Stocks and pillars

[Mr.Snerdly]

Maybe I am wrong but I thought the aluminum post in the plastic stock was supposed to be slightly higher or at least level with the plastic. Mine is not. I don't know if I can explain this clearly but if you have the stock lengthways as you would normally have it facing when shooting, the extreme outside edges to left and right are probably .008-.010 higher than the aluminum post. in the center the plastic may be level or maybe .002-.003" higher than the aluminum post. I have no good way of measuring this but I could usually estimate the taper on a worn engine cylinder pretty good so it would be close to what I say. Maybe it draws down when you snug it up. Probably normal but I thought I would ask.

[Stumpkiller]

Should be at least flush.

But with 65 in-oz pressure it probably will be.

[Mr.Snerdly]

I may not have that much. On a cylinder you have 2 sides so if you have .008" taper you have .004" on each side, assuming it is worn evenly. This is not always the case but usually it is close. I was basing the .008" on what I would estimate a cylinder. I also can deflect the plastic with my thumb, not enough to make it flush but it might be when it is torqued down. I do have a torque screwdriver. Also, I can see on the aluminum post that it has been making contact with the steel of the gun.

[tobnpr]

Assuming the stock is molded for a snug, press-fit around the receiver, the pillars would need to be flush at the bottom to avoid elevating the receiver.
I wouldn't worry about it, so long as the pillar is flush at the bottom.

Remember, you've got a round receiver, sitting atop a flat. It's only going to make contact in the center anyway, not on the sides- ever.

Even when bedding, there's two choices here- you either radius the tops of the pillars to precisely match the receiver OD, or you end up with the same "situation"- which would be epoxy proud on the sides of the pillars and flush on the bottom. This is never a concern with epoxy as it'll resist compression just like the pillar- and I suspect with modern composites used in the stocks it's effectively the same situation. I'm a bit surprised the composite is soft enough that you can compress it with finger pressure. That wouldn't happen with higher end materials.

[GrenGuy]

Assuming that pillars have not changed since I bought My last Savage, the pillars in the plastic stock are STEEL. As pillars go they are some of the best in the industry. You are right that there is a small amount of plastic above the pillar tops. I sometimes use the plastic stocks for various reasons, and when I do, I hog out around the top of the pillars so a 1/4” brass washer will sit flat on top. I then bed the action.

I am sure that all rifles can benefit from torque tuning the action screws. My Heavy Gun is metal to metal all the way up, held on with bolts, so I fell for the flat out 65” #’s the chassis people suggest. My groups went berserk. I dropped back to 40”#’s and groups tightened back up. All My rifles are pillared and bedded, and some of them shoot there best with 30”#’s of action screw torque.

[Mr.Snerdly]

I feel better about it now. I wasn't going to change anything, I guess it sounds like it is normal. I got the weight added and the varmint spring installed. I will make sure the barrel is still floating and didn't get the epoxy too high. It is roughly even with the partitions in the stock or just a bit lower. I will wait until tomorrow for final assembly. I'm pretty sure the material is set up enough now that I could assemble tonight but it won't hurt to wait until tomorrow. I hope this all makes a difference. I didn't realize the pillars were steel. I think that would be better than aluminum.

[Stumpkiller]

Remember, you've got a round receiver, sitting atop a flat. It's only going to make contact in the center anyway, not on the sides- ever.



Unless you mill the top of the pillars to the receiver radius. ;-)

https://i.imgur.com/KucaC52.jpg

[tobnpr]

^^^
Yep.
I mentioned that in the next line in the post.

Personally, I'm just as good with epoxy making up the difference. But it sure does look better with the radius pillars :)

[Texas10]

The only place where the action should touch the pillar is along a very thin strip at the centerline. Plastic material may build up along the left and right edges of the pillar but as long as it is not significant it won't be an issue. Also true if you're bedding your action into non-molded stock.

The reason for the pillars is so that you won't be compressing the stock material when torquing the screws, as this would lead to uneven torque and gradual loosening of the action screws. If your action screws thread in loosely and then suddenly come to a hard stop, everything is working as it should. Conversely, if they screw in, gradually becoming harder to turn as they seat while being torqued, you've got something wedged between the pillar and the action.

[GrenGuy]

^^ agree 100% ^^