Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Best pillars to use?

Well, I’ll be changing my philosophy for using a torque screwdriver on my rifles. Thanks to the advice of Al Nyhus and several other informed members I’ll no longer be torquing a pillar bedded rifle. Non bedded rifles, scope bases and rings will continue to be torqued….
Yes , you can teach an old dog new tricks….

It looks like this statement has been corrected and put to bed, but here's more from Creighton Audette circa 1970's ish;

"...one of the major major problems with bedding is the tendency of the wood, or the bedding material to change dimensions, under the stress of the clamping action of the guard screws, and with changes in temperature and humidity. ...Plastics including those used in bedding materials are not completely impervious to moisture absorption, are attacked by some oils, greases and solvents, and are subject to "creep" under continued stress. ...during glass bedding, the bushings are permanently bedded in place in the bedding material.

He wrote a whole lot more about the problems with wood stocks and actually gets into the mechanics of how wood deforms over time. Cool reading from one of the accuracy thinkers/experimenters/competitors/gunsmiths.

I make my own from 6061 aluminum. Some have been in place for 25 years and so far no signs of corrosion between them and the steel.

I normally will mill a correct (receiver diameter) radius in the receiver end of the pillar and cut them to the correct length in the lathe. They then fit the receiver correctly.

Is that done with multiple passes or does the bit (correct name?) have the correct radius already and milled with one pass?

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own a lathe or mill!!

One pass with a boring head set to correct radius.

When the object of bedding is to provide a micron fit between action and the bedding material, why would we have the action in contact with two dissimilar materials (bedding and aluminum pillars)?

Good shootin'. -Al

That is one of the reasons I pour my pillars at the same time as I do my bedding. The other reason is that (for simple terms) it is like plumbing, the more joints you have, the more chances of leaks. When the bedding and pillars are poured at the same time you have one joint, the bedding to the stock.

Why all the concern with dissimilar materials, when most heavy grey epoxies use some form of metal as a filler/thickening agent, Ferrosilicon, kinda like chopped glass or micro- balloons one would use to thicken up epoxy resin.

Only place it was corrected was inside your head.

One thing sOme might have learned is pillar bedding became widespread when composite stocks came on the scene....

Torques wrenches are only necessary on action screws of cheaply made plastic stocks with aluminum wedge type bedding.

And last but not the least thing I learned was Al Nyhus can pillar bedd the hell out a a gun stock.

You might want to read the article in the December 1985 issue of Precision Shooting Magazine by Chet Brown entitled 'History Of Fiberglass Stocks' by Chet Brown. In this article, he details the work that he and Lee Six did with the first 'glass stocks and some of what was going on before the advent of them.



This is a quote from Jim Borden in the June 1990 issue of Precision Shooting Magazine:

"One of the frequently asked questions I get is how much to torque to use on the action screws. This is a sure indicator to me that an understanding of why we bolt guns together is not in place."

In 1984, Dave Breenan did an excellent series of articles in Precision Shooting Magazine 'The Evolution Of The Benchrest Rifle' that documents the work being done on these rifles from 1950 to 1955. In that series, mention is made of the firm of Taylor And Robbins using pillar bedding on their wood stocked rifles and how this had crossed over to their live varmint and sporter/hunting rifles.

Good shootin'. -Al

I dont need to read it.....it just backs up what I said.

While I don't use any of the metallic additive bedding compounds, I don't think those additives are really an issue as long as they don't adversely affect either the shrinkage or hardness of the end product. For bedding compounds that use metallic particles as part of the original blending, you want to make sure the shrinkage numbers are in line with a high quality, non-metallic compound. Prior to popular belief, bedding compounds, especially the metallic compounds, can actually be too hard when cured fully. The ceramic compounds I was given to test prior to them being brought to market as a bedding agent also showed that tendency.

Having the receiver in bedding material and also in hard contact with metallic pillars is simply not the best way to do a quality bedding job that will last.

Good shootin'. -Al

Here’s the answer to the original question.
Pillars by Al Nyhus…



Now I’ve begun the balance of the project.

John, after about 8 hours, gently loosen the guide pins a half turn with a locking pliers....just make sure they're free. Then walk away for another 12 hrs. (16 total).

Patience, young Jedi..... -Al

Nice job

Thanks for the reminder Al. Actually I’ve already done it twice.
Yes, LFC, done by the best….

I've got a coffee can full of these in various lengths. Selling for $29.99 each, shipping included, and thats to AK and HI included.

SAKO, Mauser?

I see it's already been addressed as I read the thread.



Al,
It seems you are against torquing the screws.

Is there a reason not too?
Or just that it's not so important?