My first rifle bedding job with pics

[Southernfryedyankee]

OK I am not going to say its great and I am not going to say its horrible. I did NOT get mechanical lock so that was definitly good. I waxed EVERYTHING inside the action and out and I am VERY glad I did because some of the epoxy crept up into the screw hole and got into the barrel threads of the action BUT because I johnson waxed EVERYTHING I was good to go. I did get a couple of air pockets/voids and low spots (circled in yellow) that I would like to fix. I didnt know the epoxy would be gray and against he gray stock its hard to see. I did free float the tang only because I was read that I should on savages after doing some research. I would like to hear HONEST opinions. If it sucks and looks crappy TELL ME, if its decent let me know and if you tell me its looks great and I did an awesome job I will HAHAHA. I dremeled out the magazine well, GOOOOO DREMEL

 

[Southernfryedyankee]

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s176/nylouie516/DSCN3618Medium.jpg[/IMG]

 

[royinidaho]

Looks pretty ok to me.........

I'd give some though to enlarging the mounting screw holes sufficient to ensure that their shaft is not touching anywhere along their length.

Go shoot that sucker, your loads will most probably change a bit, a let your big toothie grin get a little larger.

Its quite satisfying, isn't it?

 

[DCGS]

Pretty is good but as long as you support that action and recoil lug in the proper places this is one time that looks does not make a bit of difference and if you don't show it to anybody now one will ever know. The next one will be better and so on. I did't my first one after getting Joel Russo to do one for me. Try comparing your first one to a perfectionist like him. Good luck Dan

 

[AJ Peacock]

Honestly, pretty darN good for a first time. My first time, I had a heck of a time getting the stock out (old acraglass, 25-30 years ago), It's easy to get voids, because you hate to waste bedding material. As you do a few more, you'll get a better feel for how much to use. As roy said, voids aren't anything to worry about as long as you have the action supported correctly. Also, I agree with roy, drill the shafts of those holes a little bigger.

Good job,
AJ

 

[Southernfryedyankee]

Just out of curiosity, how much play am I supposed to have in the recoil lug area? I used 2 pieces of masking tape on the front side torwrds the barrel and 3 layers on the bottom just to make sure it wouldnt bottom out. Should I have added less?

 

[Joel Russo]

Not bad considering it's your first one and you used hand tools...
Make sure you drill out the screw holes so that the actions screws are not binding.
When you mask off the recoil lug, do the front, bottom and sides. Two to three layers is enough.

 

[Southernfryedyankee]

Not bad considering it's your first one and you used hand tools...
Make sure you drill out the screw holes so that the actions screws are not binding.
When you mask off the recoil lug, do the front, bottom and sides. Two to three layers is enough.

Ok good I did 2 on the front 2 on the sides and 3 on the bottom, I just drilled out the action screw holes and now they are MUCH easier to get in. I noticed that once the rifle was put back together there was less play in the recoil lug area. Is it bad that my action still moves slightly forward and back?