[TheGermanGuy]

Alright. I've never done this before. Got myself the Acraglas Gel and I'm gonna tackle it. However, I would like to see if you guys can give me some pointers on this. As you might remember, I have the Butler Creek composite stock. So I'm gonna have to do the sanding and cross drilling. Also, on top of this, the barrel channel is hollow. So I'm gonna have to fill a portion of it in order to be able to bed the barrel. Now as far as the action goes, my composite stock is really snug there, and I wouldn't be able to get any of the bedding material in between. That is, unless I take some material out from the stock. Is that necessary? How did you guys do it? I'd be especially interested in Coyote's knowledge, since I know he's got the Bell&Carlson composite stock.

http://www.varminthunters.com/tech/1022bedding.html

This is a link Cajun has posted a few times, and I'm going by what the guy says to do. So far. Any reply will be greatly appreciated!

TheGermanGuy :sniper:

 

[cajungeo]

I bedded the rear of the receiver up to an inch around the sides, and rear of trigger group. The bottom 3/4" of recoil lugs. (don't over do it or you may not get your stock off as it has to pivot up to remove) Under the mounting screw lug. (I put model clay infront of v-block & screws). Bedded 2-3" under the barrel. This is to help support the heavy bull barrel, nesting in the thin alum. receiver.

I free floated my barrel first. Use 2 coats of release agent. Plug all possible mechanical locks with clay, also the gap between the receiver, and trigger group. Don't forget the pin ends. Watch the squeeze out. I cleaned the squeeze out in the mag well with q-tips.

Is your barrel free floated? Also how deep is the forestock channel you would have to fill?

As far as your stock fitting tight, it may only be tight in places. If your action/barrel is moving around in the stock under recoil, your groups will not be round. A well bedded rifle shoots tight round groups, if the shooter does his job, and has a trigger job. No bedding will result in a wider group with flyers. (don't confuse with 1st manually loaded round flyer).

I'm not shure about the Bell & Carlson, but I think they have a solid barrel channel. Maby Coyote, can give further tips.

 

[TheGermanGuy]

Thanks Cajun!

Now... one thing I'm not quite sure on... what's the definition of a free floated barrel? If all it means that it's not held down by a barrel band, then yes, it's free floated. No work had been done to the stock previously.

The hollow barrel channel is about 3/4" wide and maybe 1" deep. Something like that.

TheGermanGuy :sniper:

 

[cajungeo]

Free floated means that with the rifle ready to shoot, no part of the stock touches the barrel. You should be able to slide a business card between the barrel, and stock. My lamanint stocks, I had to remove material to get it there.

The hollow barrel channel is about 3/4" wide and maybe 1" deep

That is a huge area to fill in. I think I would look at only bedding the top of the first channel wall just past the v block provided it isn't way forward.

The other thing to watch is not getting bedding down into the take down screw hole in the stock.

 

[TheGermanGuy]

Thanks for clearing that for me!

The front of the stock definitely touches the barrel. I'll take care of that by sanding some of the composite material down.

As far as the filling of the barrel channel goes, I'll give that a try, as it is suggested in the Acraglas instructions. I'll give the epoxy about a week to dry out. That should be sufficient. (?)

On another note: If I were to install a tension screw as described in the previous link, wouldn't that make bedding the barrel obosolete?

TheGermanGuy :sniper:

 

[cajungeo]

The bug tuner or other type, compliments the bedding. The bedding stabelizes the action/barrel, with the stock not touching the barrel, there is no distorting harmonic's acting on it. The 2 inches or so of barrel bedding only serves to support the heavy bull barrel to the thin alum receiver.

The tuner, allows you to control the harmonic's to a very repeatable frequency. So the bullet leaves the barrel, at the same point of the vibration cycle. Again you can only verify this if you shoot before, and after bedding, and tuning. I have on my target 10/22, and there is a big difference. Good luck!

 

[TheGermanGuy]

Thanks Cajun! I'll need it!

Getting back to the bug tuner or tension screw. Wouldn't applying pressure to the front of the barrel cause it to get lifted out of the bedding? Or is it just a minimal amount of pressure to where the barrel doesn't really get effected in that way?

TheGermanGuy :sniper:

 

[cajungeo]

No it dosen't lift it out of the bedding, there isn't that much pressure applied to the screw. The pressure is only enough to dampen, or change the barrel vibration to a repetable cycle. You may want to review this thread, and the contained links.

I'm still using the card board at present. Haven't had much time since to design a tuner, but it is still a priority. http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...t=barrel+tunner

 

[TheGermanGuy]

Thanks Cajun!

I can't help it, but when you explain it, it just seems so much more sensible. You should write a book on this stuff. It could be called: "Accurizing your rifle in a language you will understand". Maybe I'm just slow.... I've been told that before...

As far as my bedding goes, it was a partial success. Remember I wanted to fill the hollow barrel channel? Well, of all things, that turned out great. The receiver end is where I'm having trouble. The stock is so tight at that end that inserting the barreled action squeezed most of the acraglas gel downwards, to where I now have a snug top and bottom part, but the middle section ended up being empty. I don't know if that explains well what I'm talking about. Maybe I should take a picture of it. However. If I have sections that need touch up, meaning more epoxy, do I have to remove ALL the epoxy and start from scratch, or can I fill in "hollow spots"?

TheGermanGuy :sniper:

 

[cajungeo]

The stock is so tight at that end that inserting the barreled action squeezed most of the acraglas gel downwards, to where I now have a snug top and bottom part, but the middle section ended up being empty

Was your stock that tight before you bedded? Or after?

Not shure which part your talking about, but if your talking about the notch in the rear formed by the trigger group, and receiver? You can touch up voids by cleaning the surface to be touched up with alcohol to remove any imbeded release agent, then lightly abrade with sandpaper, reaply release agent to the receiver/trigger group. Then reaply the acruglas, and reasemble the rifle. If its only a small void, I'd let it go.

You may be ok as is, if you have bedding on the upper, and lower part of the rear of the receiver, the upper part of the recoil lugs, and under the barrel.

I may have to break down, and buy a digital camera with a macro lens. A good picture would be worth a lot of typing. That would be great if you could post a close up picture of your bedding.

 

[TheGermanGuy]

Ok, here we go. I took a bunch of pictures to show what I did. But don't judge me, for I don't know what I do....


TheGermanGuy :sniper:

 

[TheGermanGuy]

#2

 

[TheGermanGuy]

#3

 

[TheGermanGuy]

#4 Shows the new "recoil lug" that results out of cutting a grove into the bottom side of the v-block.

 

[TheGermanGuy]

#5 The grove.

 

[TheGermanGuy]

#5 shows the back end, which turned out nice and smooth. Over all it appears that I now have a much tighter fit than before and I'm very tempted to go to the range "as is" and see if anything has changed yet.

TheGermanGuy :sniper:

 

[cajungeo]

Hey GermanGuy. You didn't need the bedding on the side of the receiver only on the rear of the receiver, around only about an inch, to lock in the rear of the receiver. I see some voids, but I think its a good enough job. You made a notch in your V block to act as a recoil lug, whereas I bedded around the recoil lugs. Both ideas will work. If it were mine I'd take it to the range to check it out.

Overall a good job well done. Thanks for the pics. I gosta get me a cammera with macro.

 

[TheGermanGuy]

Thanks Cajun!

Those were very encouraging words, now I just have to see at the range for myself. Let's see. Since the last time I was at the range, I did my overtravel stop, free floated the barrel and bedded the action. I'm really hoping for some improvement. I also started on a home made bug tuner. The brass collar is already installed in the stock. Now I just need to get a setscrew and a nut to lock it in place, countersink them and on to the testing we go. Am I getting ahead of myself? Where do I put on the brakes here?


TheGermanGuy :sniper:

 

[New Guy]

I wasn't going to get involved with this but an alternative way of controlling barrel harmonics is a tuner like the flush mount carried by Hoehn Sales (Ron). You are going to need a GOOD torque wrench (inch lbs) to torque the takedown/action screw and/or bug tuner depending on the route you take. Guess it depends on how much $$$ you want to put into your project. To me the bug tuner is cool because it is a more stealth way to tune a barrel but you'll find many of the shooting organizations like the ARA using a variety of barrel mounted tuners. Best of luck to you.

 

[TheGermanGuy]

Thanks New Guy!

Is there a webpage to check out your tuner? And yes, you might have guessed it... I'm a cheap bastard. But that's only part of the reason why I wanna do everything I can myself. I really enjoy working on my 10/22. It's more fun than I ever thought it could be. And with the help of this forum, I'm slowly getting it to become a halfway decent shooter too! My brother in law is already wondering why I need it to shoot any more accurate. "You're hitting the 10 ring every time you shoot, so how much more accurate do you need to be??" is what he says. When I tell him that my group size needs to get smaller, he only shakes his head. Oh well. What can I say? I enjoy this stuff!!

TheGermanGuy :sniper:

P.S.: Maybe I should just use reeeeaaaally tiny targets for my brother in law, freak him out.... Ha!