. Forgot to mention to tape off below the rail areas and safety recess inside the stock's inletting with electrician's tape, a blow dryer helps to make it conform and stick.

7. Apply plenty of release agent in the chamber/breech area, place an empty fired cartridge case in the chamber and apply release agent to the case head also. Apply release agent to the action/receiver, inside the rails, over the modeling clay, taped recoil lug, barrel shank and inside the action screw holes. I fill the tiny ADL mag tab screw hole with clay too. Apply release agent to the 1/4" guide screws too liberally.

8 At this point I think you are ready to bed the action. Your barreled action assy is ready. You should have on hand a waste basket, razor blades, a roll of paper towels, at least 50 Q-Tips and a few popsicle sticks. Most craft stores sell popsicle sticks dirt cheap, a whole box of over 100 for a few bucks. You should also have surgical tubing wrap or a roll of duct tape. Your stock should be set up in a gun vise or device in the horizional postition resting on the bench.

9 Always mix your bedding compound on a clean flat surface, not a cup. This cuts down on air pockets in the bedding compound. You should be wearing a NIOSH approved respirator and latex surgical gloves for safety reasons. Mix your bedding compound and apply it to the stock's inletting in the recoil lug area, f. receiver ring, along the rail areas and the rear tang area. I usually just fill the recoil lug recess full and dab it to work out any air pockets. Also spread & work the bedding compound along the rail and tang areas to work out any bedding compound. Now apply bedding compound to the gunmetal action/receiver areas in the same areas as you did on the stock. Make sure to work plenty of bedding compound into the corner where the recoil lug mates up againest the action just ahead of the f. action screw hole. By applying bedding compound to both the stock and receiver, it minimizes the chance of air voids or pockets. Some say this uses up too much bedding compound but if you ever see one of my bedding jobs you will understand - the results speak for themselves.

10. After applying bedding compound to the gunmetal, carefully place the barreled action into the stock straight down into postiotion slowly. Let it sink slowly into the inletting while trying to guide it into the proper postition. WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT LIFT OR LET UP ON THE ACTION AT ANY TIME! TO DO SO IS TO INVITE AIR POCKETS! Place your finger on the rear receiver ring and hold the action down in place, take a Q-Tip in your free hand and push the excess bedding compound up each action screw hole, clearing the holes for the guide studs. Don'y worry about the glob of bedding compound that pushes up into the breech area, this is what release agent is for. Later when that glob of bedding compound is semi-hard, you can fish it out with a pick. Now take a guide stud and insert it up the front screw hole and do the same for the rear tang hole. Remember to keep pressure down on the rear receiver ring this whole time, don't let up, just maintain constant pressure. Now take a clean popsicle stick and wipe off all the bedding compound that has oozed out along the sides especially in the front receiver area first, then take a razor blade and clean off the bedding compound right up next to the metal. I like to push down with the razor blade as to hydraulic any bedding compound down into the recesses. Take the surgical wrap or tape and wrap the front receiver with just enough pressure to hold the action in place-no more. Then do so for the rear receiver bridge also. Now finish wiping up any bedding compound that had oozed out previously (sides and rear tang areas). Its important not to wrap the receiver too tight, this will induce stress into your bedding job. If its a BDL, you can also wipe off excess bedding compound from the magazine well from underneat with a Q-Tip. Let the bedding compound cure, and don't forget to fish out that glob of bedding compound from the breech area, it will come out whole if you wait let it set up some. You also want to loosen your guide studs after about 6-8 hrs, just enough to break the threads loose. Use pliers or vise grips if you have to.

11 After the bedding is cured, remove the guide studs and surgical rap/tape. You should be able to rap the barrel on a wood bench and break the action loose. If you used a good release agent and applied it correctly, it will break loose with no more than 2-3 raps. Once the action has broken loose, carefully work the action straight up being careful not to rock the barreled action very much. If you rock the action back and forth too far, you risk breaking the bedding's edge at the recoil lug/receiver junction.

12 Remove the clay and tape from the action/receiver and clean it up. The stock's bedding will have to be cleaned up now. I use a file to carefully work the bedding down along the top stock line. Tape off the stock if you need to protect the finish, final wet sand the bedding's edges with 600 and polish in. The inletting areas can be cleaned up with a rotary file or dremel and hand files, if you taped off the areas (mag well, safety recess, trigger inletting) beforehand, it will serve as a guide/buffer as to how much to grind out.

13 The tape around the recoil lug is only used so the action can be removed easily after the bedding job is completed. The action receiver screws should not touch the stock inside the holes, drill out the holes if necessary for .030-.050 clearance. You may now bed the bottom metal if you wish, sometimes I do. The bedding compound that oozed into the barrel channel/shank area can be cleaned up with a rotary file also- just be careful not to mar the forearms exposed edges.

If I left out anything let me know, I might have as I typed this pretty fast. Have a good day and good luck!

MtnHtr

If using the actual action screws instead of guide studs, I like to fill the screw holes with modeling clay. That prevents a lot of bedding compound from oozing through the hole into the lug recess before the screws are put in. The modeling clay will be pushed out as you tighten the screws.

Great tip! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

MtnHtr

MH- Have you ever thought of putting a video tutorial together and then selling it? I'd buy one! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I'd be the 2nd customer....


Bill

Mtn Hunter, do you still leave the tabs for the action to set on in #3 if you put in pillars? I assume what you have listed is bedding without pillars?

in all seriousness, red lipstick shows up the best, and the darker the red, the better it shows.

if you are intending to use the lipstick to help improve the looks of the stock, then i would reccomend more of an earth tone. your white line spacers will set it off beautifully without looking too...cheap! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Yes, that was for bedding without pillars. The rear tang needs those two small tabs for support while the bedding is setting up since there is no pillar present.



On a pillar bed job, I leave the tabs until the pillars are anchored/epoxied in place, then I grind off the tabs carefully with the dremel. You only need those tabs for supporting/positioning the rear tang while the epoxy is setting up for the pillars. After the pillars are anchored/epoxied in and the tabs ground off, the rear tang will rest on the pillar for support as it should. Then I bed the action as stated previously in my earlier posts.



I've seen pillar bedding jobs where the pillars and bedding were done at the same time. Too many things can go wrong this way and the pillars are never really anchored or bonded to the stock very well. Air pockets around the pillars are usually the norm when done this way. If a 'smith does it this way then keep shopping, its a cheap shortcut to save time and the pillars may break loose later.





MtnHtr

Mtn - Thanks alot for laying the process out in detail. Put me down as the third customer of the video. I'm ordering pillars this weekend and expect to start on this project in a week or so. Thanks again.

Mtn. Hunter,

Where do you get pillars? Do you use the same kind for wood or composite stock?

Very nice description. Last time you had a nice post about bedding that included pictures, I failed to print the post. When I went back later to print, the pictures were no longer accessible. This time I copied all the text and saved in a file. I've been wanting to bed the action on my Rem Classic 350 Rem Mag. I would want to use pillars on the wood stock. No reason not to give her a try!

HogWild

HW,

I just use the Parrish pillars from Brownells. They have deep grooves which help hold epoxy for strength. Make sure you de-grease them well and handle them with latex gloves afterwards. I also give the exterior surface of each pillar a lite scuff with 80grit before de-greasing.

The 9/16" aircraft counterbore bit with a 5/16" pilot works well for opening up the existing stock holes for the Parrish pillars. Expensive tool from Brownells but well worth it.

MtnHtr

Darrell Holland (Hollands Shooter supply) has an excellent video of pillar and glass bedding available for I think $10.

Mtn.,

What bedding material is best for a wood stock?

HogWild

Easier, cleaner and cheaper than lipstick... unless you just steal the lipstick from some Montana Hooker... is good old-fashioned carbon paper. I often use it for smaller jobs, where carbon blacking would be too messy...

Simple slip a piece in between the parts while assembling and when you pull it apart the carbon will be left on the high spots.
art

I always liked Acraglas gel with a bit of dye for wood stocks. Fiberglass stocks receive Marine Tex for bedding. Ciebe Geige laminating epoxy for anchoring pillars, super strong stuff! Be sure to wear personal protective gear when handling these epoxies, I always do.

MtnHtr

That Hollands Vidio that Supertrucker mentioned is about $10 if you buy a stock, otherwise it's $34

I just ordered one and the lady said it was about two hours and very detailed.

in talking to a guy at the gunshop about bedding. he said he drills out the screw holes a bit and fills with bedding. he puts tubing over the screws and installs. instant pillars and the screws are free floated. he also beds the floorplate obviously....
woofer

My approach to positioning the pillars. I have to admit I held my breath when I did this the first time. Wax up your action, then degrease a small spot near the action screw holes. Glue the pillars to the action using 5 minute epoxy. I use a flat head bolt to hold the pillars in place, so that the countersink taper on the underside of the bolt helps center the pillar. 1/4-28 for SUCKS. As with all such procedures, check fit and position carefully before going on to the next step. Fill the enlarged holes in the stock with bedding compound and push the action with pillars into place. When the compound has set up, use a rubber mallet to free the barreled action. The idea here is that 5 minute epoxy is relatively weak, especially when used on smooth metal, and it provides just enough adhesion to hold the pillars in place, but will break loose when it's time to free the barreled action. Caution: I've done this once with one brand of 5 minute epoxy. No guarantees. However, I've messed with enough adhesives to be fairly confident. I'll do it again.



About the holes in the action. One time I helped a friend bed his rifle. We had been drinking beer, and forgot to use the headless guide screws. The Devcon went through the holes into the action and we had a helluva time getting it out while it was still wet. Used about a gallon of alcohol as I recall. He went on to become a professional gunsmith, and I'll bet he never forgot to use the pins again. I know I didn't.



Paul

Well done Mnt Hntr!

I will argue all day long however, that the Sucks is the most dificult rifle of all to properly glass bed (I hate em!), except maybe for a Savage 110 or dirivitive (I haven't done but a couple of them). Rugers and Win 70's are a piece of cake.

Old post...but what the heck...I'd bet you guys are still here...

Where's da pics?