Stock fiasco

[Smokestick]

Hello all, I have been building a stock for quite sometime and have ran into a show stopper. I built and installed pillars to cover a previous mistake, and now when I tried to bolt action into stock, pillar was a tad off, so I drilled hole next size up, but bit hung up and ripped homemade pillar out, now I have a way large hole in the stock help me please.

[RustyShackle]

Pictures might help. Sorry, things like this do happen from time to time, and I have to commend you for asking for help on a public forum.

Just how ‘big’ a hole we talking about? And is this the front or rear pillar? And the pillar that was removed took material with it?

Sorry, but having more details will help me visualize, and maybe give some mediocre advice.

[sharpshooter]

That's why you should set the pillars with the barreled action attached.

[Texas10]

Bed the pillar into the stock with your bedding epoxy. Or you can start by filling the hole with epoxy, let it cure and re-drill for the pillar. I prefer to bed my pillars so I start with a slightly oversize hole. Wax everything well after putting several layers of tape on the action screw to center it in the pillar. That way your pillar is perfectly centered, the correct height and if you waxed it on installation, removable too.

[jpdown]

I had a big chunk of laminated wood split out of a Boyds stock when trying to install pillars. I taped the stock bottom. Fill hole with Devcon plastic steel epoxy from local hardware store. Drilled new pillar hole.

[charlie b]

Or, a bit more difficult. Drill out hole. Get aluminum rod to fit hole. Drill rod to match action screw. Bed your new oversize pillar.

I would probably do the devcon approach. Easier to get it right.

My process is to drill the holes in the stock slightly oversize. Bolt the pillars to the action. Bed the entire thing in one shot. That way my poor drilling skills are masked by the bedding material.