HI Folks,
I read that you could use PVC glue to hold bedding material in a plastic stock. I was wondering if anyone has tried this and what the result was ? My local Smith says he can't bed my stock without it falling out or becoming loose.I don't want to sharpshoot him but if this will work maybe I'll do it myself.Thanks

Rob

I'd say, forget the pvc glue idea. I bedded a factory Win. 70 synthetic stock with Accraglas no problem. Just be sure you rough it up real good where the bedding material goes. Also I drilled little shallow holes (1/8" or so), going all different directions for the gel to flow into as a way to anchor the bedding. It came out quite nice, and hasn't shown any signs of coming loose. (2 years) ...ol blue

[This message has been edited by ol blue (edited 08-06-2001).]

My gunsmith also has nothing good to say about bedding the cheap plastic stocks. They shoot loose, and the bedding will start cracking under repeated firings. Sounded reasonable to me, so I tossed the plastic one (the only plastic one I've got) and got a very pretty walnut he's working for me now.

While plastic is a bit harder to do well, I've bedded well over a dozen and not a one has come out, cracked or malfunctioned in any way. This includes the ones with graphite that both Remington and Winchester use. I too drill holes at angles in the bedding area for a mechanical grip. No more than about a half dozen has worked well for me. In addition I've drilled two 5/16" holes through the recoil boss to fill with bedding compound for a mechanical bond there as well. Those that I've done have all been free floated. I suppose with the flexibility of the forend on those stocks if you tried to bed them fully maybe the bedding material would crack but I've seen no evidence of one cracking in the action area.

I've also found that Marine Tex seems to adhere a bit better than most of the other products I've used. It's a bit more brittle than AcraGlas and Microbed but none bedded with it have cracked either. My guess is that it's too much trouble for many gunsmiths to bed these stocks and with more possibility of a come-back and that's why they recommend against it. Bedding certainly improves those guns and it's certainly a good solution for those who can't afford a new stock.

That sounds reasonable, too. I know my smith said he had problems with the few he tried, don't know if he used your method, but I don't think so. Anyway, it was an easy sell to me, since I can't stand plastic stocks anyway. GRIN.

I have used Devcon's plastic steel, available from Brownell's, to bed a friend's remington sintetic stock on which acraglass gel which not hold.
Hope it helps...
Montero

Rob1SG,

I posted here a while ago about using PVC/ABS plastic pipe PRIMER to help adhesion, but that is not PVC glue, I suspect that wouldn't work and be a mess besides. I do also like to put some holes in the stock so there are some mechanical lugs to help with the bonding too.

What caliber is your gun? That would make a difference a little as to how much you needed to be thorough.

This is my first project rifle. I have 5 rifles but was looking for something with a little extra whoop at the target so it's a 338-06. I know better to try and go cheap. The stock is a Ramline. By the way it shoots great 3/8" for a 3 shot group with the Nosler 180gr BT. However, I'm afraid the recoil lug area won't hold up there's just 1/4" of contact on the lug.

Rob,

Ramline stocks are molded like the Rem and Win stocks but thats where the similarity ends. They are made out of some type of plastic with fiberglass flock instead of layers of glass fabric in the hand laid stocks. They are pretty rigid and respond very well to glass bedding. Be sure to clean the inletting with a degreaser to remove the release agents left in there, it will inhibit the glass bedding from adhering. Also as suggested above, rough up with course sand paper and drill holes in proper locations to create a mechanical lock for insurance. I have done several (12 or 15) of this brand of stock and had no problems at all.

Pillars are not required as these stocks do not compress at all. The Rem, Win, and Sav will.

One more hint, glass the first 2 inches of the barrel (chamber area) when bedding the action.

Good Shooting,
Craftsman

Thanks to all I think I have all the info needed to do a great job myself now.