Gents,

I need some help here. Usually I bed the action and the first couple or three inches of barrel depending on how heavy a barrel I am using. That seems to work just fine and they all shoot well. The problem I have with the mausers is how in the heck do you keep the bedding material from flowing into the front trigger guard hole? Because of the tendancy for the compound to flow into this hole I've been bedding just the barreled action first. Then going back and removing the material from the hole. Then bedding the triggerguard if need be. A couple of the inletted stocks I got had too much material removed from the guard area in either the front ring area or tang and I used glass to even it up.

It's because of this tendancy for the bedding compound to flow into areas I don't want it that I bed the components seperately unlike my 700's where I assemble both action and gurad at the same time.

Any tips would be appreciated.

Zach,
plumber's putty...

use acra GEL not glass...

jeffe

Use inletting screws from Brownells

If you decide to use inletting screws or studs made from surplus action bolts you may want to put few wraps of masking tape on them to center the studs in the stock holes. This will keep the action screws from contacting the stock or pillars after assembly.

Inletting screws with some release agent on them.

Buy her a few drinks and whisper sweet things in her ear!

Sorry, couldn't resist the title of the post....

Thanks for all the replies but I'm still not getting it. I do have inletting screws but where I run into problems is with the trigger guard itself. What keeps the glass from oozing down the sides of the front triggerguard pillar if you will? And what keeps it from oozing over the recoil lug/shoulder and onto the front of the magwell? I'm worried about locking one up solid even with plenty of release agent. I suppose this is one of those tings that if I saw it once it would be clear as crystal, But right now all I see is mud.

Oh. Gotcha

Once I'm ready to bed the triggerguard and the barred action I first coat ALL THE METAL with release agent. Then I put a second coat on. I pay particular attention to the inside and outside of the magazine well, the rails and feed ramp because as you've noticed, the bedding compound can squeeze into these areas.

When I' ready to go, I mix more than enough Acra-glas gel(dyed black) and place a dollop in the front and rear triggerguard tang mortises. I then push the triggerguard into place so that it bottoms. This forces some of the gel into the guard screw holes.

Next I flip the stock over and apply gel in the rear action tang mortise and in the lug recess, behind the lug recess and in the barrel channel(2-3"). I insert the barreled action, with inletting screws(coated in release agent) and force it into the stock. I wrap the whole works with stretched surgical tubing and let the gel set. I use quite a bit of gel so I get some squeeze out. I'm usually working on a blank so it's not a problem if I get gel on the outside -I just wipe it up.

There should be a 1/32"-1/16" gap between the bottom of the rails and the top of the triggerguard so yes, the gel will squeeze into and down the front of the magazine well. This isn't a problem.

After about 6-8 hours I remove the metalwork from the stock and use an box cutter knife to trim excess gel. I then reassemble using the regular guard screws until the gel is totally hard.

To open up the front guard screw hole after the gel has set, I usually ream it with a 9/16" Forsner bit which leaves about a 1/32" gap around the pillar.

Lately I've been using the rear guard screw bushing that comes with most military Mausers. I coat the inside with release agent and drop it in the guard screw hole before putting the barreled action in the stock. Gel is forced down around the bushing and the bushing is centered in the hole by the inletting screw. I use an appropriately sized drill bit to clean out any gel that found it's way into the bushing.

Mauser98,

Thanks. I guess I've just been to timid to try it that way. That's about how I had it figured though. I recycle the rear bushing from the military stocks too.

Appreciate the help from everyone.

I hate kid's play dough for glass bedding.
I rip off pieces of foam rubber and stuff it in the big holes, and I use Devcon Steel Putty from Brownell's becuase it gives me time to work, and does not flow if not pushed.