Thanks for the help, fellas.

In looking things over, I notice that it looks like the pillars don't actually touch the action when the rifle is assembled. It looks like there's maybe 1/32" or 1/64" of wood in the way. (I don't think we torque those 3 screws enough to compress the laminated wood that much.)

Shouldn't those pillars have a metal-to-metal contact with the bottom of the action? Or does the thin layer of wood there act like a spring or lock washer to keep the action screws tight?

Not sure I understand how this whole setup works, and I need to, before I go monkeying around with it...