Can I epoxy bed a shotgun forend?

[Daveo26]

Iv got a battered old baikal.

It's horrible but keeps shooting and the bores are mint.

I use it a lot

Recently the forend had got increasingly wobbly Iv tightened everything and it didn't help.

Iv deduced the last inch on the forend was once slightly raised and contacted the barrel.

There are witness marks on the bottom barrel.

Now it is almost entirely free floating, I think it's just worn the wood down with use and mud and **** In there.

Wedging a bit of cardboard in has made it solid once more.

I was thinking about almost bedding it like a rifle stock with epoxy for a more permanent fix?

i can't see how that won't work?

Any other suggestions?

[wisdom]

You could try a bead of silicone in the area that once had the contact let it dry and it should compress when you refit the fore end that may do it.

[oldypigeonpopper]

You could try a bead of silicone in the area that once had the contact let it dry and it should compress when you refit the fore end that may do it.

hello, well worth a try here

[Daveo26]

That's a reasonable suggestion wisdom.

I'm not sure how well silicon will adhere to the wood.

I was thinking of drilling some small holes for the epoxy to stick to.

To get through all the oil and crud stuck to the wood.

It will weaken the wood, I was relying on the epoxy to re-enforce it

[wisdom]

It should stick.degrease the area first if you think it's oil soaked.if there's still some slack you could run another bead building up just enough to do the job.Too much and the fore end may crack whilst pressing on too hard.

Edited September 11, 2016 by wisdom

[PhilR]

I put a strip of self adhesive foam draught excluder at the front of my Miroku forend, that's been on for over a year without coming unstuck.

[Velocette]

If you want a piece of 2mm sticky sided neoprene sheet just PM me an address and I'll pop some in the post for you. It works perfectly for just this problem. I've cured two Beretta 302 front ends with it and it lasts forever.

[fortune]

Iv got a battered old baikal.

It's horrible but keeps shooting and the bores are mint.

I use it a lot

Recently the forend had got increasingly wobbly Iv tightened everything and it didn't help.

Iv deduced the last inch on the forend was once slightly raised and contacted the barrel.

There are witness marks on the bottom barrel.

Now it is almost entirely free floating, I think it's just worn the wood down with use and mud and **** In there.

Wedging a bit of cardboard in has made it solid once more.

I was thinking about almost bedding it like a rifle stock with epoxy for a more permanent fix?

i can't see how that won't work?

Any other suggestions?

All of this packing it out stuff is ok but you are overlooking the reason that it has become loose. The for end lug and the main joint must have become worn and out of adjustment to allow this slop. although the bit of cardboard works to stop the wood rattling you could end up with the fore end keep falling off frequently. look at the metalwork in the fore end and the barrel lug to see if anything can be done there. it might need a bit of weld and re-file back to tighten it up. although the Baikals were a bit basic and a cheapy they were well made and they shot well. A mate had an old gun with a bit of slop in the joint and he got over it by having a bit of greased paper on the flat so when it was shut there was no slap in it. thats how little metal we are talking about. on youtube there is a vid clip of an old gunsmith called Arthur Rowe Showing tightening up an old action by hammering the lump. for midway USA >> HI I'm Larry Potterfied of midway USA >> And thats how it is. The vid series is quite interesting. I just found the link >>

And this one is interesting also. >>

[Daveo26]

No it's tight on face. No headache at all.

Just wobbly wood.

Had it been the action that was loose I'd throw it away and buy another baikal.

[Daveo26]

Iv had it all in bits the fore end iron and catch mech are in 2 pieces.

There is not obvious way to adjust it.

It was built relying on the wood touching the barrel to stop it rattling.

That wood has rub off over the last umpteen years probably because of the grinding paste type greasyness trapped in there

I put the forend iron in a ultra sonic cleaner because it was packed with hard grease.

It ejects better now !

If you want a piece of 2mm sticky sided neoprene sheet just PM me an address and I'll pop some in the post for you. It works perfectly for just this problem. I've cured two Beretta 302 front ends with it and it lasts forever.

Thanks bud. Damn decent of you

I think I'm going for it with the epoxy

[Gordon R]

I would be tempted to use the epoxy. Drill the holes in the wood, place some cling film over the metal parts or some grease to stop the epoxy sticking to anything other than the wood - apply the epoxy and let any excess squeeze out. Once it has set - trim up any excess epoxy.

[Daveo26]

I would be tempted to use the epoxy. Drill the holes in the wood, place some cling film over the metal parts or some grease to stop the epoxy sticking to anything other than the wood - apply the epoxy and let any excess squeeze out. Once it has set - trim up any excess epoxy.

That is exactly what I've done Gordon.

Except I used leather dubbin as a release agent.

I have to say it appears to have worked well.

There is a tiny amount of movement but the knocking sound has stopped.

I was reassured by the fact other people jam stuff under the forend to stop this issue too.

Thanks for the advice gents