110e .270 build help

[DesertDug]

This is how my .270 Winchester sits now. If picture shows?
https://imgur.com/Uz4dUuJ

I have so far upgraded my bolt carrier, replaced ejector, detent and spring, replaced plastic triger guarded with metal and set it in a Boyd's prairie hunter walnut stock.

Plans are as following. I am waiting on a x-caliber 25" 416R Stainless Steel, light puma contour, 1:10 Twist 5R Groove w/ 11 degree crown, cryogenic treated.

I have new new nut and recoil lug and barrel nut wrench waiting for more parts and tools.

i have on order a wheeler action wrench since my usual home made barrel blocks did not hold the barrel. Has worked on the ar's I have built. So I am going to try the method of placing the action wrench in a vise ant use the nut wrench to remove. I have read of others doing it this way here. Did I make a good decision on this? How will head spacing this way be?

Also on order is my go gauge from PAciffic Tool and Guage. This I am not happy about as the web page said in stock, but when ordered it showed as back ordered and my card was charged! I would not have purchased from them if I had known this because I wanted to practice / get the feel of head spacing while I waited for the barrel.

I have reading up on bedding the action and think this needs to be done but not sure I want to take this on. Seems to easy to mess things up. Drilling for pillars as hard as it seems? Maybe some can talk me into it as I feel this may be a long build.

This will be my west Texas hunting riffle. Target Animals are mule deer and aoudad.

I have lots of questions, so if your interested, please follow along and give any advise, wisdom, criticism you can think of.

[DesertDug]

Well, picture did not post using Imgur?

[DesertDug]

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/Uz4dUuJ

here is link, why no show?

[DesertDug]

https://m.imgur.com/gallery/IGNmX2p

Trying again

[DesertDug]

https://s8.postimg.cc/mnhi2abph/IMG_1660.jpg (https://postimages.org/)

ok read about postimage.org, looks like maybe I have figured out posting pics here.

[DesertDug]

https://s8.postimg.cc/u8p4bglt1/IMG_1660.jpg (https://postimg.cc/image/okitkkhgh/)screen shot pc (https://postimages.org/app) ok one that's not so small.

[mnbogboy2]

The wheeler action wrench will serve you well. Head spacing often takes a couple of trys to get it exactly the way you want it. Mine is mounted permanently on a wooden work bench. If you end up too tight or loose after final torque my method is to make index marks on the bottom of the barrel and nut with a sharpie. Loosen the nut, adjust the distance between the marks according to what you need re-torque, then re check headspace. Often the barrel twists with the nut (sometimes it doesn't). The "gap" between your index marks will give you an idea where you are. Remember never to torque the barrel with the bolt closed on the headspace gauge (to prevent chamber damage).

Boyd's stocks work best with pillars and bedding (as all wood stocks). Wood savage stocks have been known to crack near the rear action screw if over torqued (been there/done that). Personally I use "lamp" nipples for pillars in wood stocks. I actually thread the stock with a tap. I fit the pillars and then unscrew them and coat them with epoxy, screw them in to final fitment. Pillars are fully set before I start bedding.
There is a wealth of info on bedding on this and other sites. You will get the most out of your Boyd's if you get it bedded correctly.

When you finish you will have the "bug". Be prepared for a life long addiction!!
Good luck and keep us posted,
Randy

[Robinhood]

Dug, You will end up having to open the barrel channel for that contour. No biggie. Beautiful Rifle. Don't sell that stock!

[DesertDug]

Great tip Randy on the threaded pillars. How much wood should be left on the bottom of the puller? Or do you go all the through?

robinhood, ya I was thinking I may have to open up the channel, it I think I should be able to do this without messing the stock up.

when I was looking for stocks I was torn on going traditional wood or chassis, I think I will be pleased in my choice when she gets back on the firing line.

i was also torn on staying with the .270 caliber or trying .260 but I already was set up for reloading and didn't want to go spending money on reloading supplies when instead the money could go to the build.

I hope to keep this thread updated to when to when I can post some groups.

[mnbogboy2]

My method works well for me, and some may disagree. I have done at least 6 of these so far with this method and no real big problems. I use the small straight thread lamp nipples from the local hardware. Thread is 1/8 straight pipe thread. Inside diameter is approx 5/16". A small round file is used to remove the flash/seam inside the nipples.
My stocks are tapped through. The action screw head is torqued against the nipple when complete. I use a modified 1/8 npt tap. The tap shank diameter must be reduced so the tap can "reach" through. Also the rear hole must be done carefully to prevent the tap from walking rear-ward when it reaches the cut-out area for the trigger. I screwed this up a couple of times. The fix was to remove more material near the upper section of the rear hole and use plenty epoxy when fitting the rear pillar.
After tapping dry fit the pillars. The rear one must be cut for the trigger clearance. The front one should start at the recess in the estucheon hole and just reach or almost to the receiver. The top of the rear one at the cut-out should also just barely touch the receiver.
When torqued the pillars will prevent any wood compression.
At the final stage before epoxy I make sure that the pillars clear the action screws so they do not interfere with each other. I made 2 studs with 1/4-28 thread to fit the reciever. These studs are then wrapped with electrical tape to serve as a "centering" spacer. The studs reach thru the stock and a nut/protective washer is used to secure the receiver/pillar alignment while the pillar epoxy drys.
The same tape spacer studs are used later when the action/recoil lug is bedded. Again insuring there is no action screw interference with the inside of the pillar.
That's my method for wood/laminate stocks.
In the past I used purchased pillars and bored the stock with a Forstener bit. Setup was tricky with my limited resouces. Now I use a 21/64 or 11/32 bit for a tap drill (depending on the wood). It will easily follow the existing hole without any special setup.
That's my method but I am always open to critique because someone out there has a better and easier way to get it done.
Randy

[DesertDug]

Thanks Randy, can the tap drilling be done by hand, or is a drill press required. I guess I am asking how critical is it that the pillars are square to receiver.

What do you mean by tap shank diameter must be reduced so the tap can reach through?

thanks for the great help.

[mnbogboy2]

The holes in the savage stocks I have found to be anywhere from 9/32 to 5/16, the tap drills follow the old hole fairly easy by hand. A drill press when set up properly will be more accurate and maybe even "straighten" the existing hole. Then again set-up is the key word. Set up improperly the new hole may deviate from the existing hole. It must be setup with the current receiver inlet.
I use sequential steps with a hand drill to reach the desired size and haven't had a problem so far. When I started doing it this way I had a couple of old wood stocks to practice on. They turned out well and have since refinished them for my grandkids.

The tap design at least in my toolbox will only allow the tap to cut the "length" of its cutting threads.
Where the "threads" end on my 1/8 npt tap the shank is larger then the minor diameter. In order to tap deeper I ground this diameter smaller so it would pass through the cut/tapped section already tapped. There may be 1/8 npt taps out there that do not require this.
Randy

[mnbogboy2]

If you search for images of 1/8 npt pipe tap you should see what I am talking about.

[nova1194]

When tightening your barrel nut, be sure to open the bolt first incase the barrel turns a little, a lot easier on parts that way, don't have to worry about jamming everything together and buggering up parts or your headspace gage.

[Robinhood]

If you search for images of 1/8 npt pipe tap you should see what I am talking about.

Wouldn't that be a tapered tap?





Use a 13/32 or Y letter drill then tap and you wont have to grind the shoulder off.
The tap you want. 1/8 -27 NPS
https://images.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2Fimages%2Fi%2F11078 4827549-0-1%2Fs-l1000.jpg&f=1

[mnbogboy2]

Robinhood you are correct, good catch. I have been using the tapered pipe tap (npt). The nps tap you show would negate the shank grinding. As long as the major diameter is the same in the finished tapped hole. I can't remember if the taper goes past the nominal value. The reason I used the npt is because that's all I had when I started this method.
As long as the nps tap will leave a loose fit to allow room for the epoxy, my guess it would be more suitable for this job.

Also I didn't mention earlier to the OP that like tapping metal "chips" must be cleaned often to allow the tap to "cut" the wood. I believe the flutes in the straight thread tap will allow better/easier chip cleaning than the tapered tap. That would be a plus also. I probably will order one & try it on one of my next wood stock projects.

Thanks for the heads up Robinhood.

[DesertDug]

How do you guys cut the rear pillar for the trigger clearance? How wide does the gap need to be?

I will be adding a tap to my list of needed tools.

[DesertDug]

https://images.homedepot-static.com/productImages/c7ad617e-7e9a-4d64-9d39-99d8953e6fa0/svn/drill-america-specialty-drill-bits-pou1-8nptw-drill-64_1000.jpg

Does this one fit the bill?

[SageRat Shooter]

You cut the pillar after the installation (after adhesive has cured). Then you take a dremmel tool and a cutting wheel attachment head and cut the pillar in a "C" with the open end of the C facing the rear action screw.

If you cut the pillar before installing, then the pillar turns in the stock when you tighten up the action screws. I learned this the hard way...

[DesertDug]

found this link which has some good information regarding the bedding process for anyone that may be following along and needs to learn like myself.

http://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?57364-Rear-pillar-bedding-Model-12