Bedding Release Agents

Finally getting around to bedding my rifles...thought it might be useful to have a thread devoted to 'testing' various ones out. I know everyone has a favorite, but how do they stack up? And, Hey! who can afford to use the rifle for a test subject? I'm testing out JB Weld today. Utilizing a 1" x .250 x 60" plain aluminum flat bar.

I have marked off 3" sections for each 'agent', applied the thinnest wipe of each, and placed a teardrop blob of the epoxy from the same, single mix in each space. In about 16 hours I'll have results.

Tested are automotive moly grease, margarine, olive oil, WD-40 silicone lube, Armor-All, Turtle Wax, and Kiwi Shoe Polish. Yes, laugh...but you never know. I invite you to try your own brands.

Note: all of the droplets look great except the Olive oil one...it immediately flattened out and expanded a bit like a pancake. Don't know if that means Olive oil is really slick, or if it mixes with and dilutes the epoxy...see you in 15 1/2 hours.

9 hours...the JB is still barely soft on top. Pushed each one on the side. MOLY moved immediately. OLEOMARGARINE moved slightly. All others remain well stuck. More in the AM when I can lift and check all of them.

Well, this batch of results are in. Both Moly Grease and Oleo are too slick to stick. KIWI took a small, sharp 'pop' with a blunt tool to pop off. Armor-All/Olive Oil/WD-40 Silicone took a really good whack to break bond.

So for my money, Moly grease is da bomb, unless you have some left over margarine in the kitchen.

Next week I'll try the Devcon and see if I get similar results.

Try ''saran wrap'', it works for me.

Call me dumb, but I don't get the point.
The blue stuff inside the little jar that comes in the AcraGlass bedding kit has always worked exactly as designed.....for me and about a gazillion other guys.

DGW

It's just a CYA just in case. I also use AcraGlass and the release agent, but wrap the rifles action tightly with Saran wrap. You would too if you've ever had an action stuck in the stock.

Yeah, you're probably right....but after 20 years or so of bedding rifle stocks, I've never had that happen.
On the other hand, I can see using Saran Wrap as insurance.....but trying to use chassis lube, margarine, cooking oil, or whatever to replace a widely available, time-proven product which is marketed for that express purpose?....well, like I said....I don't get the point.

I do hope that it all works out for him though.

DGW

hah! I'm just experimenting with stuff. Not everyone can afford the change to buy the shelf products. Sometimes, you may have free stuff already that you don't even know works just as well as 'store bought' (as we used to say). Besides, if you don't buy the 'full package' and just have Devcon laying around...wouldn't it be nice to know that you can grab some butter out of the fridge and not have to go to the hardware store?

Might be old school, but there's plenty of ways to 'skin that cat'...must come from growin' up poor maybe???

OK, now I'm catching on.
Sorry about that....sometimes I'm a little slow on the up-take. .

DGW

Brownells sells aerosol release agent that works very well with their bedding products. Considering the headaches involved with a "glued in" rifle, I'd spend the $6 and know what I had.