Manners stock installation

[ZeeRo7]

helli everyone, i am very interested in picking up a Manners MCS-t4 stock. I will be putting it on a Tikka Varmint. I have a few questions in regards to the process...The manufacturer has the option to install the pillars upon the order, which is great cuz this will be my first real deal stock and im not sure about bedding or how to do any of that. My question is; would the rifle be ok with just the aluminum pillars or do I absolutely need to bed the rifle with glass as well?

 

[Shane Lindsey]

I have a MCST2 waiting on me to get put together.

I am not going to bed it until after I shoot it and see how it does. It does however have the mini chasis installed.

I would wait and shoot it before you bed, you may not need it.

Shane

 

[sable tireur]

My question is; would the rifle be ok with just the aluminum pillars or do I absolutely need to bed the rifle with glass as well?

Pillars are a device used to prevent the compressing of the bottom metal and the action. They create a fixed distance between the two.

Bedding is a second process which should be phrased as "stress-free bedding" of the barreled action. The process of bedding is meant to eliminate the stresses imparted to the barreled action by inaccurate inletting. It 'smooths' out the bumps and voids created by the molding or machine inletting so that the barreled action sits in an exact reproduction of itself.

Now, do you absolutely have to have both? No. But one enhances the other so you might consider it a two part process rather than two distinctly different processes. I suggest doing both and that is what we recommend to every client who expects us to live up to our accuracy guarantee.

Regards.

 

[ZeeRo7]

I see...im still a bit confused as to the compression of the bottom metal? Can you explain that?

 

[sable tireur]

Stocks are usually wood or some form of synthetic material like fiberglass and carbon fiber. Unfortunately these material are relatively soft and easily compressible when the action screws are tightened, pulling the action into the stock and bottom metal. Continue to tighten the screws and you compress the material between the two, no matter what it is, if you do not use aluminum or steel pillars to keep the action separated from the bottom metal. The pillars create a fixed dimension for the screws to be tightened to.

The normal procedure is to cut the pillars to the proper length and glue them into the stock. Then we bed both the barreled action and the bottom metal. Clean up the bedding and Voila! This is the simplified version. The bedding compound we use is Marine Tex but not without a great mold release applied to the action and the bottom metal. Clay is used to fill in the holes and slots.

Regards.

 

[ZeeRo7]

I understand. So the pillars act sort of loke spacers? Excuse my ignorance, this is new to me; in terms of bedding and pillars. Im going to be putting a serious rifle together (for me at least) and want to be able to understand how to get it done right. I appreciate your help. Thanks.

 

[Shane Lindsey]

The pillars allow for metal to metal contact.

Action screw to bottom metal into pillar. Action to pillar with the screw pulling it tight into the pillar.

Keeps the pressure off the wood/fiberglass.

 

[ZeeRo7]

Thanks man.

 

[sable tireur]

I'm on the wrong side of the world to keep up sometimes...

Yes, the pillars act as a spacer for the action and bottom metal by limiting how far you can tighten the action screws.

Getting to understand how some of these processes work is key to some of the pleasure of shooting accurate rifles. Learning about the processes demystifies much of the technical discussions regarding the processes.

Here is a great article all about proper bedding. It's a good read and very reasonable to understand.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/stress-free-pillar-bedding/

It's worth the time to read even if you don't want to bed a rifle for yourself.

Regards.

 

[ZeeRo7]

Really appreciate the info and i most definitely read the link. Im a slave to learning technical data. I have most of it down, with the exception of bedding and stuff. Thanks again.