My 12FV bedding project

We had a discussion a bit ago about various ways to make/use pillars in accuracy bedding. Making pillars today, I thought some pics may be of interest.

This project needs a 1" o.d. pillar for the front. You'll see why a bit later.

A section of 1" o.d. aluminum for the pillar. Center drilled and put a 1/4" pilot hole through the piece. Now, a 5/16" bit enlarges that pilot hole.
https://i.imgur.com/6sMT54Xl.jpg

A .562 O.D. counterbore with a 5/16 pilot is next. This establishes a recess for the action screw.https://i.imgur.com/7TVZ9aCl.jpg

Like this.
https://i.imgur.com/Mftbharl.jpg

I make them about .300 deep.
https://i.imgur.com/BnHBpWLl.jpg

Cut a couple of grooves to hold the epoxy and roughened up the O.D. with some crocus cloth when it was in the chuck.
https://i.imgur.com/B64imz1l.jpg

With a button headed bolt and a 5/16" hole, there is more contact between the pillar and the bottom of the bolt head than if a normal socket head bolt was used with a 1/4" hole. Plus, the larger I.D. of pillar provides adequate clearance so no part of the bolt shank might contact the I.D. of the pillar.

https://i.imgur.com/4ALjFdil.jpg

This sleeve is 5/16" O.D. and 1/4" I.D. I glue it in the pillar recess and the action guide screws go perfectly down the middle of the pillar.
https://i.imgur.com/Iz3enQOl.jpg

I can add more pics as the process goes along, if there's any interest.

Picking up where we left off...this is for a gun I'm prepping for our local Factory Class matches. Factory Class needs to have the stock barreled action, triggers can be changed or tuned and any optics. The stocks have to be a factory stock but can be bedded...no McMillans or Kelblys, etc. This is a Savage 12FV in 22-250 that comes with a cheese-ball injection molded stock. I found a N.I.B. replacement Savage laminated stock from the LV model but the problem was the action screw spacing. Without wading through the muck of the different models I'll just say that later Savages have a action screw C-C distance of 4.400 instead of the earlier 4.275 on the LV's....they moved the front action screw forward .125 to work with the center feed magazine on later models. No biggie to move it.

On the mill, I used a snug fitting pin gauge to locate the front and rear action screw holes correctly on the X axis:
https://i.imgur.com/uXkt0mAl.jpg

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

Then zeroed the X feed and ran it to .125:
https://i.imgur.com/XaBrqOHl.jpg

You can see how the 1" counter bore is offset to the front of the original action screw hole:
https://i.imgur.com/0F81f3kl.jpg

Down we go:
https://i.imgur.com/G7ZMuvBl.jpg

Result:
https://i.imgur.com/h6hXaUFl.jpg

Fits well:
https://i.imgur.com/B7R0Gp0l.jpg

Held short for a good amount of bedding material between the pillar and action:
https://i.imgur.com/ef1xUf4l.jpg

On to the rear action screw pillar. A .562 counter bore is perfect with the trigger guard cut:
https://i.imgur.com/bVlCAxil.jpg

Same 5/16" hole as the front pillar. Notched the rear pillar to clear the Savage trigger lash up:
https://i.imgur.com/718zY8dl.jpg

Grooved for epoxy cavities, I also fairly make them rough on the O.D. for good epoxy grab:
https://i.imgur.com/LBjH66rl.jpg

Fitted a bit below the trigger guard cut. I'll epoxy bed the trigger guard as the last step:
https://i.imgur.com/X8JXCril.jpg

Will fill the magazine cut with a stuffing block. I have a single shot adapter for the action that's 3D printed and follows the profile of the action...will epoxy it in the action and bed it like a single shot:
https://i.imgur.com/qTINGCtl.jpg

Also cut a channel in the top of the front pillar to hold some epoxy:
https://i.imgur.com/MfdSK3wl.jpg

Thanks for documenting your project and sharing it. It's looking good. Please keep it coming.

tenxal, You are doing some great work. But I can’t agree with having the bottom of an action setting on epoxy instead of the pillars. When I pillar and bed, I want metal to metal contact from the bottom of the action bolt head to the bottom of the action. The epoxy is just to keep the action centered on the pillars.

Just the way I do it...JMO

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GrenGuy

But I can’t agree with having the bottom of an action setting on epoxy instead of the pillars. When I pillar and bed, I want metal to metal contact from the bottom of the action bolt head to the bottom of the action. The epoxy is just to keep the action centered on the pillars.

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Having done it both ways, I've had the best results with a significant layer of bedding compound over the pillars. It's important to have the action in contact with just a single material (bedding compound).

The only time I go hard against the pillars is when the action screw goes into the bottom of the recoil lug...like some Sakos.

Necessity - the mother of invention. Nice work.

Pretty skilled. Good work.


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You guys with mills make me jealous. Interesting take on the action/epoxy/pillar scheme. I have always pushed up the pillar until it contacted the action, but of course it never makes solid contact across its entire surface. I would have to think the compressive strength of epoxy is enough to provide a solid mount. I might try this next time I pillar something. Thanks!!!

Made a stuffing block from a chunk of 1" aluminum square. Rough milled it and epoxied it in the magazine well. After the pillars are glued in, I'll fill the mag well with epoxy, let it cure and then do the final bedding with the single shot adapter epoxied in the action.

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

Bravo! Excellent work.

With the pillars epoxied in place, it was time to fill the mag well. Warmed up some Pro Bed in an old aluminum pot I used to etch cores in my bullet makin' days:

https://i.imgur.com/pN3XRIGl.jpg

Then spooned it in to a bit over the top of the block. The camera caught some weird reflection of the stock color that makes it look like wood shavings...strange.

https://i.imgur.com/g4UtzLkl.jpg

This is a single shot adapter that fits the factory cut out pretty well. It's 3D printed from black Delrin. Epoxied that in:

https://i.imgur.com/LjTaWV2l.jpg

The bottom of it matches the action profile pretty well but it's really rough textured. After it dries, I'll fill the seams and dress the area down smooth so it matches the action diameter.

https://i.imgur.com/VW9XB9Il.jpg

If you haven't tried Pro Bed yet, you should. Of all the stuff I've used over the decades, this is the best.

https://i.imgur.com/kAEHcd4l.jpg

Appreciate the effort and documentation. This will help others in the future.

In the bedding:

https://i.imgur.com/4zugZTYl.jpg

With the action/stock bedding complete, it's on to bedding the scope bases. This is a simple thing you can do to insure maximum contact between the bases and receiver and make sure the bases are aligned longitudinally. Normally, I use the excellent Base Align, designed by the late Dan Hackett. But for this, I'll do it old school since few have this tool.

https://i.imgur.com/rbMT3AYl.jpg

I rummaged through my asst. of Davidson/Kelbly bases and came up with two that had the correct hole spacing:

https://i.imgur.com/a5VN4Wel.jpg

Today's victim was this hapless Savage :eek::

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

I rough up the base bottoms with a Dremel..a file or sand paper also works. Then, use a needle file to make sure the screws aren't too tight in their holes:

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

Some mold release wax goes on the sides of the bases:

https://i.imgur.com/4xUgJL5l.jpg

And the receiver and in the screw holes:

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

Some light oil in the screw recesses:

https://i.imgur.com/0EY1MCUl.jpg

And on the screws:

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

Get the rings ready, make sure the rings will slide easily on the bases first:

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

Mix the Pro Bed, JB Weld...whatever you wish to use:

https://i.imgur.com/lDiH0Fml.jpg

Insert the screws and butter up the bases:

https://i.imgur.com/9TeFRjFl.jpg

Snug the screws lightly, leaving some side-to-side wiggle room. Then gently slide the rings on and lay the lapping bar in the rings:

https://i.imgur.com/97WC3ZMl.jpg

Remove the ooze with a popsicle stick dipped in vinegar. Then wait:

https://i.imgur.com/Z8Mlmcml.jpg

After curing, pop the bases off the action. If you've got it right, here's what they should look like...100% contact between the underside of the bases and the receiver. Now, trim off the edges, lightly chamfer and clean out the screw holes.

https://i.imgur.com/oxSxSY7l.jpg

Straight and solid. :)

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

Cool project! I bedded bases once. I screwed them down tight, cause I wanted as much metal to metal as possible.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by nksmfamjp

Cool project! I bedded bases once. I screwed them down tight, cause I wanted as much metal to metal as possible.

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So you induced stress where you were trying to eliminate it. Interesting concept.

Well, I finished up my 'Project SaLvage'. ;)

This was a N.I.B. 12FV that I bought from Cabelas. Here's what the bolt face looked like when I opened the box. I assume Savage's test firing must be with fairly stout loads and/or the Q.C. might be a bit lacking. Full disclosure...I never looked at the bolt when I opened the box in the store. Something like this isn't new to anyone in BR circles, though. :eek:

I worked on the factory trigger and it's a consistent 12 oz, now. Smoothed up the cocking notch in the bolt and added a bolt lift kit. Both those and some firing pin tuning eased the bolt lift enough so I could deep six the double ugly Kenworth-ish bolt handle and put an earlier factory version on.

The chamber is nice and snug with a .256 neck and a short enough throat that even the Nosler 40gr. BTips touch the lands with .100 of bullet shank in the neck. Will head to the range as soon as possible with BIB 52's, 48's, Berger 52's, and even some (slap my mouth:rolleyes:) Sierra 52's and 53's. Gotta' start with H380 in a 22-250 but will try N135, Benchmark, 4895, WW748 and AA2520 on the first go.

No BR rig, but still a fun 'back-to-my-roots' project. If it shoots!

https://i.imgur.com/qHBq6kwl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xgm9LUzl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/82JfkyDl.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/RE9c5z1l.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0paKeUWl.jpg

I gotta ask....why such high rings?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GaCop

I gotta ask....why such high rings?

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It keeps you off the stock and helps with seeing the wind flags. :)

Is there a reason you want to stay off the stock with those high rings? Good consistent cheekweld is always preference... Also, hows it shoot after all the work?