bedding krag rifle

[gusbratz]

I have an old 1894 krag that was sporterized many years ago. the stock was a cheap piece of pine. I replaced it with a nice cut down military stock and now it shoots poorly. it used to shoot 3-4" groups at 100 yards with factory ammo. now the best I can get is 8" or 9" at 100 yards with my home loads. When I tighten down in the action screws the forearm is about 1/64" away from the barrel. of course if I tighten up the barrel band and draw the forearma up to the barrel I just put everything In a bind. I tried shooting with the barrel band loose and it didn't help. I am thinking I will relive and put acraglass bedding epoxy around the trigger hole where the 2 main screws are, behind the magazine box, in front of the receiver all the way to the barrel band. anybody with experience have any advice. I have never done action bedding before. I called the brownells tech support and they said they didn't know and had never done a krag. thanks.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've bedded a lot of rifles, including some Krags, but can only offer general advice. First, the best bedding compound I have found is AccraGlas Gel. Like most compounds, when you put it under pressure by tightening down on the action screws or using surgical tubing or whatever, the stuff will flow into any available crack or crevice. So it is very, very important to coat every possible surface where the compound can ooze into with release agent. I was taught, and have successfully used, Trewax paste wax as a release agent and it's never failed to let go later, but have also sometimes used the liquid stuff and when I do I always coat it twice. You can sometimes use modeling clay like the kids play with to fill cracks, crevices, joints between parts, etc. up to level, smooth it off with a putty knife, and then put release agent on top of that also. No one says that you have to do the entire job at once. If a full action bedding job is your goal, with glas from just in front of the receiver ring back to the rear tang you can do it in several installments. When you bed an area, let it sit at least overnight and 24 hrs. is better. If it doesn't want to release with a pull then turn it upside down and smack it sharply with a wooden mallet. Take special pains against the compound seeping into the action screw holes. Don't forget to coat the screws themselves with release agent. Proper preparation and careful workmanship should give you a job you'll be proud of.

[gnoahhh]

Good advice. I wouldn't extend the bedding into the barrel channel beyond maybe 2" ahead of the receiver. After the bedding cures, test fire it. If accuracy is still lousy start jockeying the pressure on the barrel band (assuming it is a simple band with a screw running up through the stock). If still no joy, create a pressure point out near the stock tip, by using something temporary such as cardboard shims. If nirvana is attained, replace the temporary shims with something permanent such as a wad of epoxy (bedding compound), or just leave the shims in place forever. If still no joy, swing it hard against the nearest tree- kidding!- I would start over from square one with some known commodity factory ammo, and re-evaluate my cast bullet selection/fit.