Bedding a ML stock

Recently Sqezer and I swapped out a stock for a MK 85. He wanted a wooden one and I want a composite thumbhole. This stock when the gun was mounted allowed the rifle to rock back and forth and I knew it need to be bedded. I told LeRoy about it and he said he would do it and really wanted it for a build he was doing for a young man.

I really did not know the Sqezer was such an ARTIST... Here are the pictures of the job and he will come by and post the information...

Receiver bedding



Bedding to allow ram rod to be inserted into the rifle.



And the completed project.



As an added touch he used a Custom Fluted Lehigh 209 Hammer




Looks to me like a first class job.

Thanks for posting Mike, later on tonight I'll tell how I do my bedding.

That's a real nice looking bedding job, I'm looking forward to reading more about it.

flounder said:

That's a real nice looking bedding job, I'm looking forward to reading more about it.

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I agree...and me too!

I've always been a little scared to try bedding without someone who is experienced helping me. I know it ain't rocket science, but still haven't done it. Luckily, I've never had a rifle that actually needed bedding (to improve groups), so I've never "had" to. The majority of what I've had has always shot well as is. Lucky I guess. I'll look fwd to Sqezer's post :yeah:

I've done a little bedding on my White Rifles. Mainly I've just bedded around the lugs and some good contact points on the receiver.
Art

I did something similar to my MK85 years ago, but I installed a 2nd mounting block at the rear underside of the tang. I had a friend turn down some pillar blocks out of 7024 ( I think ) aluminum, drilled a hole up thru the rear trigger guard, aped the receiver for a longer mounting screw, bored out the stock for the pillar blocks, and expoxied them into placed following some procedure I found online. The barrel is floated and the receiver is locked solid.

tpcollins said:

I did something similar to my MK85 years ago, but I installed a 2nd mounting block at the rear underside of the tang. I had a friend turn down some pillar blocks out of 7024 ( I think ) aluminum, drilled a hole up thru the rear trigger guard, aped the receiver for a longer mounting screw, bored out the stock for the pillar blocks, and expoxied them into placed following some procedure I found online. The barrel is floated and the receiver is locked solid.

Click to expand...

I think I remember you posting that before.
Seems to me like that could be a good (and relatively easy) setup from the factory, would definitely make for a solid mount. I've often wondered why they use only one.

Thanks Mike, I came up with the arrow shaft idea by trying to build a better mouse trap, after doing a few and not getting the looks I wanted I thought there has to be someway to make the bedding job look great. After inletting the barrel, I try to have 1/16" around the sides of the barrel so the bedding doesn't break out, then I took a 2512 aluminum arrow cut it 3" long laid it into the stock up to where the recoil lug butted up to it. I like to bed 3" from the recoil lug foreword, to make sure I had enough space between the arrow and barrel I cut strips from a back tag to use as a gauge, I lay 2 strips on top of each other replaced the barrel and had plenty of space for the bedding compound. The trigger area I fill with modeling clay and also the bolt or safety cut out. I wrap 3-4-5- wraps of Blue Painters tape around the barrel up toward the end of the forearm to keep the barrel centered in the stock. The (ramp) is very important for accuracy, the ramp is the area just behind the recoil lug & in front of the trigger along with the very back of the barrel on the LK-93, these areas I use a 1/8" drill bite and put 4-5 hole for anckor points, some are at a 45 degree angle. Once the prep is done I go back and bed the arrow into place and let set for 5-6 hours, t keep the bedding compound in place I use 1/4" door foam as a bridge, in front of the arrow and also behind the arrow.

Now this is very important, I use 1 wrap of electrical tape around the recoil lug, the whole barrel gets a coating with Johnsons Floor Wax, inside the recoil lug along with the recoil bolt, inside where the bolt goes through the stock so nothing will stick. Before I do the recoil bolt I wrap that with tape so to hold it in place in the stock when I apply the bedding compound, where the front of the arrow is I create a dam using 1/4" door foam to keep the bedding compound in place. I use JB-Weld Industrial and it works great, I mix it up pour it into the stock and let it run to where it need to be, lower the barrel slowly onto the recoil bolt and tighten down slowly, clean up the overflow as needed and let set overnight. In the morning loosen up the stock bolt a few turns and give the bolt wrench a sharp blow with a small hammer and everything should break free. If you have any questions just give me a shout. THANKS.