Gunsmithing Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understand..

[bodywerks]

I have a choate tactical stock with an aluminum "V" groove pillar bedding, and also have a custom stock coming from sharpshooter supply that is already pillar-bedded. I see lots of how-to's on glass bedding and fully understand its merit and necessity. With a stock that is already bedded with a precision machined piece of aircraft grade aluminum, not so much.
OK, I kind of get the idea behind it, but not the 'how-to' of it. Am I still using fiberglass and resin just like glass bedding, or am I just putting some sort of structural epoxy in key areas of the existing pillar bedding and putting the action back in place(coated with a release agent, of course) to 'form-fit' it?
I guess what I'm looking for is a specific article link or how-to on this type of custom bedding - please help!

 

[Ghost_Rider]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understand..

Here is a excellent post on bedding your rifle that I used to bed my first rifle. Pillar bedded means the stock has pillars (steel or aluminum) bedded into the stock. You will need to bed the action to the rest of the stock with some type of epoxy or fiberglass. I used the devcon as recommended to pillar and bed my rifle with no problems and it came out perfect. They say stocks with full frames or pillars installed should still be fully bedded to get the best fit to the entire action/stock.

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1167022

Good Luck!!!

 

[bodywerks]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understa

I saw that post. It is about bedding a stock without pillars. I want to see a pictorial that shows how to do it with a stock WITH pillars. It can't be the same, i.e, grinding away an with inch of the aluminum to fill it with a bunch of glass and epoxy.
Seems to me that you would just use a structural epoxy to fill the voids that the aluminum doesn't, for a glove-fit action.

 

[desertrat1979]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understa

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bodywerks</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> With a stock that is already bedded with a precision machined piece of aircraft grade aluminum</div></div>

One underestimated feature. It may be precision machined, but it is not machined to fit every small feature your action has. One thing you may want to do before considering bedding, shoot the rifle. If the rifle shoots a good group then dont fix what isnt broke. While that is hardly the case all you may need to do is skim bed the action. There is a number of tutorials showing how its done. WNRoscoe's thread that is a sticky is a great article. I just did my rifle which has a bedding block with pillars machined into the block. Changing the step in WNRosoe's article to fit my need worked great. All I did was purchase 2 1/4-28 bolts, cut the heads off, and then proceeded to follow his instructions, using the studs to center the action in place.

I used Devcon plastic steel liquid. It turned out good, but I think the standard putty would have worked better, less running. Just remember to use lots of release, and dont rush. Skim bedding is just adding a thin amount, usually on a setup where the action and stock are a tight fit and it seems like there isnt a lot of room. I also took the time to bed my scope base as well. Now I just have to see how it shoots.

 

[dmg308]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understa

First your not grinding away an inch of anthing.Your also not using fiberglass and resin.You use either a bedding specific compound like steel bed from Brownells or marinetex or devcon.

Pillars dont have anything to do with bedding except maybe how you go about it.The idea is to make a reverse image of your reciever bottom into your stock inlet area.

With either one of those stocks mentioned just scuff the area where the reciever makes contact (I like to dril a bunch of small angled holes for the bedding to lock into)just like in Roscoe's sticky post.

I can't caution you enough to realy think this out before you get started bedding is an art more then a science.If you dont to it properly at best you'll get a crappy inacurate gun.At worst you'll have a unitized stock and action and it only gets ugly from there.

I highly recommend someone in your position find someone that knows whats going on and watch the first time.

Best of luck

 

[bodywerks]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understa

I am very familiar with epoxy and release agents and tedious work. I am an aircraft mechanic and have done my share of composites. I'm not afraid to tackle the job, just need to know how far I need to get into it for my particular stock. The fiberglass, plastic, and wood stocks look like they require a MUCH more involved process. If all I have to do with mine is rough up the aluminum, strategically spread some puddy, put a release angent on my action, and bolt it in place then that's simple. If I need to raise the action .000257" off the pillar and keep it there while the puddy cures to give me a layer of separation and all the stars need to be aligned, well that's a little more complicated.

 

[bodywerks]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understa

BTW, I have shot the rifle - seems I lost 1/4-1/2MOA of accuracy. Not sure if it's just me going from a montecarlo to a tactical and not being used to it or what - figure the bedding can't hurt...

 

[dmg308]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understa

Nope basically you got it. As long as your rifle sits properly in the stock all your doing is a skim bed.Make sure there are no high spots that will create presuure.The bedding will cover the pillars a bit but thats fine the bedding only goes where there is a space for it.

 

[bodywerks]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understa

Got it. Basically the idea is to support the action and recoil lug across as much surface area as possible. I have some hysol here that should do the trick if I can't find that devcon stuff locally...

 

[dmg308]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understa

Pretty much just dont clamp down the action let it lay naturally use tape in two places on the barrel to set it.Also put tape a few pieces thick on the bottom front and sides of your lug you really just want the back bedded.

 

[Youngjoonni]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understand..

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ghost_Rider</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1167022

Good Luck!!! </div></div>

The 10 minutes or so of reading this thread really will benefit and answer most, if not ALL, of your questions. I've read it TWICE already since I am preparing to do mine.

 

[wnroscoe]

Re: Bedding a pilar-bedded stock? help me understand..

The only difference is the fact that you're not using the pillars but instead using 1/4x28 headless screws for alignment. All other steps are the same.