bedding with silicone

[ronben]

I am getting ready to rebarrel a m70 with a barrel that is considerably smaller in diameter than what is on there now.  I am wondering what to fill the rather unsightly gap that will remain.  I figured I could use black epoxy and sand it out enough to float the barrel,(its a bell and carlsen stock) but started to wonder if silicone would work and have the effect of dampening barrel virbrations.  Anyone hear of this being done?

[grout-scout]

Interesing question and although I don't have the answer here are my toughts. The silicone will flex when under pressure, not what you want a bedding to do. It will look funky as a gap filler (in my opinion) unless you get the kind that is paintable.  The barrel vibration part is what is interesting to me. How in the heck are you getting a smaller barrel and I'll be following this to see what some of the experts say.

[ronben]

The rifle is currently a .458 win and will be going to .358 Norma.  It is already free floated, and with a smaller tube would have a gap of .125 or so.
I figure black silicone with a black stock wouldn't look too bad.  It is a hunting tool anyway, not a showpiece.  I'm more concerned with accuracy.

[FW Conch]

I'm not an expert, but "form follows function" !  If the skinny barrel shoots good, don't worry about it. On blued barrels I have painted the barrel channel black to make it look a little better. Good Luck

[grout-scout]

You know I thought of another bad thing with the silicone, if and when condensation/rain gets in the barrel channel it will be trapped between the barrel and stock. Possible rustville situation.

[SHOOTALL]

silicon holds its smell for a long time and smell if heated or moved long after it is set. If the bbl heats and the wood dosen't how will expansion effect the bond between the two ? Just thoughts .....

[saddlebum]

Just some things to think about;

I would use Brownell's AcraGlas Gel bedding kit. With the black dye that comes with it, it should match up pretty good.
I would wrap tape around the barrel to get the free float. It can be sanded later if more is needed, but I would get a good barrel channel shape by using tape.
I would tape the top of the stock and use lots of the release agent fluid, that comes with the kit......everywhere.
I would allow barrel contact on the bottom for 1'' out from the receiver for stability.
And of coarse, I would also bed the action if it is not already, and probably do that first in a separate first step. Then do the barrel channel. Doing both at the same time would be too much for me to keep track of all at one time.
I might have to buy 2 kits depending on how much filling is needed.

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=1038/Product/ACRAGLAS_GEL_reg_

[gunnut69]

I have never done anything like this but have experimented a bit with full length bedding. It certainly can help control vibration but that was using normal bedding compounds. Not certain just now but I seem to remember that come forms of caulking silicone release acetic acid as a curative agent. That would certainly be a no-no. The silicone would bond well with the wood as that is it's primary purpose and since it stays flexible it would likely be unaffected by any wood movement.. I would stay with the AcraGlass gel..

[stubshaft]

I would agree with saddlebum and tape the barrel to maintain the free floating aspect and reduce the gap, and use acraglas gel.

[GRIMJIM]

I would think the silicone would retain flexibility and therefore act as a kind of dampener and not allow the barrel to resonate as it wants to.

I'm not any kind of expert though.

[mtbugle]

I am currently working on a simular project. I first bedded action and an inch of barrel. Then used 2 thicknesses of electrical tape on barrel for a nice close free float. ( next time I think will use 3 as only have about one dollor bill sliding gap instead of two). If I need a pressure point in am thinking of using RTV instead of bedding to use the flexibility to dampen vibration. Then take pressure point out and do hard one. See which seems to have best resullts.
Thanks Don.

[ihookem]

I alway wondered if you could use bondo. JUST WONDERING!

[ronben]

Mtbugle,  I'd like to hear how it works for you.  That is exactly what I had in mind.  I have 3 or 4 months before I get mine back.  My action is already bedded to the stock.  I thought I would put a shim under the recoil lug, and screw the action down with some silicone under the forend ( release agent on the barrel).  let it cure, remove the shim and tighten itdown to put some pressure on the barrel.  Who knows, it might be a tackdriver without doing anything special (I hope), and I wont mess with it.  You never know.....

[Lloyd Smale]

just for a thought. 458s have a tendence to crack stocks and maybe theres someone out there that would give you a fair price for it and give you enough money to buy another stock that fits right. put it on ebay or an aution site with a reserve and it might suprise you with what it will bring.

[torpedoman]

 I put a savage 17 rimfire standard taper in a bull barrel stock and there is'nt enough gap to bother with

[quickdtoo]

I am getting ready to rebarrel a m70 with a barrel that is considerably smaller in diameter than what is on there now.  I am wondering what to fill the rather unsightly gap that will remain.  I figured I could use black epoxy and sand it out enough to float the barrel,(its a bell and carlsen stock) but started to wonder if silicone would work and have the effect of dampening barrel virbrations.  Anyone hear of this being done?

Some of the H&R fellas have had great success with RTV silcone bedding.

Tim

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