Action bedding before pillar bedding

[Abanks10t]

Hey I have a question. I bought a boyds pro varmint laminate stock for my 10t .308. I have been using this rifle for 300-800 yard f-class matches but want to start shooting 1000 yard matches. What I'm looking at doing is just bedding the action but I see a lot about pillar bedding Wood stocks. How much of a hassle would it be to pillar bed after bedding the action? Or should I just wait on bedding the action and do the pillars beforehand?

[foxx]

Install the pillars first.

Then bed.

Once the job is done, all pillars do is prevent the action screws from compressing the soft (wood) stock material, changing their toque under pressure or various atmospheric conditions.

They also serve as a temporary platform to support your action while the bedding material cures.

Some people will settle with pillars alone, but I don't know how to bed without using pillars.

[Texas10]

I prefer to do both the pillar and bedding at the same time. If you're installing new pillars, you're probably going to have to epoxy them in place, or at least use epoxy to mold the pillar to the stock, as you might when using factory style pillars from Stocky's. So to me, it's best to do all the bedding and pillar fitting at the same time.

How you do that, or the order you do it in, is totally dependent upon your own skills level and what tools you have available. I'd highly recommend using Devcon 10110 and a gram scale to weigh your batches. It's really important to get the batch ratio correct.

[gbflyer]

Install the pillars first.

Then bed.

Once the job is done, all pillars do is prevent the action screws from compressing the soft (wood) stock material, changing their toque under pressure or various atmospheric conditions.

They also serve as a temporary platform to support your action while the bedding material cures.

Some people will settle with pillars alone, but I don't know how to bed without using pillars.

Me too.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Two step job for me!! Pillars first. Action and barrel centered and shimmed. If it comes out the way I like it, I go back and do the action.

[drybean]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Mozella]

I always do both at once.

[Abanks10t]

Ok so I'm gonna go with the consensus. Does anyone happen to know the dimensions of the stocky's Savage 10 pillars? I'm gonna order those but I don't see any info on their site. Oh if you guys haven't guessed by now this is my first restock and bedding. I'm trying to learn how to do this jobs myself as I want to take another rifle and build it out for my son. I really appreciate the responses and advice.

[Texas10]

I didn't throw a mic on them, but the Stocky's Savage pillars appear to be identical to Savage factory pillars. I bedded the pillars in my Richards Micro Fit stock while using the pillars out of my factory BVSS stock. Later, i pulled those and returned them to the original stock, and installed the Stocky's pillars into the Richards. They were a perfect fit and I didn't have to re-bed them.

As far as how to do it, you are basically going to rough in the pillar holes, making the counter bore for the shoulder in the pillar a bit too deep. Prep the action area while also being sure that the tang area is free floated, wrap the action screws with several layers of tape to get them centered in the pillars, along with the barrel near the for-end of the stock so it is centered in the stock. Mask off the stock and everything, including the front and bottom of the recoil lug and tang that you don't want epoxy to cure on. Use modeling clay to fill any corners or holes in the action.

Wax or apply mold release to all the metal parts. Mix your bedding compound precisely and apply being careful to not use too much.

Here's a tip: Buy a set of sealant smoothing tools, and use to apply your bedding compound, then scrape off the squeeze.

http://www.deltaintl.com/sealants/Sealant%20Smoothing%20Tools.html

Assemble it and use large rubber bands ( I use blood draw elastics) to hold the action into the stock while the epoxy cures, keeping it 80 degrees or warmer.

If you do a search, there are multiple references on this site with more details on how to bed.

[FW Conch]

Accurate shooter.com has a detailed, step by step instruction by Richard Franklin that will show and tell you everything you need to know. He claims his do it all at once, stress free,method is best, but you can modify the process to whatever you are comfortable with. I have done pillars first and all at once and I can't tell the difference. I like to make my own pillars from hardware store lamp rod, use kiwi clear shoe polish for release agent, and electrical tape to center the barrel and hold the action while curing.

Everything you could possibly want to know about the process and all the different methods, are covered on this site "infinutiom", if you can do a proper search and find it. Also there are many different instructions on YouTube.

It can be fun and rewarding, but it never gets better than buying a stock with a bedding block ;-))

[Texas10]

I have a question for the OP and FW: WTF are we all doing up a O-dark hundred, Sunday morning? LOL

[FW Conch]

In my case, it's an "old people" thing??? And stock bedding is a substitute for basket weaving ;-))

[short round]

Up for shooting club meeting & group match.

[FW Conch]

^ now that's a lot better reason ;-)) ^

[upSLIDEdown]

I do them both at the same time, FWIW.

[Abanks10t]

Thanks Texas10 I wish there was a video of how to do the Savage 10 action. All the videos are either a Savage Axis or Remington 700. I guess I'm more worried about messing it up but that's what they make Dremel Tools for right ha ha ha. All there is to do is order pillars drill holes bed pillars then bed action and hope for the best ha ha ha.

[Abanks10t]

I work shift work and i'm in the process of transitioning from night shift to day shift. It sucks!