Glass Bedding?
01-12-2006, 08:24 AM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: Glass Bedding?
Glass bedding may or may not be necessary depending on how the rifle shoots as it is now. If it's not as accurate as you like, then glass bedding might make it more accurate.
The "glass" in glass bedding refers to epoxy resin. I suppose it became known as glass bedding because fiberglassis sometimesadded to the epoxy for added strength. Basically what it involves is pouring an epoxy mixture (epoxy/fiberglass, epoxy/steel,etc....)into your rifle stock, then pressing the barrelled action into the stock and letting the epoxy cure while the action is in place. The hardenedepoxy then provides a platform that's perfectly mated to the action. This relieves (or at least reduces)any stress on the action when it's tightened down and also prevents it from shifting in the stock. This, theoretically, improves accuracy and in actual practice almost always does.I believe most people, and this includes myself, only bed the action and not the barrel. The barrel is left free-floated. That is, no portion of the stock is touching it.
The above is a very simplified explanation. The actual process of bedding a rifle is more complicated and the reasons why it improves accuracy are too. Material has to be removed from the stock, a release agent has to be applied to the action (otherwise it would be permanently glued in place), cavities and recesses in the action have to be plugged to prevent a mechanical lock, and so on and so forth.
I've glass bedded a few rifles and the resultshave always been positive. That is, the rifles weremore accurate after bedding them.
If this is something you want to attempt to do yourself, I recommend buying the instructional video from Brownell's and one of their variousglass bedding kits. My personal favorite is their Steel-Bed kit, which is an epoxy resin impregnated with powdered steel. It cures very hard and is very durable. If you don't feel comfortable trying it yourself, then any competent gunsmith should be able to do it for you.
The "glass" in glass bedding refers to epoxy resin. I suppose it became known as glass bedding because fiberglassis sometimesadded to the epoxy for added strength. Basically what it involves is pouring an epoxy mixture (epoxy/fiberglass, epoxy/steel,etc....)into your rifle stock, then pressing the barrelled action into the stock and letting the epoxy cure while the action is in place. The hardenedepoxy then provides a platform that's perfectly mated to the action. This relieves (or at least reduces)any stress on the action when it's tightened down and also prevents it from shifting in the stock. This, theoretically, improves accuracy and in actual practice almost always does.I believe most people, and this includes myself, only bed the action and not the barrel. The barrel is left free-floated. That is, no portion of the stock is touching it.
The above is a very simplified explanation. The actual process of bedding a rifle is more complicated and the reasons why it improves accuracy are too. Material has to be removed from the stock, a release agent has to be applied to the action (otherwise it would be permanently glued in place), cavities and recesses in the action have to be plugged to prevent a mechanical lock, and so on and so forth.
I've glass bedded a few rifles and the resultshave always been positive. That is, the rifles weremore accurate after bedding them.
If this is something you want to attempt to do yourself, I recommend buying the instructional video from Brownell's and one of their variousglass bedding kits. My personal favorite is their Steel-Bed kit, which is an epoxy resin impregnated with powdered steel. It cures very hard and is very durable. If you don't feel comfortable trying it yourself, then any competent gunsmith should be able to do it for you.
01-12-2006, 08:27 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Olive Branch MS USA
Posts: 1,032
RE: Glass Bedding?
One more thing I forgot to mention: glass bedding issomething that can be done to bolt action rifles. I don't believe you can do it to any other action type, but I wouldn't swear to it.
