Cost of bedding and floating a barrel?

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

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What should be the price range to have a rifle glass bedded and the barrel floated? I talked to a smith today that does it for $105.00. This is using Accu-glass and stripping everthing down before hand for a thorough cleaning.
 
Bedding the action and floating a barrel in not hard to do and you could do it yourself. That said, it does take time to do it right and ths simth will have afew hours of work in the job. I personally don`t think he`s out of the road on his price if he does everything right, he does need to make a liveing and time is money to him.
 
The price sounds about right to me. I'm a bit of a fanatic about glass bedding the action and floating the barrel and have had it done to all my varmint rifles. I want the job done correctly so I don't do it myself. I probably could do a decent job but why chance it. You'll never be sorry about any rifle you've had it done to. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal
 
Yellowhammer floating the barrel is the easiest thing you will ever do. Just get out your long socket set and a couple of sheets of sandpaper in various grits. Selet the socket with the right diameter and float away! Then call Brownell's and order some Acraglass or steelbed and grab the tape and playdough and your moto-tool . It's easier than you might imagine and the satisfaction in doing it yourself is great.
P.S. Don't forget to use LOTS of release agent on your action and the screws /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I've read of guys who've made their rifles one piece units like the benchrest guys! Shoot great but real hard to work on.
 
By any chance did you see if Bill's Gun Trader in Lufkin will do that type of work? I don't know if they do that or not but would be worth a try. You also might see about San Augustine Gun Shop. Tell them I sent you. When they say "Who?" tell them the guy that sold them the Sendero /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif >>>>>James L.
 
Sorry I didn't clearify myself when I said "LOTS". If you put it on in one application it pretty well makes a uniform coat although most instructions will recommend 2 coats just to insure coverage I imagine. I understand the remedy for not getting enough coverage is to put the rifle in the freezer and holding the stock, bring the barrel down "firmly across a towel laid on your workbench. I watched a gunsmithing video which showed this technique. Some top gunsmiths actually do what they call a competition bedding job where they put bedding material in twice. The shrinkage on the compound is only a fraction of a percent but I know Gordy Gritters among others will actually put another film of bedding compound in a second time to make up for that small percentage. And judging by the results of his rifles I say he must me doing something right!
 
TWOTWENTYSWIFT is right that a good bedding job has to be done twice to minimize the shrinkage. It also should have pillars around the stock bolts. Actually, installing the pillars first, makes the bedding much easier anyway.

Jack
 
What TWOTWENTY and Jack said.

My 'smith charges $150 for pillar bedding, a little bit less for a glue in. I do all my own.

- DAA
 
The guy I talked to was just out of Warren. I was down that way and say his shop and just stopped in. I have not asked at Bill's. As far as doing it myself, I don't think that is something I will try. I'm terrible at stuff like that, and the thought of ruining a gun is not too appealing. I appreciate all the information though. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can.
 
I would your gunsmith to use one of the new epoxy's thats come out since accu-glass.The new stuff lasts alot longer.I use bisonite,a product the military used since the sixties.The latest stuff is made by Dupont.I'm sure he'll know the name of it.
 
Ok, since were on the subject, can I free float a barrel by just sanding the groove where the barrel sits in the reciver part of the stock??? I heard the less contact with the stock the betetr, will this work?
 
A free floated barrel means just that....NO contact of the barrel with the stock. All you need to do for a quick check is to take a dollar bill, and see if the bill can be slid between the barrel & stock from the sights to the receiver. If not, you (or someone else) has some work to do.
Here's a place to go for more basic information:

http://www.varminthunters.com/tech/
 
I charge $45 to float barrel and glass bed, there is only one local gunshop here and they do the same job for $50. At the next closest shop, which is 30 miles from here, they charge $60 to float & glass bed.
 


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