Best adhesive for bonding pic rail to receiver?

AZ_Hunter

FNG
Classified Approved
Joined
May 1, 2024
Messages
62
You bond it so that it doesn't come off, that's the whole point of doing it in the 1st place.
I get that but that’s where I get hung up a bit.

I got some work done on an older Tikka Boar Hunter rifle which has the factory rail. I knew the rail was glued on from the factory and told my smith to cerakote the receiver and rail as one, don’t try to separate it. He didn’t listen and I got a phone call talking about a sheered bolt head…

I was pissed and explained that’s why I said to leave it on as one… he got it off eventually, and while the smith was dumbass and didn’t listen, I like to work on/change my guns around a lot. My ideal would be something solid yet can be easily removed via heat more easily.

So I was going to put the rail back on and bed it with blue locktite.

Any issues with that versus the more robust 380 type adhesives?
 

4th_point

WKR
Joined
Jun 14, 2022
Messages
637
So I was going to put the rail back on and bed it with blue locktite.

Any issues with that versus the more robust 380 type adhesives?
If 242/243 has worked for you in the past, I don't think I would change. It can be a pain in the neck to remove from a receiver though.

242 and 243 work great for bedding, as you probably know. It doesn't provide adhesion, but you already have incredible clamping force from the fasteners, and it does really well at filling gaps to help prevent relative motion.

I am always amazed by how much of a gap can be present between a mount/rail and a receiver. Many super glues, even rubber enhanced, are not meant for gap filling.

Compliance should be a concern as well, in terms of relative motion, especially with a large gap filled with rubberized anything. Check the manufacturer recommendation and make sure it is suitable. Something meant to adhere a fiber optic or tritium light tube may not be suitable for a mount/rail.

Standard super glue can prevent relative motion of two parts with tiny gaps, but is not suitable for this application. I use it for sensitive test equipment, where it has a decent range of application but the actual product used depends on the different factors!
 
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