1st Glass Bedding Job ???

[Jocko]

Was looking on Brownell's at all the different bedding kits.
Question is what is the best material type for a Garand bed -
regular Acra-Glas or the Steel-Bed stuff.

Was also reading into the Brownell's brand Acra-Release aerosol.
If one sprays this all over the receiver inside and out is it still neccesary
to fill holes in receiver with clay.

Gonna get the CMP NM stock set that is already inletted.

Thanks for the help

Information

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[556guy]

Yes you MUST fill the holes!!! The release agent only prevents the bedding compound from sticking to the metal. If you allow the bedding to flow into the holes, it will lock the the receiver into the stock and it will be impossible to remove it without damaging or destroying the stock.
Good Luck!

[oney]

If you go with the acra glass kit, get the gel. It's alot easier to control, and you can apply it to the routed channels using a syringe. Brownells sells them , and you can also get them at the local pharmacy. NOT the one's with needles, but the one's they give you to administer oral medications to toddlers.

Follow the release instructions to the letter. I used modeling clay to fill the wholes/recesses in th receiver. As stated above... if you don't... it's permanent.

"THIS WE'LL DEFEND!"

[Gus Fisher]

For the first time one does a bedding job, especially when you don't have someone with you to show you how to do it, I suggest Brownell's Accraglass gel. It is more forgiving of mistakes than Steel Bed.

If you don't already have it, I would most strongly recommend you get Jerry Kuhnhausen's book before you do the bedding job.

http://www.gunbooks.com/us30.html

[mongo]

I have never used acra glas but have done a bunch with Brownells steel bed. As Gus stated Jerry Kuhnhausens book is one of the best books and I would read it before starting. The important thing to remember is to clay up the holes and be sure they are flush with reciever, a razor blade helps alot, and use a lot of release. What I have found is that white vinegar is the best clean up for steel bed. After placing your metal in the stock,Cleaning up the bedding that squishes out around the reciever with a clean rag saturated with the vinegar using an ice crean stick between the metal and wood will give professional results. Wear latex gloves and change them quickly when they get dirty, You have about 25 minutes of work time after mixing the steel bed. Remember to use a lot of release... Good luck, have fun, Tom

[JustPassingThrough]

I used the steel-bed stuff to glass my match Garand. Before I cleaned up the receiver and readied it for the process I locked it in the stock and then using the "blue painters" tape I masked off tight around the metal (not touching) and literally covered the entire stock. This way when the stuff oozed out I would just wipe it up. The thin/smudge layer left behind goes with the blue tape when you clean up.

Use Mongo's idea to make a sharp clean line where the epoxy bleeds out. I bought a set of clay tools at an art shop to do this.

Every hole/cavity/depression in the receiver / trigger assembly needs to be filled with clay. Use a razor blade to create a flawless line when filling holes. Pay attention to the trigger assembly. I missed a spot and ended up with bedding material where the trigger guard latch goes. A dremel fixed the problem.

Get the bedding fixture from brownells.

BEDDING FIXTURES at Brownells

BEDDING/MASKING TAPE at Brownells

One you put a coat of the mold release (PVA) on the receiver/clay.. Go back and put two more coats on. If you miss a spot you'll regret it :P

- FYI: My lockup was so tight that I ended up using a worn (lugs) trigger guard and a vice to get the lockup. With time the wood will compress and I'll go with a new guard with new lugs.

Eric

[Bayou]

I'm considering bedding my Garand too and have never bedded a rifle so it will be a new experience for me. Jocko, any chance on taking a few pics of your bedding job to share with the forum?

I came across a bedding fixture kit at Midway that's significantly cheaper than the one on the Brownells link. Is there any difference in functionality between these kits - the parts do look different?

[Jocko]

To all that mentioned it - I do have the Kuhnhausen manual and will read it.
I also have a issue of the Garand collector's journal (back then newsletter)
from 1989 that has pictures and article on bedding - as well the old NRA
publication "The M1 Rifle" which has info on bedding as well. AND I just purchased from Clint Fowler the "M1 Garand Accuracy Job" the is a very good read as well - with alot of pictures that really help.

Won't be doing this job until this winter after HP season is over, so I have alot of time to read all this info again and again and hope it sinks in.

Bayou - not sure on pictures - I'll be working alone so I'll be in a hurry to get things done before glas sets up.

Thanks again to everyone

[JustPassingThrough]

I'm considering bedding my Garand too and have never bedded a rifle so it will be a new experience for me. Jocko, any chance on taking a few pics of your bedding job to share with the forum?

I came across a bedding fixture kit at Midway that's significantly cheaper than the one on the Brownells link. Is there any difference in functionality between these kits - the parts do look different?

You still need a barrel fixture with that. That midway tool looks like the tool you'd use to bed say JUST the trigger assembly, or the receiver. It looks like the tool to squeeze the parts together assuming the trigger guard has been removed.

The brownell's kit comes with the barrel fixture and you use the trigger lockup to get the squeeze between the receiver and trigger assembly. The little U bar in the brownell's kit hold the the trigger guard partially locked while the bedding sets.

[Ron H.]

Sir, you've received some very good advice so far. Regarding "fixtures," I'm not convinced you need to spend a bunch of money on these things. A length of cheap wire coat hanger (about 3/32" diameter) works just fine for centering the barrel and creating correct forend tension. Gus Fisher posted this technique several times on the old CSP board, and it works perectly. I haven't needed a fixture for trigger guard tension, either--just set it at 1/2" and leave it be.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.