$5 Quick Steel Bedding

[Bayou Stalker]

I bought a .17 HMR Sportster last weekend, and started tinkering.  Everyone that posted that these are tack drivers was correct.  One of the things I wanted to do was use it as a test bed for modifications.  The first thing I did was my first Handi trigger job, and I have another post for that adventure.  The second thing I wanted to do was bed the forend.  Having used some of the messier methods in the past, I didn't want to go that route.  One product I have used before where I've needed JB Weld, is Quick Steel.  http://www.cargobluemagic.com/ It molds like clay, but hardens like JB.  I removed the forend and using sandpaper around a deep well socket, I floated the forend from the lug forward.  I then mounted the forend and used a feeler gauge between the forend tip and barrel to determine how far off of the barrel was required to fully float the barrel to the lug.  An .035 was the magic number to allow a dollar bill to slide freely down to the lug.  I removed the forend again, and coated the barrel around the lug down to the frame with Turtle Wax.  My Quick Steel ingot was kneaded to activate it, and then placed in the synthetic forend below the lug hole.  The forend was mounted back on the rifle and the forend screw was tightened until I had my .035" clearance on the forend tip to the barrel.  The screw and forend were removed and allowed an hour to cure.  There are a couple voids that I will need to go back and add a second application to ensure it is fully bedded, but for the most part I think it turned out great and was fairly easy to do.  I'll finish it up this afternoon and test it out this weekend.  While probably not as accurate as a torque wrench, tightening the forend screw on the .035" feeler gauge should get me fairly consistent reassembly as well.

Here are a couple pics of the finished forend.  If it works out well, I'll add more photos of the process next time.






Kendall

[NFG]

Good job...you never get a totally full bed the first time...at least I haven't  unless you go overboard with the bedding compound and I tend to be a bit conservative with the stuff and I've been bedding things for a very long time.  Sanding down the first bed slightly then doing a skim coat usually gives you a perfect fit and the epoxy will stick to itself very well. 

I would still get rid of that lousy Phillips screw and use an Allen screw, they are usually available in most of the larger hardware store in the "little drawers"...much easier to torque with an Allen wrench.  Just tighten it firmly and note the angle the handle makes off centerline...quarter turn equals 90 °, 1/8 turn equals 45° etc...you can retorque back fairly close anytime.  I used to run the rack on Jimmy diesels using the same procedure before the "new" way of using a dial indicator came about...used to keep the drivers happy and my beer cooler full.

I buy JB in the BIG tubes at Shucks auto, Accuragel from Brownells, different types of epoxies and bedding compounds from various sources (I've used all of them with more or less the same success) mix with epoxy colorant and powdered metals from Brownells, glass bead fullers and even two part putty's used to patch mufflers and plumbing fixtures works great for bedding the NEF receiver/barrel as it will form in place with a little judicious squeezing and keep its shape so you can remove the barrel to let it set.  Even the old "bondo" automotive fillers and polyester resins work well in certain applications and ...mixed with lead shot...it makes a very solid weight adding filler for forends and stocks.

I did the same thing to my 17 HMR and it shot better afterwards, but the ammo was only good to slightly under 3/4" so I ended up rechambering the barrel to a 17 FB and stick it on a SB2 frame.  1000 fs more make a lot of difference in effect and cost...I can reload 100 FB's for about the cost of 50 HMR's.

Luck on you project.

[JerryKo]

Good Job!  Looking forward to the range report.  Good luck, hope it shoots better!

Jerry

[cwlongshot]

Nice post, thanks for sharing. 

This will go a long way to those who may have been "on the fence" about their ability to do this easy accuracy upgrade!!

 CW

[Bayou Stalker]

Good Job!  Looking forward to the range report.  Good luck, hope it shoots better!

Jerry

I'm hoping this will be the little bit needed to make a moa shooter sub-moa.  I have to add a little more Quicksteel in a couple of the voids and will be finishing it up this afternoon.  I should have an updated report this weekend or on Monday.

Looking back after having done this, it would have been easier to use more Quicksteel than was needed and let it overflow.  Once it starts to harden just a little, it is really easy to trim with an Xacto knife. 


Kendall

[cwlongshot]

 I have also done a few bedding jobs and used a couple different products. I never liked the mess from the excess material that oozes out. But doing it that way does make for less voids and gaps when you remove the barrel. BUT.. it also finds EVERY little gap in your dams... I have had a couple that almost resulted on stock and actions being stuck together for ever!!!

 Bedding with a bit "stiffer" material reduces this problem and still results in satisfactory results.

CW

[mtbugle]

I have felt trimming the excess with a sharpened stick or plastic is less likely to scratch bluing and still cuts the soft stuff pretty smoothly.  thanks Don.

[Bayou Stalker]

Round 2:

I mixed up some more Quicksteel, and filled in all of the voids.  It is now what I was trying to achieve.  Now to find out how well it works...


Kendall

[JerryKo]

We'll be waiting!


Jerry