Which pillars to use to bed benchrest rifle?

midnightrunpaintballer

January 13, 2014 04:26

I'm about to bed the action on the benchrest rifle I'm currently building and I need some advice. I need some adjustable pillars that are tall enough for a benchrest stock. I don't know which ones to buy. In the past, I've bedded a handfull of rifles and ran into this problem even with aftermarket hunting stocks. I've tried the adjustable set by score high and found that one pillar was perfect but the other was too short. The benchrest stock I'm using this time is MUCH thicker than the stocks I've bedded before so I know I'm going to be pulling my hair out if I go the same route I did before. I don't really want to buy two sets of pillars to get what I need this time. Where should I turn to?

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  llama

  January 13, 2014 04:36

  Check your local hardware store. I've made pillars for bedding a 10/22 out of a brass air hose bib. Put it in a drill press and use a file to turn down the outside, insert, mark, cut off with dremel to close to proper height, finish it off with the drill press and file again.

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  Cheechako

  January 13, 2014 06:01

  Pillars do not have to be exactly the correct height (length) because you want to do a final epoxy bedding with a thin layer of bedding material over the top and bottom of the pillars. Most Benchrest shooters that use pillars do not want the action, triggerguard, or screws to make direct contact with the pillars.
  
  Any non-compressable material will do. You can even make them out of your epoxy bedding material. Pillars are not meant to support the action. They are there to keep the stock from compressing under the tension of the action screws. If you use a glue-in method of bedding, you do not need pillars.
  
  Ray

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  tsr1965

  January 13, 2014 07:29

  Most pillar bedding jobs, the pillars start out longer than needed. They are epoxied into the stock, then cut back down with a reamer, to just below the surface. From there the stock is further recessed where needed, and a good epoxy like Marinetex, Brownells Steel Bed, or Balzona, are used. J-B Weld, can also be used in a Jam. These have almost no shrinkage, and have a wide range of temperature stability.
  
  After the epoxy has cured, remove the rifle from the action. In the previous step, in order to facilitate this step, it is prudent that you use adequate amounts of release agent. Sometimes in multiple coats.
  
  As for your question...if I can find them, I use brass 1/4" pipe, and use a hacksaw to cut it to the length I need. A 3-4 foot length of pipe, will work for many pillar installations.
  
  Properly installed pillars are dual purpose. First they provide a rock solid platform to support the action and barrel. The stock is only a handle, that holds that platform.
  
  Secondly, they provide a medium that is rigid, so one can torque the action screws, with no residual decompression.
  
  Best

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  midnightrunpaintballer

  January 13, 2014 13:53

  http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/stock-work-finishing/pillar-bedding/pillar-bedding-sleeves/remington-700-pillar-bedding-blocks-pillar-bedding-blocks-sku720-200-700-9899-25785.aspx
  
  These are what I was looking for. Got em ordered. Thanks for the help guys.

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  midnightrunpaintballer

  January 13, 2014 14:00

  this is the basic mock up of what I'm building and its progress so far.
  
  Gotta bed the action, pick up another set of rings, and do the finish work. Just came back from the smith from having bolt stop installed, barrel threaded, brake installed, and brake turned down to match barrel profile. Time to get back to work on it now.

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  MG1890

  January 13, 2014 15:06

  Chambering?????????????????????
  
  
  That's sounds like fun. Good pieces, should be a real shooter.
  
  I've built several 6mm-284's, love that rebated case. Have you considered making your barrel channel large enough to allow barrel removal without removing the stock or scope, and setting this up as a switch barrel?

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  midnightrunpaintballer

  January 13, 2014 16:21

  quote:Originally posted by MG1890
  Chambering?????????????????????
  
  
  Well it started out as a rem 700 adl in 30-06 but I blew it up.
  
  
  
  So I decided to scrap everything but the action and build it into what I wanted.
  
  Got a Screamin deal on a Shilen #7 contour barrel in 308 win so I jumped on it even though I'm planning to make it a 6.5x284 sometime in the future.
  
  had the smith blueprint the action, install barrel, install bolt stop, and do the work for the brake
  
  Jewell 1.5 oz BR trigger
  
  Richards Microfit benchrest stock that I've reshaped into what I want. I'll do finish sanding and several coats of high gloss clear when I finish bedding it.
  
  Nightforce Competition 15-55x52 with ddr reticle
  
  another set of Burris signature zee rings will be the last purchase I need to make to complete the build.
  
  I've got a couple new boxes of Lapua brass, a couple jugs of Varget, and a bunch of Berger VLD's and Hornady A-Max's to test when it's ready.

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