Pillar length for short action DBM savage? setting up a new laminated stock

Hello,
Below are some pictures of my project short action savage. I ordered a Richards microfit stock for it, and am fitting it for the factory detachable box set up. I don't have the original plastic stock that came with the rifle, but I should have taken some measurements first.

When I had it, I saw that the plastic stock had embedded pillars in it. I am making new pillars for this stock, and would need to (not quite) match the size of the original length of pillars to get the DBM to fit and feed properly.

One thing I did notice with the tupperware stock, was that the pillars in it did seem to be slightly below the contour of the underside of the action, so I think if measured, it would have to take this into account to eliminate the length shortage. The pillars should be long enough to solidly contact the underside of the action, I don't know why they would be a fraction below where they should be.

I have some aluminum tubes from a gunsmith I will cut to make the pillars.

If anyone has done this and has the measurements, or can measure this, can you advise me of the length? No rush either, this is a longer term project for me.

Thanks, Brian

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...-locations.jpg
These are the areas I would need to determine the pillar length, in red.

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_4094.jpg
Tac driver stock from Richards.

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_4095.jpg

Don't know. I always just mount them to the action, drop in place, measure and cut. The front one I usually cut to the surface of the stock and countersink the head down into the AL so the head and AL are flush. The back one, of course, meets the DBM metal.

Sorry, no idea on exact length. I tend to make to fit on stock making.

Larry
Tinkerer

Hi...I have the same question concerning my 10FP (.223) and fitting a DBM to my Hart LRT stock. The DBM was not part of the original 10FP, so I don't know the distance between the DBM metal and the receiver. I have the correct screws provided by Savage, but they told me they don't sell pillars that length since they are included in the stock on the rifle. I can probably guess about right, but think I would be better off with the correct measurements.

Thanks,
Beau

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6...178a9682_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7141/6...82a7fb3a_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6...a95fa27a_b.jpg

Hi,
I borrowed a friends stock and took the measurements to get the pillar size. I used a dial caliper, the extension on the end can be used as a depth gauge. The sizes I came up with are:
For dbm short action, as measured by BL Dec 2011.
Front: .432
Rear: .940 (note, my measurements varied up to .004 based on the tool not being perfectly vertical. .940 is my average and best estimate)

Then, off to another friend that has a lathe, and cut the pillars down to size including notching for the trigger. I got the aluminum pillars as raw pillar stock from “Ernie the gunsmith”. My pillars came out very close to what I needed, a few thousands off, but well within working tolerances.

I put the action together with the pillars, and it feeds the loaded rounds just fine. I still have to install the pillars in the stock, this will take me a few weeks more before I get to it.

If you do not have a lathe, I think the job could be done by rough cutting the pillar to length, then putting the pillar in a drill press, and grinding the end flat by pressing it down onto a flat surface covered in medium sandpaper. The spinning shaft should even out the surface just fine.

My only real concern is that the wood stock inletted for the dbm has alot of material removed inside the stock around the magazine mechanism. I hope this does not weaken the stock too much, especially when I remove some material to bed the action

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_4141.jpg

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...n/IMG_4140.jpg
Method used to measure pillar size. The reciever is clamped into the stock to bottom out the caliper.

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/Photo5.jpg
Finished product with pillars in action.


http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/Photo6.jpg

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/Photo7.jpg

http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/...ion/Photo9.jpg

Looks like your good to go. Have you tried dummy rounds in the mag to be sure all is line up correctly?

If you haven't set the pillars in the stock yet, I would sugest that you rough up the outside of them. They look like the would not get gripped by the epoxy, and spin in the stock, or pull out.

Thanks for the comments. I hope the pillar dimensions I took help someone out. I did test the action and the rounds all chambered and extracted fine. I tested this without the rifle in the stock for starters, and will further test within the rifle stock when I drill it out. With the wide pillars I cut, when the action screws are tightened, the assembly locks up very tight and solid. Since the pillar should be a duplicate of the depth of the stock, it should work the same after I put it into my new stock, but of course I'll check again.


In the photos, the work is not complete, and as mentioned, I will cut some grooves into the pillars before the bedding job.

Thanks,
Brian

Brian,

Thanks for taking the time to post the pictures and measurements! I just plan to trim the pillars I got with the Hart LRT stock, since I don't have access to any machining tools. I'll test the feeding before starting to inlet the stock to make sure it works for my action and dbm metal.

Take care,
Beau

Just FYI...

I emailed CDI and asked what length the pillars should be for their bottom metal kit. Figure I can inlet for the factory DBM now and upgrade to the CDI down the road, since I already have the factory DBM and don't want to buy a bunch of new parts. Anyways, nice people and they emailed me a copy of the instructions used to install their product, which includes some templates and measurements for the inletting. Might be of some use to others, just not sure how to attach a .pdf to this board. The instructions state the following for pillar heights:

Front = .430
Rear = .930

Very close to your measurements Brian, which have also worked on my barreled action so far. I am going to try these lengths with a couple extra pillars I have to see if it works any better.

Beau

is this what you are looking for?

http://www.stockysstocks.com/servlet...-Pillar/Detail

Not sure if they will fit with dbm but this is what Stocky's suggest for the bobby hart lrt blind mag.

Sure, you can make or buy new pillars.
But, unless you need, or are going to sell the old stock (if it's an el-cheapo non-accustock, it's about worthless), just do as I did- remove the factory pillars from the stock. I did so when I made my own stock. Sure, it trashes the factory stock, but who cares?

tobnpr
The pillars and action screw lengths are different for some wood stocked Savages as opposed to composite stocks. You can't be sure they will fit on a stock unless you make it yourself like you did.

Wasn't aware of that. Moot point, anyway- I missed where the OP said he didn't have the original stock anymore.