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Pro Bed 2000 Hello all. I have a lot of trust in a fellow who built one of my most accurate rifles. He's very smart in gunsmithing, and a former barrel maker. But due to health reasons, he no longer builds rifles unless it is a close friend. I've contacted many riflesmiths and most use some form of Devcon or Marine Tex for bedding. I'm wondering why more smiths aren't using ProBed 2000? This stuff was made just for bedding and is a hit with many riflesmiths apparently. Unfortunately, I've not gotten in touch with them. Anyone here use it? Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | ||
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1: marine tex grey is fantastic for bedding 2: the cost is very reasonable 3: i have been using marine tex on guns as big as .550 .. 4: 55 bucks per gun? seriously, that's crazy pricing .. devcon is cheaper so, you asked, i answered my opinion. #dumptrump opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club Information on Ammoguide about the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR. 476AR, http://www.weaponsmith.com | |||
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Fair enough. Thanks. The smith wrote in the email to me that he's used all of the above and you can certainly build an excellent shooter with all and he's used them all but when comparing them to Pro Bed 2000, you couldn't pay him to use the others again. Pro Bed is 1000 times better. I don't know the first thing about it but he said this compound was designed to depart from all the quirks you get from the others: too runny; too thick; too many air bubbles; too hard to clean up; too fast; too slow, etc. He said it was developed specifically to address some of the problems gunsmiths have with epoxy products out there that we had to choose from where the majority of them were not designed for bedding in the 1st place. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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marine tex grey answered all my desires, except being about to take piment.. marine tex white is a different formulation, and is far more elastic (rubbery) than grey... when you start reading the components, it gets kind of funny, really ... i tried a porting/head rebuilding epoxy ONCE.. sticky didn't being to describ it #dumptrump opinions vary band of bubbas and STC hunting Club Information on Ammoguide about the416AR, 458AR, 470AR, 500AR What is an AR round? Case Drawings 416-458-470AR and 500AR. 476AR, http://www.weaponsmith.com | |||
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There may not be a perfect single bedding material for every application. As example, years back we contracted with a well known master barrel maker and custom gun builder to build a battery of precision sniper rifles for a particular application. His specialty was 1000 yard benchrest and he had built a rifle used to win a National Championship. These contracted rifles were indeed accurate but they were fragile. The bedding material used was considered the best for these accurate bench rifles, but it was a poor choice for durability when exposed to hard field use. Flip side, the USMC 2112s building the M40s would bed the rifles using Titanium Devcon with a skim coat of Marine-Tex Gray. This combination may not win any benchrest championships, but it will hold up to hard use in the field. As a result of this, many began using the Marine-Tex Gray through and through and this has proven to be very durable to hard use rifles to include those with high recoil. In addition, Marine-Tex by design has great adhesion to many plastics which makes it the choice in certain applications. So in my honest opinion, I think the choice of bedding material should be based on the intended application and end use. What may prove ideal for one application, may prove less than ideal for other applications. Best  | |||
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Isn't that for the kit with adjustable pillars and reusable installation too? The epoxy is not out of line. About the same as Acraglass As usual just my $.02 Paul K | |||
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Thank you for posting that. For my rifles, it is specifically for hunting use only. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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Marine tex  | |||
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I'd like to know if I had someone here bed a rifle for me would they be willing to try this pro bed 2000 if I sent it with the barreled action/stock. I'd be happy to buy it and send it. Just curious. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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In regards too which bedding compound is best ; Opinions vary .If what your using is working and cost are reasonable why change .What's the best motor oil ?.   | |||
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I have used Pro Bed 2000 on two or three of my projects that turned out very accurate rifles. I have tried pro bed, steelbed and acraglas gel on occasion in the past. I like pro bed the best, but we all tend to use what works and what is available when we need it. Cliff NRA Life Member CMP Distinguished Rifleman NRA Master, Short and Long Range | |||
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Doc, I have bedded a few dozen rifles, mostly Mausers, and about 100 or so shotgun butts using AcraGlas. I'd be willing to take you up on your suggestion to bed using your rifle and Pro-Bed 2000. I can work to your specs and take great photos. I'm in Michigan. Call me at the shop, 810 348 4112 10am-5pm EST if you want to discuss further. Mike Ryan Mike Ryan - Gunsmith | |||
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I am a novice, I have used pro bed 2000 on the only 11 rifles i have ever built. I have been so happy with it that I cant rashonalize useing something else. By the way 34 dollars will do 3 or 4 rifles. Comes with the realse agent and excellent instructions. | |||
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Well, we all know there are plenty of very good gunsmiths all over the place. But I will tell you that I've used a few and the man who wrote the email to me is someone who built one hell of a shooter. He is someone I trust very much. I've heard from a few more smiths via email and pro bed 2000 seems to be the very best material for bedding a rifle according to the majority. Mike, I can't tell you what "my specs" are because the only thing I know about rifle bedding is from my own rifles and videos on youtube! I am in the infancy of putting together a project and would be happy to send you the rifle/stock when the time comes but that will be a bit. So, lets keep in touch. Here's what the guy wrote: I've used all of the ones you mentioned plus some and you can build a stress free shooter with any one of them, it's just some are more of a pain to use than others...each one has its own quirks...too runny; too thick; too many air bubbles; too hard to clean up; too fast; too slow, etc. The fellow that manufactures the PB-2000 is a friend from Albuquerque. I was in his shop and we were visiting one time about bedding and he told me he was developing a product that he wanted to market. He was developing it specifically to address some of the problems gunsmiths have with epoxy products out there that we had to choose from where the majority of them were not designed for bedding in the 1st place...some other application. Anyway...went it came out on the market, I tried it and it lays the rest to shame, IMO. I'll never spend a dime on any of the other products again. People can argue and debate about which one is best and I could care less...If you've bedded as many rifles as I have using all the other products vs. PB-2000, there's no question which one is best...a thousand times better. BTW...my mentor, Harold Broughton taught me how to bed a rifle with Devcon Plastic Steel Liquid...he thought that was the best. LOL You couldn't pay me enough to use that crap again. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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That's easy...Amsoil is #1, Royal Purple and Redline and Schaffer are all runners up. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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Small retail packaging, simple mixing, and pre- blended colors may make things easier, but that doesn't make it bond any better, make it any stronger, make it any more durable, or have it with less shrinkage. Look at the professionals who build rough and tumble rifles such as the Marines at Quantico, the Navy at Crane, or McMillian in their shop, they all use the same stuff. Pull up the specifications and see the epoxy properties for yourself. Some of the best bedding systems that meet the most stringent requirements are not necessarily the easiest to master and are not necessarily pre-packaged in little retail gunsmithing kits. Keep in mind stuff like Brownells Steel Bed is not made by Brownells, it is Devcon. The experts in the industry make these epoxies, a gunsmith does not have a chemical plant in the back of the shop. Some of the best industrial epoxies aren't necessarily pre-packaged into little retail gunsmith home kits. But, some in the gun industry will contract with the makers to package such little kits for retail sales that are designed for easier use. That packaging and ease of use doesn't make the cured epoxy any better than the industrial stuff made by the same maker. Use what you prefer to bed your rifle. If you have a professional such as McMillan bed your stock, take their advice on what to use. If you disagree with someone like McMillan, do it yourself or go elsewhere. There are many good choices for bedding an accurate sporter today. If in your mind the 2000 is the stuff for you, then go for it. Good Luck | |||
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I don't know what McMillan uses, nor the others you mention. Thanks for the informative post. I've always gone with whatever the gunsmith uses, as I cannot argue with success. I have rifles bedded with pro bed, glass, devcon, and marine tex. All I really care about is how the rifle shoots once I take it to the range or in the field. But if there is a consensus on what seems to be the best stuff out there, then I'm willing to pay for it if the builder is happy to use it. Consider this thread part of my education. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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This could be true, but I presume that the maker of pro bed 2000 took all of this into consideration when formulating his product, and hopefully, it excels in all of these areas. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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McMillan and the others use Marine-Tex Gray because of it's properties when cured, not because of any ease of use as it has a 5:1 mixing ratio that is critical. The absolute toughest and most durable bedding job I've experienced was performed by USMC 2112s on the M40. Titanium Devcon was used as the bulk filler material, but the final bedding was done with Marine-Tex Gray. The Titanium bedding becomes very costly when you screw up the mix and pour. Quite a few 2112s were fired from that operation, so it is not the easiest stuff to work with while keeping down costs. Many forgo this filler bedding and just use the Marine-Tex through and through. It's not the easiest with it's mix ratio, but it is not difficult to master and the end results are outstanding if you can live with a black/gray color. Many of these industrial epoxies are packaged to mix in bulk with one can of A mixed with one can of B. As a result, when you break them down to a small mix for a small application, you get these crazy mix ratios that need to be mastered. Some are easier than others. I'd not get so hooked on needing to have a bedding epoxy that was pre-packaged in a little retail gunsmith kit if you are not the one doing the job. Pick a professional and let them go to work using the product they prefer. If you want to do it yourself, choose the product that you can easily handle, that may very well be the 2000 with an easy mix ratio. Something like the Titanium Devcon is of little use if you can't master the mix and pour. Don't feel shorted with the Steel Bed, Devcon, Marine Tex, etc. when used in a sporting rifle. Just make sure the job is done well and an epoxy is chosen that will not shoot loose in short order. I think someone has already noted the importance of the bedding technique and how well it is executed. I've seen quite a few who have chosen an excellent bedding epoxy, yet the technique they utilized and the piss poor way it was executed was of little value to any long term durability and accuracy. In the end, it didn't matter which epoxy they used as they might as well haved poured it upon the ground. Best | |||
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Just an FYI, I found it easier to measure Marine Tex by weight, I called and they told me the proper ratio by weight is 6.3/1. | |||
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I don't care what color the bedding is. The pro bed 2000 is black in my rifle. I don't do any rifle work. I don't have any interest in trying to master what so many others have done, as I don't have time and I'd much rather pay someone who knows what they are doing! FWIW, all this bedding talk may not amount to much. I sent an action and wood stock to Shilen in 2000 to intall a select bbl. They pillar bedded the wood and that's it. That rifle shoots just as well as any other custom I have that have bedding compound. Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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AeroShell 100 Type M aviation lubricants may dispute those claims !. When thinking Space exploration lubrication think no further than Krytox a DuPont product . When your life may literally depend on it in Space or Hunting , Krytox is what's on my weapons . It's simply a matter of using correct products for the applications and several will fit the challenge !. Cotronics ; http://www.cotronics.com/vo/cotr/ produces a host of Quality epoxies also . | |||
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They can dispute all they want! Amsoil RULES in motor vehicles!!! Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my guns | |||
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Hey Gary, just curious, when they bedded those M40's did they use any release agent? I was wondering because one of the fellows on the Army Reserve Rifle Team told me that when they bed their M14's, they just glue them into the stocks. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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