You might want to place a small putty dam in the barrel channel at the end of your desired bedding.

So, I should fill that hollow part in under the 1st two inches and not do just the upper side edges where the barrel used to meet?

I put 3 coats of release agent on the barrel. I'm going to give it at least an hour to make sure it good and dry.

I just re-read the instructions and it says not to bed that area unless extra weight is wanted so I'm gonna just stick to the edges.

I would fill the area under the barrel, but if you are more comfortable doing just the sides - go for it. Why don't you look up some pictures of completed bedding jobs on the internet while your release agent is drying. I have never looked for bedding pictures on the internet, but there must be plenty of them. I would bet that 19 out of 20 of them have the barrel supported on the bottom.
Good luck with the bedding. I will check this site in a few hours to see if you need anything, but for now I'm going hunting.

Yeah, I know. You aren't alone. Most people bed a rifle this way.

If you are going to free float a barrel then there is no reason to bed under the chamber other than you just want to. It really isn't going to do anything detrimental to a typical hunting rifle though. Most people aren't going to be able to shoot good enough to see any differences any way.

Now if you are going to full length bed the entire barrel channel that is another story. You full length bed to help eleminate as much of the barrel harmonics as possible and typically you do it on a pretty darn stable stock to begin with... such as a heavy laminated stock, McMillan, etc.... Typically you do not get as good of results full length bedding a sporter weight rifle in a typical sporter weight stock as you would if you free float the barrel because even with bedding compound in the barrel channel the stock isn't rigid enough to keep the stock from flexing.

The wait has begun!!!! I'm feeling pretty good about it but the truth will come in the morning when I pull the barrel off. I've always been one to listen to other people experiences and learn from them so I went ahead and bedded under the chamber. I mixed to table spoons of resin and 2 of hardner. It took every bit that I mixed. I got good ooozzzing all around but I'm slightly worried that I may not have had enough under the chamber. I did leave enough space over the dam that it could have ozed forward. I guess that will be on my mind until I pull them apart.

How long do you wait to pull the tape off?

Big Uncle, did you get anything this afternoon?

Thanks again to all for the advice. This has been a fun learning experience.


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Those pictures look like you are going to be a happy camper very soon. You will have to be careful now, or you will end up bedding all of your hunting partners rifles too when they see the results. It is great to see a guy tackle a DIY project like this.

I had a wonderful afternoon in the woods today. No deer for me, but a friend dropped one and I got to help him drag it out. Time well spent.

Good deal and congratulations to your friend.

Alright! I'm really happy over all with the job. The only spot I had any problems is on the tang. The glob that sat under the lug came up when I pulled the barrel off. I was worried about the chamber area but I had more then enought and that came out good. I like the way the recoil lug area came out too. My 2nd layer of tape is stuck in there. I also need to clean up the area under the chamber some. My first thought when I saw some of the edges was that it was peeling. Upon further inspection, it is just the sheen from the release agent. Other then the tang, it looks like it all bonded well.


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Looks good, CC.... I usually let mine "cure" for at least 24 hrs. before I pull it apart. Another thing worth mentioning is that you want to drill out the front and rear guard screw holes when you get it apart.. the bedding compound will have filled them and made them tight around the screws. You want to relieve any pressure on those screws so they touch nothing but the bottom metal (i.e. trigger guard, front screw base) and the receiver itself. Anyhow, you "done good" so far....

The important parts came out just fine. You can always put a small dab of bedding under the tang after you get the rest of it all cleaned up. The tape in the recoil lug recess will come out fairly easily. Bedding jobs take some time but they are worth the effort. Nice job.

You have now done more bedding jobs than 90% of the experts!