Pillar Bedding

[Edd]

When bedding an action using pillars, if the pillars support the action, what good is the epoxy bedding between the pillars other than for looks?

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Just as its name implies..."bedding"...a good place to lay, snug, cozy and comfy...fully supported with no pressure points.

Sound like a mattress commercial?

The pillars main purpose is to prevent crushing the stock when tightening the screws...

 

[Garycrow]

Pillars support the action in the stock but the action can still move fore/aft & right/left if the bedding is improper. It's all about consistency and having the action lay stress free in the same position in the stock all the time. Pillars and bedding combined accomplish that.

 

[Edd]

My pillars will keep the action from moving left or right. As for moving forward or backwards, I don't see how the epoxy, except that in the lug area, would prevent that.

I can install my action where it contacts the pillars and has about .0035" clearance everywhere else. That seems like it would be about as stress free as it could get.

Removing enough stock material to do a good bedding job and then doing the bedding job is a substantial amount of work if there is nothing to be gained from it.

 

[Mateo]

You've got a point. Bedding the pillars doesn't do much other than to keep pillars in the same place. Your action screws aren't touching the pillars if bedded right. There should be room around the screws so they don't act as 'recoil lugs'. Only your barrel recoil lug should do this job. If it shoots well, that's the true test to any of these theories.

 

[J E Custom]

Pillars perform one function and bedding performs another.

Pillars, when installed correctly prevent the action screws from compressing the stock into the action
changing the torque value on the screws. (As the material compresses the torque will be decreased)
Because if they are done right you will have a metal to metal to metal make up preventing any compressing.

Bedding done correctly makes the action fit the stock perfectly and prevents the action from moving in any direction that would/could change the Harmonics and/or the point of impact. It also holds the action screws centered in the pillars, preventing them from becoming the recoil lugs. (Very bad).

I do not bed without pillars or pillar without bedding, because they work best when combined.

Just installing pillars or adding a little bedding around the tang and recoil lug is not the best way to
get all of the performance from a rifle IMO.

J E CUSTOM

 

[gohring3006]

Pillars perform one function and bedding performs another.

Pillars, when installed correctly prevent the action screws from compressing the stock into the action
changing the torque value on the screws. (As the material compresses the torque will be decreased)
Because if they are done right you will have a metal to metal to metal make up preventing any compressing.

Bedding done correctly makes the action fit the stock perfectly and prevents the action from moving in any direction that would/could change the Harmonics and/or the point of impact. It also holds the action screws centered in the pillars, preventing them from becoming the recoil lugs. (Very bad).

I do not bed without pillars or pillar without bedding, because they work best when combined.

Just installing pillars or adding a little bedding around the tang and recoil lug is not the best way to
get all of the performance from a rifle IMO.

J E CUSTOM

JE, have you found a good technique for bedding some of the synthetic stocks that won't let the bedding adhere properly?

 

[Edd]

You've got a point. Bedding the pillars doesn't do much other than to keep pillars in the same place. Your action screws aren't touching the pillars if bedded right. There should be room around the screws so they don't act as 'recoil lugs'. Only your barrel recoil lug should do this job. If it shoots well, that's the true test to any of these theories.

I'm not talking about leaving the pillars loose. The pillars would be epoxied in place but there would not be any epoxy under the action in the 4-5 inches between the front and rear pillar.

 

[Mateo]

I'm not talking about leaving the pillars loose. The pillars would be epoxied in place but there would not be any epoxy under the action in the 4-5 inches between the front and rear pillar.

I see. Is it a single feed rifle? Most rifles have the magazine cutout and it would be impossible to bed there anyway (save for a sliver along the edge. )
And there is space along the top edge that you can bed to keep appearances the same, since you would bed up to where the stock ends at the tang and recoil lug.

 

[Edd]

It is a repeater.

 

[J E Custom]

I'm not talking about leaving the pillars loose. The pillars would be epoxied in place but there would not be any epoxy under the action in the 4-5 inches between the front and rear pillar.

If you leave the pillars loose all you have is a bushing. they need to be bedded/epoxied in to be stationary and function properly.

If you don't bed the action after the pillars are epoxied in, the action can move and accuracy will be lost.

J E CUSTOM