I have been through that before. If it does not release by the third tap of the mallet my sphincter starts contracting... Turned out the agent I used just need more sustained force to break the vacuum.

I use a liquid latex type that dries to almost a micron thin invisible layer that forms quite a tough covering. You cannot wipe a spot clear by accidentally brushing against it. And it is immediately apparent if the layer is damaged.

Floor polish, lanolin, grease, etc. type release agents, wipe off very easily. I have heard some scary stories...

Been there and puckered hard. Where I've erred in the past isn't a lack of release agent but rather incomplete  filling of gaps and nooks in the action. Get that wrong enough and no amount of release agent will help as the lock is then also mechanical from keys.

For release agent I use neutral shoe polish. Three or four applications brushed off with a soft bristled brush. I test if it's good enough by misting some water tinted with food colouring to see if it beads up everywhere. Works well.

I'm doing the next one now with a double coating of carnuba car polish. Found some in the storage shed.

Apply, let dry, wipe excess with clean cloth. Repeat.

I found modelling clay at PNA. Air hardens enough in about one hour. Easier to remove than plasticene.

If I did everything better this time, I won't have any stress tomorrow morning.

The gas torch is on standby.

I finally got clever in measuring the epoxy and used measuring spoons. One 30ml, one 15ml. In the past I would do it by eye and always end up with no activator and plenty base.

This exercise is because of a failed experiment. I wanted to see how glueing the barrelled actions into the stocks would work. Nothing memorable came of it. I used as little clear epoxy as possible, in case I had to disassemble, and the stocks separated quite easily. While I cleaned everything up, bits of attached bedding came out with the glue, so re-bedding happened.

I found modelling clay at PNA. Air hardens enough in about one hour. Easier to remove than plasticene.

I finally got clever in measuring the epoxy and used measuring spoons. One 30ml, one 15ml. In the past I would do it by eye and always end up with no activator and plenty base.

Thanks for the PNA modeling clay tip. Plasticine is a real ballache to get out. Will ask my team of resident Christmas shopping Commandos to get me some while they execute the final assault on my account today.

Mixing proportions with epoxy is more important than some appreciate and can impact the physical properties of the stuff badly if it's out. Mixing it completely is also important. Decanting into a second container for the final mix or using a stirrer shaped to fit the mixing container are options.

I have a very heavily reworked/reassembled Brno Model 2 stock that I need to bed so this thread has pushed that up my list of tasks.

My favorite tricks are as follows:

1) I use Spanjaard chain wax. Spray it on. It has a solvent and it goes into every corner, and then the solvent releases a wax layer. Be careful not to overdo it. I normally wipe off the excess while the solvent is evaporating to leave  a thin film. So far I have never had a failure.

2) I put the rifle in the chest freezer at -20 for an hour or two, and then knock it out. The metal of the barrelled action shrinks and makes it easier to knock out.

) I'm catholic, so I pray to St.Teflon, the patron saint of release agents ;D

I like to smear shoe polish into scary corners and scratchy areas, the polish fills scratch's and indebts that could become locking points. Plasticine - modelling, window putty wot ever I got, Crazy store kiddy shelf stuff, all work.  Stamps, corners, machining marks etc. I then spray metal with spray and cook -failed once in 30 years, did not use the shoe polish.

Large O-Rings (tested beforehand) put over woodwork beforehand hold the action in under elastic pressure.
Sometimes I put a wrap around barrel once of insulation tape 4 places spaced down barrel as insurance.

I could not get my .458 to shoot and asked around. A old gunsmith I knew had his son take over from him. The son said he had a trick his dad used for "harregat" rifles.

Boy was I disappointed ! He charged me R800 and pretty much (only found out when opening to look at it) put a grape size blob of some epoxy stuff under the knox area. I do not know if he left it loose or tightened or what trick he used, but all there is is a flattened blob of epoxy, no neaten, no tidy up - just squished in there. It shoots 3-4 holes in a R5 coin at 100 m.
So ya, all the fancy stuff ????????????????????????????????

That's like the story of the old toppie who gets a ships engine running by tapping it a few times with a small hammer. On the owner's querying his huge bill and asking for it to be itemized he resubmits it with a small amount attributed to the hammering and the balance to knowing where and how hard to hammer.

I could not get my .458 to shoot and asked around. A old gunsmith I knew had his son take over from him. The son said he had a trick his dad used for "harregat" rifles.

Boy was I disappointed ! He charged me R800 and pretty much (only found out when opening to look at it) put a grape size blob of some epoxy stuff under the knox area. I do not know if he left it loose or tightened or what trick he used, but all there is is a flattened blob of epoxy, no neaten, no tidy up - just squished in there. It shoots 3-4 holes in a R5 coin at 100 m.
So ya, all the fancy stuff ????????????????????????????????

The 303's were also "fixed" with layers of cork to get a pressure point under the barrel near the muzzle. Seemed to have given better grouping. See also the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTpMq6UWBDU