Pillar Bedding

[jsthntn247]

I've bedded a bunch of rifles. They have all either had pillars already in place or aluminum bedding blocks. I'm having a wood stock being built now and when I get it, it will need to be pillar bedded. I have seen where some say to bed the pillars first with quick set epoxy then skim bed like normal and some say to pillar and skim bed at the same time. The action is a savage 4.4 blind mag and I was thinking about getting pillars from stockystocks that are not adjustable. Ther is no way to know they will be the correct height onece I center and float the barrel channel with tape like normal? I've read Richard's article on accurate shooter 10x and still can't wrap my head around it. It seems he sets his pillar height by cutting the pillars to fit flush then makes and escutcheon for the front pillar. Where the heck can you get and escutcheon from?

 

[J E Custom]

I've bedded a bunch of rifles. They have all either had pillars already in place or aluminum bedding blocks. I'm having a wood stock being built now and when I get it, it will need to be pillar bedded. I have seen where some say to bed the pillars first with quick set epoxy then skim bed like normal and some say to pillar and skim bed at the same time. The action is a savage 4.4 blind mag and I was thinking about getting pillars from stockystocks that are not adjustable. Ther is no way to know they will be the correct height onece I center and float the barrel channel with tape like normal? I've read Richard's article on accurate shooter 10x and still can't wrap my head around it. It seems he sets his pillar height by cutting the pillars to fit flush then makes and escutcheon for the front pillar. Where the heck can you get and escutcheon from?

There are many different ways to pillar bed. the main objective is to support the bedding compound
with the pillars to prevent crush.

I prefer to fit the pillars before I bed in order to check the finish height. I set the pillars the height
I need to position the action and then cut to length to support the bottom metal. After they are cut to length I epoxy them in with devcon. then when I bed I don't have to worry about the action and
Barrel being in the correct position.

Just the way I do it.

J E CUSTOM

It is easier for "me" to do it this way. (It is not better, just easier for me)

 

[jsthntn247]

Thanks JE. How do you do an escutcheon on an adl action. I am thinking you would have to have the escutcheon on hand and measure the shank on it then cut your front pillar that short so they would mate together and not bind.

 

[J E Custom]

Thanks JE. How do you do an escutcheon on an adl action. I am thinking you would have to have the escutcheon on hand and measure the shank on it then cut your front pillar that short so they would mate together and not bind.

Yes you are right.

I machine the escutcheon ether with a pillar on it or just machine the escutcheon and fit the pillar to it from the top to fit with the amount of projection needed. if the stock already has one then fit the pillar just like you described.

The escutcheon needs to be knurled to fit tight and it is easier to fit it first and do the pillar last.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Pdvdh]

Are escutcheons only used, or advantageous, for stocks without bottom metal?

 

[Joel Russo]

Are escutcheons only used, or advantageous, for stocks without bottom metal?

Escutcheons are purely cosmetic if you torque the front action screw on the pillar on an ADL build.
I'm not a fan of them... As I go for the clean look. I counter bore the front action screw so that it torques on the pillar.

I just did this one yesterday in a $1,500 piece of Turkish Walnut.

 

[Clark]

Last year I pillar bedded a Sav 110 with blind magazine.


Then I bought a stock that did not fit, but it was close. It was for a 4.415" receiver.
I have a 4.522" receiver.
I had to mill out the stock for:
a) longer action
b) 1/2" pillars instead of 1/4" screws
c) .240" thick recoil lug instead of .150" recoil lug
d) 1.2" barrel channel, not 1.05"
Boyds Gunstock Industries Inc..
TACTICOOL SAVAGE® 10 BLIND MAG SHORT ACTION CENTER FEED BULL BARREL CHANNEL LAMINATE STOCK W/BLACK TEXTURED FINISH (4300603-1G-203)
Subtotal: $109.00 +Shipping Fees: $15.40 = Total Cost: $124.40 USD

I cut pillars on the lathe from 1/2" aluminum alloy round stock and then mill the ends with a boring head to get a radius that matches the round receiver.

I put the barrelled action upside down in the barrel vise and level it.
I put the pillars on and pre compress them with the action screws.
I set the space between the barrel and stock and between the action and stock with layers of tape.
I put Devcon on the pillars.

I put the stock over the pillared action and wrap surgical cord around them to bind them together.
I level the stock.

After the pillars have cured, I measure the volume of the recoil lug well and the volume of the recoil lug. I calculate how full to fill the recoil lug well with Devcon.

I get the rifle right side up, up in the air, with the recoil lug well filled with the right amount of Devcon, and then I tighten the the action screws.

When done the barreled action only touches the stock at the two pillars and the back of the recoil lug.
The action screws should be such a low compliance connection that they go from first resistance to maximum torque in 10 degrees of rotation.

The barrel should sound like a tuning fork when smacked with an open hand when the rifle is supported at the wrist. If I were speaking to a mechanical engineer as I have about mounting one of my printed wiring boards so it passes shock and vibration on a jet fighter program, here is where I would tell him, "I want a high Q and high resonant frequency with minimal harmonics. Keep the stress local to the fasteners. All the load is to be carried by the recoil lug to get the stock to react as part of the recoiling mass."

A $109 Boyd's tacticool stock, a $114 Lothar Walther 223 barrel blank, and a $240 Sav action made in 1988 shoots it's first 5 shot group at 100 yards.

 

[Pdvdh]

Nice. Thanks for posting your method visually with photos.