Bedding: pillar of glass or both?

[Brian in Montana]

Projects, projects, projects.

Im not quite to the point of getting started on this yet, but I recently got a Boyd's Ross Featherlight Thumbhole for a Remington 700 in 7mm-08. I'm planning to do some work on the grip to custom fit it to my mitts, but I also want to bed it and free float the barrel. I have a pretty basic idea on how these things are done but I've never bedded a barrel before. The stock is laminated wood. I was originally planning to just pillar bed it, but it seems some folks prefer to do both - pillar and glass bedding.

What do you guys say, and why? In the coming months, once I'm ready to proceed, I'll probably be picking brains a little more.

 

[midwesthunter]

If you have the capability to properly bed the rifle, then I would do that as well as pillar bed it. At the very lease pillar bed it. Or you could pillar bed it, shoot it, if your happy with the accuracy, call it good.

 

[Preacher shaner]

Projects, projects, projects.

Im not quite to the point of getting started on this yet, but I recently got a Boyd's Ross Featherlight Thumbhole for a Remington 700 in 7mm-08. I'm planning to do some work on the grip to custom fit it to my mitts, but I also want to bed it and free float the barrel. I have a pretty basic idea on how these things are done but I've never bedded a barrel before. The stock is laminated wood. I was originally planning to just pillar bed it, but it seems some folks prefer to do both - pillar and glass bedding.

What do you guys say, and why? In the coming months, once I'm ready to proceed, I'll probably be picking brains a little more.

Hey man could you keep me posted on how it goes. I have a rem 700 in 3006 and I am looking at the same stock and doing pretty much the same thing to it. And this will be my first time. I am putting a new trigger in mine also. Are you doing a new trigger if so what one

 

[VikingsGuy]

I found these useful when I first bedded a Boyd stock:

 

[Brian in Montana]

Hey man could you keep me posted on how it goes. I have a rem 700 in 3006 and I am looking at the same stock and doing pretty much the same thing to it. And this will be my first time. I am putting a new trigger in mine also. Are you doing a new trigger if so what one

Actually I just took that worthless "adjustment" screw out completely, took it out of the stock and made my own adjustments (voiding the warranty in the process I understand). After farting with that X-Mark Pro trigger or whatever they call that factory trigger. I got it to break very consistently at about 2.5lb. I beat the tar out of it with a mallet, put it back in the stock and bounced it up and down, cycled the bolt fast and hard to see if I could get it to slam-fire. It never did. I've gone back and forth on replacing that trigger, but I actually think I like it. It's got no slop in it, it's consistent and as far as I could tell, safe. I may just stick with it.

As to the stock, it may be a couple months before I decide exactly what I want to do with it and get started, but I will keep posted.

 

[WapitiBob]

I like these..

N0. 5. Aluminum Pillar Bedding for a more accurate rifle.

Pillar Bedding for Accuracy, a step by step guide in 25 photos. In a stock of wood or fiberglass, you must first build a solid foundation. This "2 step" installation process is designed spec

erniethegunsmith.com

 

[6mm Remington]

I had a 280 AI built a couple years ago for me by an excellent local gun smith who is a freak about being precise and exact. The rifle was built on a Winchester Model 70 Classic Sporter with the walnut stock. I had him both pillar bed and glass bed the action into the stock. In addition he trued up the action face and bolt face and adjusted the trigger to 2.5 pounds. It shoots very well and I used it to take a beautiful Arctic Grizzly bear in Alaska this year way up above the Arctic Circle. I would do both pillar and glass bedding if it was me.

 

[Seamaster]

I always glass bed the 700 action. The round bottom of the action combined with a generous recoil lug mortise allows a bit too much movement and a glass job eliminates the movement. Bedding is not hard if you take your time and it is one of the most important improvements that a fellow can make.

Usually I also add pillars. Some guys are of the opinion that the laminated stocks do not need pillars, others feel that they do.

In summary - certainly bed the action and float the barrel, and perhaps add pillars.

 

[Losing_Sanity]

I took a rifle (mentioned in another thread) to a well established, trusted, gunsmith to fix a botched pillar bedding job from a different gunsmith (A gunhack). He recommended both pillar and glass bedding the stock. I agreed, and he did an awesome job and I couldn't be happier with his work.

I don't know the ins and outs but he recommended both...

 

[Brian in Montana]

I just noticed the title of the thread says "pillar OF glass...". Stupid autocorrect. I meant pillar OR glass.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Can't figure out how to edit the title of a thread.

 

[Don Fischer]

Never pillar bedded a stock but think it should be a good idea. Reason is cleaning material getting to the wood around the stock screw's can soften the wood and change the torque on the screws. But I'm not so sure pillars alone are an answer either. If there's movement on the rear tang area or in the recoil lug things can also change, even with pillar's I would think. When I bed a stock I make sure the rear tang set's in bedding material all the way up to the top line of the stock. The front screw hole is done the same and to do the recoil lug I tape the side's and front with a min two layers tape and bed it in tight to the back and bottom. Before setting the barrel action back in the stock to cure the bedding material The barrel will already float from the front of the action the the full length of the barrel. Then last thing before putting it together is I wrap a few layers of tape around the barrel over the stock fore end. That will relieve the weight of the barrel pulling down on the action area.. I tighten down only the front screw and let the rear tang float. Tighten but not real tight.Just want to see bedding material come out the side's of the stock. Set it up about an hour and then tighten down the front screw one more time. Once finished the barreled action will return to the same position every time and will be tight in the stock with no receiver bind.

BTW, My vote would be for both even though I've never done a pillar.

 

[Seamaster]

Using the action screws during the process can put stress on the action. Use the screws if that is your only option, but it is better to use long headless screws installed in the action before the bedding process and keep the action in the bedding with weight, surgical tubing, or tape. This is very simple to do and makes the action fit into the bedding without putting pressure on any single part of the action.

 

[buffybr]

I always both pillar and glass bed all of my rifles, and I free float the barrels.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I've never bedded any of my rifles. Good luck with your project.

 

[ShadowFast1]

If you're going to bed a rifle I suggest doing both. That eliminates the most variables at once. Bedding gives a nearly zero clearance fit between the action and the stock, which reduces the chance of the barreled action moving under recoil, and the pillars give the action a solid abutment that won't spring or flex. For wood stocks of any kind, solid or laminate, I'd definitely consider pillar bedding as wood can expand and contract affecting the pressure on the action screws. Plus having the pillars can allow you to tune the torque settings of the action screws to increase accuracy without the wood of the stock compressing.

 

[std7mag]

My Savage synthetic stocked rifles already came with pillars in them.
I tried Brownells, and Acraglass. Both too soft for my liking. Easily dig chuncks of it out with a flat screwdriver.
I now use Devcon. Much harder stuff!

My Rugers, i bedded with Devcon. Being wood, i installed a blued flat washer under the bolt heads. That and keep torques reasonable and no problems.

If your stock is a composite, not plastic, you may want to check out full length bedding.
This is done, and was mentioned to me by Melvin Forbes. He claimed without a good stiff stock to begin with, your wasting your time though.

 

[Millsworks]

A good bedding of devcon is almost always all that is needed.
Especially on a laminate stock.
Pillars are good ideas in most synthetic stocks and many wooden to get reliable torqu on the action screws.
Properly installed pillars can be harder than just doing a bedding job, and usually isn't worth the extra work, in my experience.
Bedding doesn't need to be heavy either, to improve things alot.
I have had great results from a DIY mix of epoxy resin and chopped fiberglass, with a little acrylic paint added for color of choice.
Extra care in application of wax or anti-seez spray to the barrel and action is a must.
Trigger removal is usually a good idea too, but not necessary in most cases.

 

[std7mag]

Release agent and masking tape are your friends!

There is one known gunsmith that uses an epoxy with metal filings to do pillar bedding.

 

[FLS]

Actually I just took that worthless "adjustment" screw out completely, took it out of the stock and made my own adjustments (voiding the warranty in the process I understand). After farting with that X-Mark Pro trigger or whatever they call that factory trigger. I got it to break very consistently at about 2.5lb. I beat the tar out of it with a mallet, put it back in the stock and bounced it up and down, cycled the bolt fast and hard to see if I could get it to slam-fire. It never did. I've gone back and forth on replacing that trigger, but I actually think I like it. It's got no slop in it, it's consistent and as far as I could tell, safe. I may just stick with it.

As to the stock, it may be a couple months before I decide exactly what I want to do with it and get started, but I will keep posted.

Trigger Tech and don’t look back. No perceived movement then a very crisp break. They’re awesome. I bought a couple on Black Friday and am replacing every 700 trigger I own.