Advice Needed: Savage Mark II Bedding Question

**mjphawk** · 05-15-2014, 10:25 PM

I have been combing over the internet trying to decide on the best way to bed my Savage FV-SR in a Boyds Tacticool.

My question primarily relates to the proper length for the pillars. Should the pillars be the exact dimension between the action studs and the bottom metal or should I be leaving a few thousandths of an inch of air space between the pillar and the action?

My thinking is that if I exactly match the length of the pillar to the space between the action lug and bottom metal then additional action screw torque doesn't pull the action any tighter to the stock itself and therefore different levels of torque might not make any difference. If I leave a small space between the metal surfaces then I can adjust how tightly the action is being held by the stock (but do I lose the benefit of bedding?)

Thoughts on the benefit of bedding the action only between the action screws or should I also bed to the rear of the back action screw back to the tang?

I plan to bed the action as follows but would like some feedback:
- Tape the stock and barrel to give some space between the action and stock and give me some room for a skim bed later.
- Make pillars that sit flush to the bottom metal but leave a very small space between the top of the pillar and the action lug using maybe a thin washer? (alternatively exactly match the length of the pillar to the space between the action lug and bottom metal)
- Bed the bottom metal and pillars in place
- Skim bed the action between the action lugs with a torque of approximately 10 in/lbs

Few of the sources I have used for research, but nothing seems to directly address my question:
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.ht...&f=11&t=369475
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_11/33...2.html&page=46
http://www.savageshooters.com/showth...-lots-of-pics)
http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.ht...&f=11&t=366638
http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/sav...r-bedding.html
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_11/33...2.html&page=30

**Joe L** · 06-08-2014, 06:14 PM

Mjphawk--I am in the same boat as far as looking for a satisfactory method to bed the action but I have the thumbhole Savage stock in a model BTV. The gun shoots well except for the first shot after loading a magazine. I can move the first shot from low left to high centered just by changing the action bolt screw torque.

I read through your references. Thanks for posting those. Will take me a while to sort through the thread from ar15.com!

Joe

**mjphawk** · 06-08-2014, 06:29 PM

Thanks for responding. I haven't gotten around to eddying mine but I will post pictures when I do. If you beat me to it let me know how it goes.

Das Capitolin · 06-09-2014, 03:24 PM

I've got two Savage MKII FV rifles on the way, and plan to replace the stocks, bottom metal, and bed them both. Please update this thread with anything you feel is pertinent, since they'll both be used in competition. Thank you!

**boostless** · 06-10-2014, 09:08 AM

I just made pillars that would keep the action just off the stock. I didn't do any "bedding" because it's a lot of space to fill and seemed easy to mess up. I think my pillars were .005 long so that the action would not contact the stock then I epoxied the pillars in.

**mjphawk** · 06-10-2014, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by boostless

I just made pillars that would keep the action just off the stock. I didn't do any "bedding" because it's a lot of space to fill and seemed easy to mess up. I think my pillars were .005 long so that the action would not contact the stock then I epoxied the pillars in.

Thanks for the response. Sounds like you free floated the action as well as the barrel. That's very helpful. Do you have any concert with the strength of the stock the way you have it done?

**boostless** · 06-10-2014, 11:59 AM

I did at first since the front action screw has no wood on the rear part of the hole when I opened it up for the pillar. I don't know how many rounds I have down it since I did the pillar job but it's holding up. I did build up the epoxy a bit though. I don't have a huge concern of the strength for it now, I also don't intend on running the snot out of it though. It's only been a range rifle so far although I would like to take it out for some hunting when I get time.

**Joe L** · 06-13-2014, 04:03 PM

I have the DIP Products trigger guard and bottom metal now. I'm going to try bedding just the front and rear and sides of the action on the wooden stock and use the thick DIP parts and see how that works before adding the pillars. One fellow on rimfirecentral had good results with that.

Joe

**Joe L** · 06-14-2014, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by Joe L

I have the DIP Products trigger guard and bottom metal now. I'm going to try bedding just the front and rear and sides of the action on the wooden stock and use the thick DIP parts and see how that works before adding the pillars. One fellow on rimfirecentral had good results with that.
Joe

I did bed the action to the stock at the front, rear, sides, without pillars, last night. Cleaned it up this morning and the action screw tightening is much crisper near 15 in-lbs. Mushiness is gone. Plenty of free float on the barrel now. I am thinking this will be a big help. Will see later today.

Joe

**Joe L** · 06-14-2014, 11:28 AM

Short session due to SASS match at the range, but the bedding definitely helped = more 1/2" groups at 50 yards and first shot after magazine swap was good. No difference between 15 in-lbs and 20 in-lbs torque on the action bolts, but I didn't test extensively. Before bedding, any change in action torque would move the first shot a bunch.

Separate issue--I put in the Apachee Trigger parts and they work great. I increased the trigger pull to 2 lb from 1.5, though. The super light trigger was just too sensitive for my pistol educated finger. (Parts worked fine at 1.5 and probably lighter.)

Joe

ejk24 · 06-14-2014, 11:28 AM

I have had the best luck with installing pillars on my Savages . I make them just long enough to clear the action from the stock , allowing room for bedding compound . It eliminates all the variables due to torque . Without pillars there is a gap between the stock and mounting lugs . The DIP bottom metal is a big improvement over the original as it distributes the torque much more evenly because of it's thickness especially if you do not want to pillar the stock . I have done it both ways and ended up with pillars installed in the end .

**Joe L** · 06-14-2014, 11:34 AM

EJK24--Thanks for the reply. I will try pillars next. Ammo variations make conclusive testing difficult, that's for sure. All I have right now is Norma Tac 22 40 gr lrn and some Aquila 40 gr CPRN.

In the short term, I'm going to shoot the rifle some more and see where that leads me. With a good trigger/scope/stock setup that I have now, maybe I can be a little more competitive in our local rimfire benchrest match in August.

Joe

Das Capitolin · 07-17-2014, 02:54 PM

I've got both the MKII's ready for bedding, but I'm not having much luck finding a decently price set of pillars for the job. Suggestions?

**mjphawk** · 07-17-2014, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by Das Capitolin

I've got both the MKII's ready for bedding, but I'm not having much luck finding a decently price set of pillars for the job. Suggestions?

I ended up using a 3/8" ID Brass Hose Barb Splicer and cut and ground to length. Not sure I am the gold standard for how to do a pillar bedding but I posted a thread over a RFC which shows the whole process.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums...d.php?t=550679