Gunsmithing Bedding: To use pillars or not???

[stello1001]

Hello all,

Bought a new stock for my SPR. The stock I currently have it in appears to be glass/epoxy bedded, even up to an inch and a half of barrel as well.

From my reading, it seems pillars are used on laminate stocks so there is an even torque value across the action in case there is some expanding on the material from changes in temp/humidity.

The stock I purchased is a McMillan A3 so it is not laminate, would pillars help make a more consistent and better mate or would I just be wasting time and money? Also, should I bed the first couple of inches of barrel like it is now or??? I know many people do and many people don't. Profile is a #7 by Shilen which I believe more closely resembles an MTU if I'm not mistaken. Length is 22.5 inches.

Thoughts?

 

[LRI]

Pillars began life years ago in wood stocks. Over time the guard screws would/could compress the wood fibers. With swings in humidity, the wood could swell and screws could back off in tension. Obviously this would have an impact on the performance of the rifle.

So, pillars...

In the modern age of a composite stock, it's probably not a thing until you go with the super-lightweight (foamy) materials that are susceptible to some compression. Be that as it may if given the choice, adding pillars to a rifle stock will always be looked upon as a good thing.

Bedding the cylinder of the barrel:

It's a very opinionated topic. I don't do it as a general rule. It's never been proven to me as anything beneficial. When the time comes to replace the barrel, all it does is complicate the procedure. My take is that with chassis stocks being in such high demand these days, if casting the barrel was such a big deal, then those guns should not perform to the standard of those that have it.

Facts clearly demonstrate that actually attempting to make such a claim would be absurd.

C.

 

[Gatorshark]

I would install pillars. Bedding forward of recoil lug? Negates free floated barrel I think.

 

[dustingaunder]

I like having pillars. I pillar bed then test before I completely bed the action. Most of the time there isn’t any gain for me in fully bedding after the pillars.

I have a Manners T2 that I pillar bedded for a Tikka CTR. It was an easy 3/4-1 MOA shooter before pillars. After it shoots 1/4-1/2 MOA with the same loads. It was also not well inlet for the CTR DBM. You could feel the rear flex until it bottomed out then would get tight. I skim bedded the DBM and now it’s a solid stop as you tighten it. I didn’t do any bedding up top besides the pillars and I’ve got no reason to do any more to it.

 

[TRTAC]

Pillars began life years ago in wood stocks. Over time the guard screws would/could compress the wood fibers. With swings in humidity, the wood could swell and screws could back off in tension. Obviously this would have an impact on the performance of the rifle.

So, pillars...

In the modern age of a composite stock, it's probably not a thing until you go with the super-lightweight (foamy) materials that are susceptible to some compression. Be that as it may if given the choice, adding pillars to a rifle stock will always be looked upon as a good thing.

Bedding the cylinder of the barrel:

It's a very opinionated topic. I don't do it as a general rule. It's never been proven to me as anything beneficial. When the time comes to replace the barrel, all it does is complicate the procedure. My take is that with chassis stocks being in such high demand these days, if casting the barrel was such a big deal, then those guns should not perform to the standard of those that have it.

Facts clearly demonstrate that actually attempting to make such a claim would be absurd.

C.

Might be for another thread, but when bedding, should a guy mask the front and sides of the recoil lug?

 

[...]

Might be for another thread, but when bedding, should a guy mask the front and sides of the recoil lug?

i do.

 

[LRI]

Might be for another thread, but when bedding, should a guy mask the front and sides of the recoil lug?

I always have. Tape on the sides and front just makes for installation/removal convenience. The fewer veins sticking out of my forehead during gun work the better.

 

[1moaoff]

I always have. Tape on the sides and front just makes for installation/removal convenience. The fewer veins sticking out of my forehead during gun work the better.

You mean it's not all meditation and happy thoughts... say it isnt so

 

[STR]

Might be for another thread, but when bedding, should a guy mask the front and sides of the recoil lug?

Like the others said, yes, mask those parts of the recoil lug. If you don’t, you’ll only do it once. The fit will be so tight, it will feel wrong. Very hard to remove the barreled action from the stock if you don’t tape the lug as you described