Savage with McMillan Stock

[Rob.308]

Just received a Savage FCP 10. It has the McMillian A5 stock on it.

I haven't shot it yet but of course I want to squeeze as much accuracy out of her as possible. My first thought
is to pillar bed the action. I am not sure why they didn't do it at the factroy but they didn't. I will follow this
up with a full bedding job using DEVCON.

I have bedded several rifles in the past and had lots of luck with it. I just have never done a Savage.

I am interested in any tips and ideas from our members. I looked on Midway and didn't see any pillars
that fit a Savage action. Has anyone used Remington Pillars and modifiedt them to fit?

Thanks in advance for your help,
Rob

 

[dirtking]

I have made my pillars out of i think they were 1/8 copper pipe nipples cut to size. Don't bed the nut or rear tang. Post pictures of the new rifle!

 

[ProImaging]

i had mine pillar bedded, i believe my smith said he had to modify remington pillars.

 

[jsthntn247]

They make pillars for Savage's with the slot already cut out for the back pillar. Just bed the pillars in the stock when you bed the action, no need to do it in two steps.

 

[turbo54]

You can either buy a set of generic pillars and fit them/cut them to length, or you can make them. When I make them, I like to use 1/2" or 5/8" all-thread, because the external threads provide lots of "tooth" for the epoxy to get a hold of.

You'll have to cut/grind the rear one for trigger/sear clearance.

Don't the McMillan stocks for Savages have a front pillar?

 

[Joop]

Be sure to float the receiver tang (where the safety is), as well. Most Savages seem to shoot better with the tang floated.

 

[mudpig]

I've purchased the adjustable models and used on several of my older Savages that didn't already come from the factory pillar bedded. Here are some ideas from Brownell's:

http://www.brownells.com/search/index.htm?k=PILLARS&ksubmit=y

 

[Rob.308]

Turbo54, There aren't any pillars at all in this one. I looked it up on line and found a review for the gun that that is what they said as well. I wasn't too worried about it because I knew I would do it anyway. I was surprised to see how small the rear pillar will have to be due to the closeness of the trigger assembly.

Do you also do the Tang area when you bed yours? I always do it on my Remingtons so I was going to do it on this as well.

thanks again,
Rob

 

[Rob.308]

Any idea where they sell them? I have been looking and havn't found them yet.

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Rob.308]

Mudpig,

Any pics of the rear bolt pillar? It just seems very close back there. I certainly don't want to get into this until I have a good idea of what I will accomplish. I see some say don't bed the tang but others say to be sure to do it. Any thoughts on that?

thanks,
Rob

 

[Rob.308]

Does anyone know of a video for the savage pillar bedding?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Dick D]

Before you do too much, scrape a bit of the black paint away in the rear guard screw hole. If you find aluminum there then there is already a machined-in pillar around the rear guard screw hole.

 

[Rob.308]

Dick D,

You were right about the rear (closest to buttsock and not muzzle). I scrapped off some paint and there is the thinnest pillar I have ever seen. I appreciate your help. The bad news is there wasn't anything on the front one.

No worries I will install the thickest ones I can gain as much accuracy as I can.

Do you float the rear tang on the ones that you bed?

Thanks,
Rob

 

[Dick D]

Rob,
Ok, it's your stock so do what you wish with it. However, and we have been over this several times on this forem, pillars really have nothing to do with accuracy. Their sole purpose is to provide consistant spacing between the action and floorplate, and prevent excessive guard screw tension from compressing a softer fill stock. Savage recommends about 32 in/lb to 35 in/lb on the screws. We did our engineering work on the thin pillars we use. You will snap the head off a guard screw before you can compress these pillars so anything larger is of no real use. Just overkill. On the front, look at the amount of surface area under the front of the Savage DBM floorplate. There is about a square inch there and it is solid glass under the action here. You will again snap the head off a guard screw before you can compress this area at all so putting a pillar here would be useless, you would not gain a thing. But, again, it's your stock.

 

[Dick D]

Oops, I forgot. We no longer offer in-house bedding services. But yes, when we did we floated the rear tang of the Savage actions, as per the factory recommendations.

 

[arbogb06]

I just bedded a T5 in my Savage 110 FCP in .338 LM a few weeks back. I know I was extremely nervous as this was my first bedding job but it all went over smoothly. Prep work was key and I think I used way too much kiwi shoe polish but the barreled action didnt stick and popped right out. Better too much then a permanent barreled action in a stock I guess. Make sure you have plenty of Q-Tips around for clean up and once you mix the Devcon you better get moving. I was happy with the way it turn out and only thing I can recommend that I forgot to do is to take the painters tape off of the stock where the barreled action is inlayed off prior to the Devcon settling. I waited until the Devcon was a little hard and got some minor chipping that did not provide a perfect straight line. It is hardly noticeable but if you take the barreled action off of the stock you will see the minor chips. I'm sure structurally it makes no difference. If you do it shortly after the Devcon is still "gooey" and it won't chip away it should just come off and create a perfect line where it was masked off. Good luck and don't skimp on prep work.

 

[arbogb06]

For all those veteran stock bedders responding here. If you use Kiwi Neutral shoe polsih what takes it off easily after you are done bedding? I use probably too much of it and it took a while to get all of the stuff off. I used Goo Gone and a little bit of rubbing alcohol but still had to do this for a while.

 

[Rob.308]

Dick D,

Thanks for taking the time to explain this. I guess I am just suck in an old school why of thinking. I will certainly give it a try with out the pillars and see how she does.

I really do appreciate your time and help on this.

V/r
Rob

 

[cappy227]

I'd love to know the details of how this worked out?

 

[nickortizzle1035]

Very informative! I have a 10 FCP McMillan on the way and have been pondering how I was going to be it. A local gunsmith said he could do it for $150, but I am worried about his level of skill. He seems to mainly do AR work.

 

[bads1buell]

Dick D,
Thanks for explaining the front pillar issue. I also just purchased a Savage 10FCP McMillan and was wondering about the front also.

 

[6.5labs]

The reason you bed the rear tang on rem it that is where the action screw is. The rear action screw on a savage is in front of the trigged assembly. By floating the tang you are removing a possibility of stress in an area that dose not need the support. This is a pretty common consensus over at the savage shooters forum.

Good luck and take your time.