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Installing a new custom Stock? Pillar bedding?

richbug
I just recieved a new stock for a custom mauser I have been working on for a while. A friend recomended that I pillar bed it but didn't know how to do it? Any help? It is a mauser 98 with a 1"x26" barrel in 308. The stock is a richards Microfit in AAA Claro walnut with a 2 1/4" forearm. I was just going to sand it up, free float the barrel, and bolt it in, but he recomended this.

My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
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8 comments

Date Votes
  • nononsense
    richbug,

    This usually generates a frightful amount of discussion on forums that have special areas for Mauser fans. It is one of those questions that evoke strong opinions from the two sides; pillar bed or use the existing system.

    I think that your friend may have been reading too many of the gun rags or spending too much time on the forums listening to information that applies to more modern receivers. The Mauser 98 is designed with a pillar system from the start. Bed it correctly and it will shoot as good as it has been put together and commensurate with your ability.

    On the other hand, modern receivers seemingly do benefit from pillar bedding, even those removed from their wood stocks and put into fiberglass. The biggest benefit is seen with the lack of compression when the barreled receiver and the bottom metal are mated and tightened. You can only tighten the bolts so tight because they are stopped by the pillars. The only way to induce flex in the receiver is to have done the bedding incorrectly in the first place.

    Here is a link to a site that has decent pictures of the process if you want to consider this.

    http://www272.pair.com/stevewag/turk/turkmain.html
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  • bama55
    Check with Brownell's, www.brownells.com. They have the pillar bedding kits with instructions. I would recommend having a good gunsmith drill the holes out for the pillars, or do the whole job for you.

    Birmingham.gif
    "Don't send flowers when I die. Send money now so I can buy more guns and ammo."
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  • Pinhead
    First of all, you have to decide what level of accuracy that you expect to achieve. Properly bedded you should be able to get around 1" groups or slightly less at 100 yards without either pillar bedding or steel bedding(if the inletting is done right in the first place). If you plan on shooting bench rest matches you are going to have to do a lot more than just pillar bedding or glassing. I believe I would first concentrate on getting a good bed job on the action with good solid contact all the way around. Then I would take it out and shoot it trying several different loads. After you have done this you will know if you have the accuracy you want or not. Then your question will answer itself. You can always go back and pillar bed or glass or anything else to get more accuracy, but you really need to shoot it before hand to find out where you stand. By the way, mausers are not fully pillar bedded, they are pillar bedded at the back but are steel cross-bolt bedded up front. Just my 45 years experience and not binding on anyone.
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  • ern98
    Richards stocks are excellent, I do several Mausers a year with his products. If you are a beginner at stock work then getting the correct fit, ie a tight full contact fit may be most easily achieved by using brownells epoxy bedding kit. This is a non permanent method where you cast the bedding to the wood and to the receiver/barrel. The standard Mauser 98 is effectively pillered at the front screw by the trigger guard. The rear screw can be semi pillered with a short piece of 3/8"OD x 1/4"ID aluminum or steel tubing cut to fit. There are several good videos available that could be a big help. Any which way go slow as it is tough to put wood back.
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  • richbug
    I guess I will just put it together the way it is and see how it shoots. In the military stock that was on it, it shot 2" or better, but the stock was pretty butchered up and making contact on the barrel a couple places. At least it will be prettier now.

    Thanks for the insight,

    rich

    My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
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  • JustC
    if you wish to achieve benchrest results,..pillar bedding is a must. If you wish to hunt,...pillar bedding is a waste of $$ unless the hunting will be long range (similar to benchrest with respect to knowing trajectory etc). Brownells pillrs are junk INHO,..I have mine made by the gunsmith in one pice and not screwed togehter and they are made of stainless steel and not aluminum.

    If you are going to put her ina wood stock,.then I suggest simply bedding the action in epoxy and leaving it alone. As has been stated,..the level of accuracy and the use of the firearm is the deciding factor.

    why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
    Got Balistics?
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  • richbug
    I want to have it capable of minute of woodchuck out to 400 or so yards. Need to be able to hit an 8" target reliably for a sniper-spotter match out to 300 or so. Not looking for bench rest accuracy, just new savage accuracy or better.

    My border collie is smarter than your honor student.
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  • nononsense
    This isn't specific to the Mauser but it is a terrific link that has good photos illustrating the pillar bedding technique.

    Best.

    http://www.richardscustomrifles.com/pillar_bedding.htm
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