How-to for bedding a Savage long action?

[bottlerocket]

Been searching quite a bit and most places just have small bits of information. Are there any writeups on how to properly bed this factory stock? I was planning to use Devcon plastic steel and some kind of release agent. I have read that I need to free float the safety tang but otherwise this is really my first venture into bedding a stock. I've seen some how-to's for R700s but nothing Savage specific.

[thomae]

http://richardscustomrifles.com/STRESS%20FREE%20BEDDING.pdf

Above is the most-referenced article, and although it is about Rem 700s, the underlying principles work for Savages as well.
The basics are as follows:
Use Kiwi clear or paste wax as a release agent after degreasing your action.
Drill out the bolt holes for the pillars.
Attach the pillars to the action and bed action and pillars as one unit.
Devcon and JB Weld appear to be the most popular bedding epoxies.
Use lots of masking tape, plumbers putty(It's less expensive than Play-Doh) and release agent.
Make sure your barrel is centered in the channel and that the tang is free-floated.
I use Lamp Rod (trimmed to fit) but there are many other pillar options.
Bed the rear of the recoil lug. Some people bed the sides, some don't. Don't worry about the front, and make sure the lug doesn't bottom out when you are done.

That's the Reader's Digest Condensed version.
You will do just fine if you read the many posts about it, learn from the mistakes of others, and go slowly and carefully.

Good luck.

[bottlerocket]

Ok I guess I have a bit of confusion when I am reading some of this then. Lots of the videos I've seen refer to bedding points such as right behind the recoil lug and at the rear of the action, but when they put the epoxy in the stock they just slather it in and mash the barreled action in there and let it sit. How do you specifically bed certain portions? Do I only put the epoxy behind the recoil lug and at the back of the action?

I was only planning on skim bedding since its a synthetic stock, but if I were to pillar bed would I need at least 2? One at the front of the trigger and one in front of the magazine? I just need to find something that fits around the bolt closely and isnt too large of a diameter?

[bottlerocket]

Also looking at the bottom of my action, not really sure how I can put a pillar in the rear due to the proximity of the sear to the back action screw.

[drybean]

the rear pillar is cut away to clear the sear

[bottlerocket]

So for our rifles just notch the rear pillar on the back half of it? As for the bottom of the pillar, we need what is shown in that PDF thomae linked as the "escutcheon". Are there any parts people have found that work for this or are there parts kits out there for a Savage long action pillar bedding?

[bottlerocket]

Looked around online a bit more. It looks like my stock has some built-in "pillars" that are molded into the stock (made of the same material). Would these need to be drilled/dremeled out and replaced with aluminum pillars?

[EAW]

I'd suggest selling the stock you have and buying something that doesn't have pillars cast into it. Ripping into a stock to remove the pillars isn't going to be terribly neat, unless you take a lot of time. I'd suggest that you'd have better results if buy a stock that is being sold with the idea that you're going to be doing work to it.

[jgerrington]

If using a factory plastic stock to bed, you will end up using a lot of material to fill in the holes. Then the forend will have still have flex and contact the barrel. Just wasting your time. Get an aftermarket stock.

[olddav]

Take a look at this site
http://www.varminthuntinginternational.com/Stock%20Bedding.html

[thomae]

Take a look at this site
http://www.varminthuntinginternational.com/Stock%20Bedding.html

Looks good. There are some good points made.
If I were doing it, however, I would combine the two methods and bed the rifle action and the pillars together with the pillars attached to the action.

[hnts4fun]

Looks good. There are some good points made.
If I were doing it, however, I would combine the two methods and bed the rifle action and the pillars together with the pillars attached to the action.



I too have read everything I can get my hands on about the subject and there doesn't seem to be anything left to do other than just dive in, but I have a couple of questions about the pillars.

Do you contour the top of the pillars to match the receiver surface?

With regard to bedding "the rifle action and pillars together with the pillars attached to the action"; is this just to make double sure everything is the right length and that the package is bedded as a unit?

I've read frequent references to using threaded lamp stock for pillars. Would you cut a slot in the bottom of those pillars and screw them into the wood; or do the threads provide additional surface area for the epoxy/bedding compound to grip?

Thank you

[Werewolf]

Do you contour the top of the pillars to match the receiver surface?

Don't worry about this. The epoxy will fill it in and be contoured perfectly as long as the pillar was touching the action to begin with.

With regard to bedding "the rifle action and pillars together with the pillars attached to the action"; is this just to make double sure everything is the right length and that the package is bedded as a unit?

Bedding it all as a unit helps ensure that when the epoxy sets there is no stress on the action, and putting it together beforehand ensures that it all fits together as well.

or do the threads provide additional surface area for the epoxy/bedding compound to grip?

Yes, drill the hole to clear the rod, the threads are for grip.

[Werewolf]

Also, I don't know about you guys but I feel a whole lot better about grinding on a pillar than I do about grinding on the sear of my rifle. Even the writer of that article admitted to almost screwing it up. Seems unsafe. If done correctly the epoxy and a notched pillar should support the action without bending unless you got all gorilla on it right?

http://www.varminthuntinginternational.com/Stock%20Bedding.html

[TheDogofWar]

Looked around online a bit more. It looks like my stock has some built-in "pillars" that are molded into the stock (made of the same material). Would these need to be drilled/dremeled out and replaced with aluminum pillars?


I found my wood stock to have factory pillars as well but they are aluminum, are you sure yours are not as well? I had already purchased a set for it and not sure now if I should proceed to install the new ones or not. The new ones are substantially larger but I'm not sure how much advantage that would gain me.



I'm still confused about the full bedding being "stress free" wouldn't that increase the chance of contact in areas other than just the pillars?

[cgeorgemo]

How old is your rifle?
The pillars in all of my synthetic stocked savage rifles have been aluminum did Savage switch this up the last couple of years?

Here is a link to a thread about pillar bedding a Boyds laminate stock that might have some info you can use.
http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?16401-Pillar-Bedding-Boyds-for-Varmint-action

[thomae]

I'm still confused about the full bedding being "stress free" wouldn't that increase the chance of contact in areas other than just the pillars?

If you bed the pillars separately, there is a chance that they may not be perfectly lined up parallel to the bolt holes in the action. Then, when you tighten the action in the stock, you will be putting some sort of twisting or bending torque on the action. By bedding them together as a unit, you stand a better chance of eliminating this type of stress. If you bed the action and pillars as a unit, then contact by the action against bedding material (NOT the original stock, mind you) in other places than just around the pillars (primarily, I'm thinking around the magazine area) is probably not going to be a problem and should not add stress to the receiver when it is properly torqued into the stock.

I hope that made sense and was clear. I've only had one cup of coffee this morning (so far).

[PBinWA]

Some good pictures in this thread:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=217320&highlight=savage+bedding&page=2

And this thread:

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=513925