Pillars and Boyd's Stocks

[bsekf]

Sure wish Boyd's would install pillars, it would be so easy for them. Pretty easy to enlarge barrel channels and do skim bedding.... but the pillars are a PIA.

I use spar urethane inside and out to finish them, about 10+ coats with scotch brite between coats. If I get a sag, I sand it out. What do you use?

Bill

[darkker]

Sure wish Boyd's would install pillars, it would be so easy for them...... but the pillars are a PIA.


Explain why it's hard for you, but somehow the same job is easy for them? If you were willing to pay for not a "PITA", they wouldn't be $120 stocks anymore, they would be $250.
Simply a question of what you are willing to pay for, and how many folks are the same.

[Mozella]

Sure wish Boyd's would install pillars, it would be so easy for them. Pretty easy to enlarge barrel channels and do skim bedding.... but the pillars are a PIA.

I use spar urethane inside and out to finish them, about 10+ coats with scotch brite between coats. If I get a sag, I sand it out. What do you use?

Bill

Perhaps you're doing it the hard way. Pillar bedding, other than making the pillars, is no trouble at all and nothing associated with pillar bedding is difficult or a PITA. Follow normal bedding procedures with these possible changes/additions.

Do the pillars when you bed the action, but don't "skim" bed if by that you mean using a thin layer of Devcon 10110 over the factory Boyd's inletting. Remove enough wood to get a 50 or 60 thou. thick layer of bedding compound, more around the recoil lug.

Get some 1/8 brass pipe nipples (longer is cheaper) and cut two pieces, square up the ends as you trim to length. Wrap tape around two temporary actions screws with socket heads (Allen head) so that the screws center up on the pillars. Or turn down the heads of two ordinary action screws so that the diameter of the head is less than the outside diameter of the pillar. Enlarge the stock to accept the pillars and use a Dremel tool (or small drill bit) to gouge the holes bit to provide a mechanical grip for the Devcon 10110 where it surrounds the pillars. Degrease, sand, and scar up the pillars for a good chemical and mechanical bond. Wax everything else, but keep the pillars clean. But make sure to wax the screws, their threads, and the tape around the bolts.

Goober up the stock with Devcon 10110 and get plenty down in the pillar holes. Coat the action with Devcon too. Follow normal procedures for bedding. Replace the temporary actions screws with normal screws and bottom metal. Some people bed the bottom metal as a separate step, but I usually bed bottom metal.

[Texas10]

This Brand (Revolution;http://www.revolutionstocks.com) is about the same price point as Boyds, but come with pillars (factory style) installed. EABCO sells a few models, and I have one under my 12FV that shoots tiny little groups in the hands of my son with his younger eyes.

Mine was a drop in fit, but I bedded it nevertheless using Devcon 10110.

Boyds is a supporter of this website, in case that matters to you, and you can buy factory style pillars from Stockys, or several other websites to install in your Boyds stock.

Although I have never worked with a Boyds, I believe that the hole locations for the pillars are predrilled, and what is left for the buyer to do is to enlarge those holes to fit your pillars. Simple metal tubing such as lamp rod stock has been known to work sufficiently well. Some say the large aluminum pillars that are contoured to fit the rounded action better support the action, others say they aren't a close enough fit provide good support. Buyer beware. I prefer Savage style pillars.

Good machine work in locating and drilling pillar holes for a perfect fit is out of the capability for many home spun hobbyists who don't own a Mill, but is not necessary if you can work with epoxies. I got the pillar holes very close to final using a drill press and a variety of work working bits on my Richards Micro Fit stock, and custom fitted them by using Devcon 10110 much as you custom fit your action to the stock. Cut a little extra wood out, and back fill with epoxy using the waxed part as the form. Keep it all warm until it cures and you end up with a perfect fitting set of pillars.

[FW Conch]

You could get Your stock form E Arthur Brown for less than $200, and it comes pillared.

For bench shooting, I want no less than a B&C with the full skeleton and bedding block, or equivalent.

For hunting accuracy, You don't really need pillars in a laminate stock. JMO :-)

Another reason for doing Your own pillars, not all actions are perfect or the same. If we pillar and bed at the same time, it conforms to our action and stock.

[bsekf]

Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas.

Have been doing pillars for years, I use spacers I buy from McMaster-Carr. Still call it a PITA. I do mine in 2 stages and then cut the recess on the back pillar and then remove material and bed. Still call it a PITA. I use a drill press and agree with Texas10. Can't imagine doing it without one. Still call it a PITA. Always being careful to make sure the back pillar it the right length to completely fill the space between steel trigger guard and the action. Still call it a PITA.

Did I tell you, I still call it a PITA.

Happy New Year.

Bill

[RC20]

I don't think the Boyd's stock needs the pillar4s, the fit is excellent.

Maybe if you are down in the 1s and 2s it might make a difference bu my opinion is sub 3/4 to say 3/8 I don't think its an issue.

EABCO as noted has them, costs a bit more and it needs them due to the clearance (and the tang still had to be cleared out)
My brother will be bedding the EABCO for me.

Nice stock but I prefer the Boyd's.

[RC20]

Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas.

Have been doing pillars for years, I use spacers I buy from McMaster-Carr. Still call it a PITA. I do mine in 2 stages and then cut the recess on the back pillar and then remove material and bed. Still call it a PITA. I use a drill press and agree with Texas10. Can't imagine doing it without one. Still call it a PITA. Always being careful to make sure the back pillar it the right length to completely fill the space between steel trigger guard and the action. Still call it a PITA.

Did I tell you, I still call it a PITA.

Happy New Year.

Bill

I had a nice Christmas.

I gather you feel rather strongly this operation is a PITA? I sure hope you don't do any over the Holidays!

[bsekf]

RC20, I am putting it off as long as possible. But I got 2 to do before summer! Bummer! Fingers will be stuck together and I'll be scraping epoxy off the work bench till fall! Be all ready to go, and discover the "hardener" is hard! But, hopefully, this is the one that puts them all in one hole. "hope springs eternal"

Bill

[olddav]

Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas.

Have been doing pillars for years, I use spacers I buy from McMaster-Carr. Still call it a PITA. I do mine in 2 stages and then cut the recess on the back pillar and then remove material and bed. Still call it a PITA. I use a drill press and agree with Texas10. Can't imagine doing it without one. Still call it a PITA. Always being careful to make sure the back pillar it the right length to completely fill the space between steel trigger guard and the action. Still call it a PITA.

Did I tell you, I still call it a PITA.

Happy New Year.

Bill

I tried to follow your post but I'm not sure how you feel about installing pillars :p
If possible could you please try to clarify.

[FW Conch]

All over the work bench??? No wonder You don't like it! :-)

[Mozella]

Hope everybody had a Merry Christmas.

Have been doing pillars for years, I use spacers I buy from McMaster-Carr. Still call it a PITA. I do mine in 2 stages and then cut the recess on the back pillar and then remove material and bed. Still call it a PITA. I use a drill press and agree with Texas10. Can't imagine doing it without one. Still call it a PITA. Always being careful to make sure the back pillar it the right length to completely fill the space between steel trigger guard and the action. Still call it a PITA.

Did I tell you, I still call it a PITA.

Happy New Year.

Bill

You confirmed what I suspected. You ARE doing it the wrong way. Just cut the pillars to length, bolt them in place with screws which have heads smaller than the OD of the pillars, and then bed everything at once. EASY.

[bsekf]

Mozella, That's about the way I do it. Just took a little literary license to make the story interesting. I do it in 2 stages, after initially gluing the pillar in, I remove the stock and fill around the pillar from the inside and bed the recoil lug and action then. I never had good luck trying to do it in one step.

Where you at in LA. We had a winter home in Dixie, AL, half way between Andalusia and Brewton. I was the crazy Yankee birddog guy! Hips wore out and I had to quit wrecking horses and stepping in stump holes. We winter in Destin now.... leaving WNY Saturday.

Happy New Year

Bill