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Pillar bedding Winchester XPR sporter (walnut stock)

BobV

Private
Minuteman
Aug 26, 2021
23
10
Glen Head, New York
Prompted by Erik Cortina’s recent video series where pillar bedding and off the shelf bolt action in the original flimsy ABS stock yielded impressive improvement in accuracy, about the same as putting that same barreled action into a chassis, I am tempted to pillar bed my Winchester XPR sporter (Walnut stock, standard length action in .308 Winchester).

1. Has anyone else here tried this?
2. The bottom “Metal” Is precision injection-molded plastic (or composite). Will that material compromise my ability to get a consistent torque on the action screws?
3. The Recoil Lug On this action is already bedded into the walnut stock with a matching keyway on the underside of the receiver. Would you bed the rest of the receiver or just the pillars around the action screws?
4. Marine Tex, JBWeld, or AcraGlass?

BTTW the best groups i got from a bench with a front rest and the rear bag, were 3/4” at 100 yards with Federal nontypical whitetail 150 gr. Softpoints, so this rifle is promising as an accurate hunter.
 
Honestly, if you're getting 3/4" groups with that ammo, how much better do you think it will be after all the futzing around - 5/8"? Shoot a box of some match ammo, see how it does. Me, sounds good as is.
 
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I agree. If you’re getting 3/4” groups from a factory gun with factory ammo I would call it good. You could spend a lot of time fiddling with the gun and doing load development and I don’t see it improving by much more than 1/4”.

But if you insist, I’ve bedded quite a few guns and this procedure has been the best by far. keep in mind you’ll have to add the pillars. And after all of that is done I don’t think you can torque it down the way it needs to without actual metal on the bottom.

 
Always looking for more, that’s what the hobby is all about, right?
No way I would tell you not to futz. I'll futz with stuff for no reason whatsoever. And it's not a hard process or anything.

I've personally used devcon 10110 (Remington action in a Manners stock) and it came out great.

But it's all about the prep. Take your time. Once you jam your action in the goo, all you can do is wait.