by Gale McMillan
McMillan Fiber Glass stocks 602-582-9635
Disassemble the rifle and remove the trigger. Use child's modeling clay to fill all recesses and pin holes, trigger slot and anywhere that the epoxy might key the action into the stock when it hardens. I use electrical tape to tape off the recoil lug with two layers of tape on the sides, bottom and front side of the recoil lug. Tape off the barrel with several layers of tape so that when finished there will be an even free floating clearance between the barrel and the stock. On the action I run a layer of tape the length of the action so that the bottom is 1/4 inch below centerline. On the port side I let the bottom of the tape run just below the edge of the port.* This gives clearance at the vertical side so that the action can settle back to the bottom after the recoil event. Inspect the barreled action to see if you have missed anything and set it aside.
Use a Dremel handy grinder to rough up the area of the stock being bedded making sure you remove any oil that has accumulated. If you don't have a grinder you can use a chisel and scrape and rough it up. Grind or cut out the recoil slot to give at least an 1/8 inch of clearance all around it. You should be careful to not grind the wood to the edge of the stock as the bedding would show and be unsightly . When finished gently place the barreled action into the stock and see that it will fit to the bottom of the stock without binding. If it needs more relief do it at this time.
Inspect the barreled action to make sure your tape is in place and has not been peeled off where it contacted the stock during checking clearances. If it is OK then using a soft bristled brush paint a coat of Johnson paste wax (available in any grocery store). Over the complete barreled action including the inside of the action including in front of the locking lugs. Set it aside for the wax to dry and wax the guard screws making sure that the threads are waxed well and trigger guard and set it aside to dry. Inspect the barreled action to see that you liberally coated it with wax. If it is well waxed and dry use a soft rag like a T shirt and lightly buff off the excess wax. Do the same with the guard screws and trigger guard.
We use Marine Tech metal filled epoxy (we have it in kits if you can't find it any where else.) This works up to a consistency of lard and does not run or migrate out of the area to be bedded. Hang the barreled action in a vice holding it ahead of the stock. Using a Popsicle stick put a thin coat of Marine Tech all over the action and barrel that will contact the stock. Turn the action so that it is upright in the vice. Now put a liberal layer of epoxy into the stock where you want the bedding to be including the barrel channel. Be generous with the epoxy so that you are assured of having enough. I like to rub it into the stock it insure good adhesion. Now place the guard screws into the stock and hold the stock up to the barreled action and start the guard screws. Tighten one then the other till the action is nearly in place. Let it set for 5 minutes to let the excess epoxy to ooze out. Then, tighten the screws just snug with the stock hanging free with no binding.
Now comes the clean up. You have plenty of time so don't panic. I use a Popsicle stick sharpened like a chisel. With it I remove any bedding material that has flowed up around the barrel and action. After the bulk of the epoxy has been removed I switch to cotton swabs and kerosene with a little oil to wash off all traces of the epoxy that shows above and below the stock. Be sure you inspect the stock to make sure that there is no epoxy in the checkering or on the stock. Do not worry about the kerosene migrating into the bedding area. Leave it hang for 8 hours.
Remove the guard screws and with a mallet give the barrel a sharp rap on the bottom in front of the stock forend. Use the bolt started into the action or a rod that is nearly the size of the bolt to use as a handle to lift the barreled action up and out of the stock. Hold the barrel in one hand just in front of the forend and with your thumb pushing on the stock and the other hand on the bolt with the thumb pressing on the butt stock work the action up and out of the stock. You may have to give it another rap with the mallet if it doesn't want to come free.
Remove all the bedding material that is where it shouldn't be and remove all the tape and using a sharpened stick carefully remove any epoxy sticking to the barrel or action. Drill out the guard screw holes at least two drill sizes to give clearance so that the screws do not touch the stock.
I have tried to give the important points and by using common sense you won't get in trouble. You want the barrel&action to fall out of the stock when the guard screws are removed and the stock is turned up side down.
Model 70s are bedded tight in the action. That means the sides of the action are not taped off, and the stock grips the action on all vertical sides.
Mausers are bedded tight like a Mod. 70 except, about 2 inches of the barrel at the chamber should be bedded.
The method I used on the Mod. 700 is with free floated barrel. If it doesn't shoot up to your expectations put the barreled action in the vice like you did when you bedded it and hang a 3 lb. Weight on the front sling swivel. Put a small amount of Marine Tech in the barrel channel and screw the guard screws in, this will give you 3 lbs. of forend pressure on the barrel.
If you have small voids I do not try to fill them as it will cause high spots and a bad bedding job. Just leave them, or redo the entire job.
I tape the vertical sides of the receiver off running the tape the length of the action on both sides so that the bottom edge of the tape is 1/4 inch below the centerline of the action. This give 1/4 inch clearance down 1/4 inch on the sides of the stock, clear as mud, isn't it?
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