Best Rifle Bedding Compound: Improve Your Shooting Accuracy

Your rifle stock deserves good treatment. Bedding compounds might not seem traditional, but they work.

The fun part is, you can probably prolong your rifle stock’s life just by a wee bit. And the entire process would help you manage your accuracy well too.

But you probably already know that. So what would you use to bed your rifle with? 

I think you should find the perfect solution for your rifle stock here. You can pick out the best rifle bedding compound here by checking the comparative analysis. 

We also included a few tips throughout the article to help you out. So, let’s cut to the chase already.

Do You Really Need to Bed Your Rifle Right Now?

Before heading into the reviews, I want you to know about the art of bedding. There are a few different ways to bed your rifle stock. But I won’t be talking too much about that today.

I’ll stick to the basics for now. And this is a short note on why bedding your rifle stock is important. 

Prolonging Stock Life

After shooting hundreds of rounds with your rifle, the stock takes a big hit. If you’re not careful, gradual damage to the stock might even ruin it for good.

So it’s better to bed your rifle with a bedding compound instead of having to purchase a new stock altogether. 

Improving Accuracy

Now a lot of people will say that bedding doesn’t really improve accuracy. They’ll also tell you that you actually imagine the improvement in accuracy even if it’s not there.  

Well, I will not deny this completely. You have to bed a very poor stock to notice a huge jump in accuracy. The chances are that you will feel like you’re wielding a new rifle if you’re done bedding an older one. 

Types of Rifle Bedding Compounds

After careful consideration, we decided to divide the compounds into two different categories. You can either choose putty or epoxy. We picked the top epoxies and the best putties and pitted them against each other.

The question remains, which one do you choose and why? Let’s talk.

Why You Should Opt for Putty

So, both of them have their pros and cons. Unfortunately, there really isn’t a product that offers you the best of both worlds.

As for putties, you get a longer bond. Putties aren’t too susceptible to expansion either. 

But the problem is that they take a bit of time to get the mixture right. This isn’t something you have to face for epoxies. Let’s talk about them next.

Why you Should Opt for Epoxy

Like we just said, using epoxies is a quick and easy solution. You don’t need to think about mixing different compounds with release agents and all that.

You just have to follow the usual rifle bedding procedure to set up your stock. But we’ve had issues with epoxy expansion. 

Although you won’t see expansion right after application, you still have to redo the job more frequently if you use epoxies. 

	Rifle Bedding Putties	Rifle Bedding Epoxies
When To Use	When you want a more durable bond that will last longer.	When you want a quicker solution to get back to shooting ASAP.
Our Recommended	Marine-Tex RM305K	J-B Weld 8265S Reinforced Epoxy

Best Putties for Rifle Bedding

We’ll start with the comparisons for the putty segment. It’s the more flexible of the two types if you ask me. So we’ve prioritized it first. 

That was the short comparison among all the putties on the list. Here’s a visual we made to give you a better experience-

Disclaimer: The lower the hardening time, the higher the points on this graph.

Marine-Tex RM305K: More About the Product

We tried this one on our Remington 700’s stock. Trust me, that rifle’s seen better days. The accuracy took a big hit over the years. 

And the stock definitely needed a bedding compound. So we decided to have a go with the Marine-Tex RM305K., and this one finished on top of the list for a good reason.

When it comes to quick hardening, this one tops the charts. The compound filled the cracks pretty well. If you’re careful while applying, you can get a pretty decent finish.

We didn’t need too many tools for this either. You can get by just by using shoe polish as a release agent. At least that worked out fine for us.

If white isn’t the color you’re looking for, they also have a gray option. It will give you the same results, with a different color tone.

It’s not like the putty can be seen after you’re done, but you might still prefer the other option. 

The fun part is the entire process is easy. You just have to mix it on a little cardboard before applying. But that’s more or less the same with all of the putties.

What we didn’t like too much was the quantity. I mean, you do get this for a rather low price. But if you want a lot of putty, this isn’t the one chief.

We have putties with larger quantities on the list too. You can skip to the next ones if you want. 

Things That Need Improvement

• Sanding this one might not seem like an easy task. If you’re easily bothered by the finishing, try out a putty with a better finish. 
• The quantity isn’t impressive. You might even need to get two of these to get the whole job done. This might seem concerning, so pick out the bigger version if it is. 

Devcon 230-10110 Plastic Steel Putty: More About the Product

Devcon 230-10110 as a bedding compound is pretty decent. What separates this one from the others is the almost zero expansion. This just edges the Marine-Tex choice from the top of the table when it comes to expansion.

We’ve picked up three different Devcon putties here. And all of them serve different purposes. I mean, we’re still going to talk about just the one purpose. And that’s bedding a rifle stock.

This one’s the plastic steel putty. It’s confusing because they all come in the same containers. Props to their designing team. All the containers look like ice-cream boxes. But keep it away from children if you catch my drift.

We have to admit that we didn’t like paying so much for this one at all. And it’s the same with the next two too. I mean, you’re getting a lot of putty, but you’re also paying almost double the price when compared to the Marine-Tex one. 

I’d say the Devcon putties take a hit when it comes to adherence. Since it takes so long to cure, there’s also a chance to displace all the putty before letting it dry.

But I’m not afraid to admit that this one has the glossiest finish out of the four. I know the next two have resins too, but this one has that shiny finish to it. I liked that, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll be a fan of it too.

Things That Need Improvement

• This isn’t a quick and easy solution. You need to wait hours for it to cure. If you want a faster drying epoxy option, just pick out the first one on the list.
• It’s on the pricier side. If you’re not willing to pay so much for this, you can try out something cheaper. 

Devcon 11410 WR-2 Wear Resistant Putty: More About Product Name

This one’s pretty similar to the previous one. But you don’t get the “metal pieces” embedded into the compound itself.

The Devcon 11410 WR-2 comes in at third place on this list. And it’s the same in terms of price and quantity if you compare this to the previous one.

Where this one stands out is in the ability to work with ceramic. But we’re not here to talk about ceramics here today. When using this with your metal rifle stock, this yields almost the exact same results. Now that’s interesting.

But the epoxy takes a hit when it comes to the overall consistency. You might see uneven surfaces even if you’re a professional when it comes to rifle bedding. And that’s not something that impresses me.

Our rifle’s accuracy saw a slight improvement with all four of the compounds. But the two before this one were the best in this class. You might not see the same kind of improvement if you’re using this. 

After careful testing for around three months, we didn’t notice any expansion issues. At least, none of them were apparent. 

But I think the rigidity that the top one from Marine-Tex offers is unparalleled.

As for me, I’d rather not wait around for over 16 hours to let the whole compound cure. And you might not want to experience the same waiting game either.

Things That Need Improvement

• Takes too long to cure. If you don’t want to wait around for so long, try out the first one from Marine-Tex.
• It’s in the more premium category. If you’re not willing to spend so much on one container, pick up a cheaper option. 

Devcon 10610 Aluminum Putty: More About the Product

Just like the previous two, this one has the same quantity. You do get the resin and the hardener in separate cases with this one. 

The entire comparison was so hard to make since all three of them have the same quantity. They’re also pretty closely matched in terms of price. So there’s that.

But there are a couple of departments where this one falls short. 

In terms of the finish, this one is almost on par with the second one on the list. There’s a subtle shine on the finish to let you know that the putty is there. 

Although the binding strength for this is on par with the rest of the putties, this falls short in the hardening time. 

Just like the other Devcon putties, this one takes a long time to cure too. Although all three of them are pretty similar, the accuracy improvement on this one isn’t groundbreaking.

Yes, the improvement in accuracy isn’t on par with the rest of the putties on the list. Even the consistency of the putty takes a hit. You might get lucky once or twice, but getting a smooth surface with this one is really tricky. 

On top of that, you have to pay a lot for just 16 ounces of putty. We certainly did not enjoy that. 

Things That Need Improvement

• Takes a while to harden. If this bothers you, pick up the first one on the list.
• The consistency isn’t as smooth as you might like. If you want a slightly smoother finish, the Marine-Tex one is the one to get. 

Best Epoxies for Rifle Bedding

Those were the putties. But that’s not the only type of compound on this show. We’ve picked up some of the best epoxies for rifle bedding. Here’s a thorough comparative analysis of all of them.

That was the short comparison among all the putties on the list. Here’s a visual we made to give you a better experience-

Disclaimer: The lower the hardening time, the higher the points on this graph.

J-B Weld 8265S Original Cold-Weld Steel Reinforced Epoxy: More About the Product

First among the epoxies is this one from J-B Weld. Now, hold on, I know what you’re thinking. You might not be accustomed to using epoxies for bedding rifles. But they work.

And the J-B Weld 8265S isn’t really a slouch. I’ve seen people use this stuff on wood, ceramic, fiberglass, metal, and concrete. And this works pretty swell on all these materials.

Since we’re talking about rifles and stocks, wood and metal come into play. 

Now listen, you won’t get the same consistency on epoxies that you get from putties. But epoxy bedding compounds have some tricks up their sleeves too.

As we’ve already discussed, these guys take a much shorter time to dry. 

This one’s probably the cheapest solution you’ll get. I know you’ll probably have to spend a couple of bucks on shoe polishes too, but hear me out. I think it’s worth it.

You just need to be quicker with your hands when using epoxies over putties. There’s a chance that you’ll end up sticking your fingers together. And that wouldn’t be too good. 

We tried to sand this, and it worked well enough. You will be able to get the exact consistency. 

I’d say this misses out on the finishing. That shine doesn’t really come through when you’re comparing it to the likes of the Acraglas (Our third choice here). I think that’s the one that offers the best aesthetics. Not that it matters, though.

Although it takes longer to harden than the Devcon one up next, you can rest assured that it dries quicker than the Acraglas. 

Things That Need Improvement

• You might not fancy the small quantity. If you’re willing to pay extra, you can opt for the bigger option. You’ll also save money this way.
• The finishing is far from top-notch. If this matters to you a lot, you can opt for the Acraglas one in last place. 

Devcon 52345 Plastic Steel Epoxy: More About the Product

Up next, we have the Devcon 52345 Epoxy. We’ve already looked at quite a few putties from Devcon. Now it’s time for epoxies, well, just the one.

This sits perfectly in the middle between the J-B weld one and the Acraglas kit up next. And it loses out on a couple of key points, which eventually got it the second spot.

Just like the J-B weld epoxy, you get to choose sizes. So if you want a bit more by paying a bit more, you have that option.

But the sad part is the price. This felt pretty overpriced. Especially when we’re comparing it to the previous one on the list. 

You don’t get a ton of putty even after paying more than the J-B Weld one. So that’s a bummer. I mean, all the quantities are low, but you still get twice the amount of epoxy on the other two. 

Although it takes longer to cure, it hardens within an hour. That’s just a good thing about epoxies. You’ll probably use this only if you want a quick and easy solution.

The hardening time is even better than the other two on the list. 

In terms of sheer binding strength, I think the J-B Weld takes the cake. I’d say the strength of this one and the Acraglas up next is on par. And that’s a good thing. 

Things That Need Improvement

• The quantity seems poor. You might end up having to buy more than one. So that’s a bummer. If this concerns you, pick out any one of the other two. 
• You might not notice a huge difference in terms of accuracy improvement. If accuracy improvement is your only concern, pick out the Acraglas Bedding Kit in third place. 

Acraglas Bedding Kit: More About the Product

The Acraglas Bedding Kit has been a fan favorite. So you might be sad to see it finishing on the bottom place. We’ll get to that.

This isn’t a slouch, though. It’s the only dedicated rifle bedding kit on the list. And it comes with all the necessary materials you might require to bed your rifle perfectly. So why’s it in last place?

One word will answer your question. Expansion. Yes, the resin seems to expand a bit after a few rounds. That’s not a good sign at all.

Now, this isn’t as concerning as the entire stock bending or breaking. But it surely is a concern.

The good part is you don’t need to use a DIY release agent like shoe polish. This one comes packed with its own release agent. That’s definitely a plus point.

But you have to be slightly experienced and good with your hands. If you don’t possess stable hands, you might not get the cleanest results out of this one. 

We tried this on our Remington 700 with a loose stock. And the kit worked out decently. 

The expansion issue is something you’ll face with epoxies. You just can’t help it.

But what’s worse is the hardening time. This takes longer to harden when compared to the J-B Weld or the Devcon ones. But I guess it still dries quicker than the putties. 

Things That Need Improvement

• Takes a longer time to harden. If this bothers you, you might want to stick to the Devcon one in second place.
• You need steady hands a bit of experience with the kit. If you just want a simple way out of it, pick the J-B Weld epoxy in first place. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I get epoxy or putty for rifle bedding?

There really isn’t an easy answer. If you want an easy application, epoxy is the way to go. But putties usually keep themselves from expanding. Both of them have their upsides. So decide accordingly. 

Will bedding my stock improve accuracy?

If you’re bedding a rather new stock, the difference might seem unnoticeable. But if you’ve already shot hundreds of rounds with your rifle, you will start to see a steep improvement in accuracy. 

Is rifle bedding expensive?

It depends. You’re spending around a hundred bucks for any of the solutions to fully bed your rifle. So things might easily seem a bit too expensive. But if your stock is extremely old, this procedure helps. 

Conclusion

I’m repeating this. You will not immediately observe a huge difference in accuracy if you bed a rifle with rather new stock.

But if you’ve gone through hundreds of rounds with your rifle, this can be pretty useful. 

We’re not taking sides here. You can either choose putty or epoxy. Check out the comparisons again to see if you’re still undecided. I’m pretty sure you can pick out the best rifle bedding compound among these pretty quickly.

That’s about it from us. Let us know how your search went. Good luck.