Amatuer Pillar Bedding a Savage 12 FV

[centershot]

There have been posts on pillar bedding. I have almost completed a job replacing the Tupperware stock with a Boyd's laminated stock. I love the results some have shown, but alas, I do not have a milling machine. I have done a few Remington rifles, but this is my first try at a Savage. Please note, there are many models and several variations of the Accu trigger. Take a picture first. Note the location of the spring that is around the mounting pin.

So if you are a newbe to this, as I am, this is just a collection of thoughts and pictures. Feel free to comment as I am not perfect.

First, basic equipment. I would suggest buying a carpenter's vise at Harbor Freight and lining it with soft plywood. It is always nice to have a third hand. Second, you should have a Dremel Tool. I also have a goose neck LED light. Helps to see what you are doing.

I elected to to install a single shot follower in place of the flimsy magazine. I filled the magazine well in the stock with clay and left it there when I put the Devcon in place. I used G-10 for the pillars. It is a "plastic" material that is quite strong. I had to redo the first process as the front by the barrel nut cracked. I only re bedded the lug portion.

Hopefully, the pictures help to illustrate what I have put to print. I found that you have to remove a lot of the bedding material after it is cast. I used electrical tape to put a front rest on the barrel so it will hold the proper angle when finished. I did the "mating" upside down and wound electrical tape around the action. I did not like doing the operation blind and would do it right side up next time. The Devcon is heavy enough to do it this way.

 

[olddav]

Looks pretty good, a lot better than my first effort. In the future you may want to avoid applying bedding material behind the rear pillar. The tang is usually floated on a Savage. Would love to hear how it shoots.

 

[Mozella]

I have several comments. Next time think about filling the barrel nut grooves with Plasticine. You didn't and now your barrel nut is "indexed" to the bedding job. Filling the grooves solves that potential problem if you ever remove your barrel.

You might also think about taking more time to smooth the Plasticine. It will produce a better looking job, even though it doesn't show, unless, of course, you post it to the Internet

You should prepare the wood under the bedding by removing ALL the finish and then take a ball cutter on your Dremel tool and cut some random grooves to provide a better mechanical bond. Make sure you don't have any areas which will result in a very thin layer of bedding compound because those are prone to flaking off.

I prefer doing the job right side up for several reasons. One is that you can carefully clean up the edges with a cotton swab to reduce or even eliminate having to sand edges after you remove the barreled action. A careful clean-up will also reduce any chipping on the edges.

I'm surprised the bedding cracked under the barrel nut. Did you use a layer of masking tape on the forward side, the edges, and the bottom of the recoil lug, but not the aft face? Don't forget to wax the tape once it's in place and carefully trimmed.

 

[centershot]

I have several comments. Next time think about filling the barrel nut grooves with Plasticine. You didn't and now your barrel nut is "indexed" to the bedding job. Filling the grooves solves that potential problem if you ever remove your barrel.

You might also think about taking more time to smooth the Plasticine. It will produce a better looking job, even though it doesn't show, unless, of course, you post it to the Internet

You should prepare the wood under the bedding by removing ALL the finish and then take a ball cutter on your Dremel tool and cut some random grooves to provide a better mechanical bond. Make sure you don't have any areas which will result in a very thin layer of bedding compound because those are prone to flaking off.

I prefer doing the job right side up for several reasons. One is that you can carefully clean up the edges with a cotton swab to reduce or even eliminate having to sand edges after you remove the barreled action. A careful clean-up will also reduce any chipping on the edges.

I'm surprised the bedding cracked under the barrel nut. Did you use a layer of masking tape on the forward side, the edges, and the bottom of the recoil lug, but not the aft face? Don't forget to wax the tape once it's in place and carefully trimmed.

The barrel nut groves chipped off so it should not be indexed. Thanks for the tip!I did use masking tape on those parts of the lug you mentioned. I do not know what Plasticine is. I assume a thin filler.

Thanks for the constructive suggestions! BTW, sorry the pictures double posted. I checked in the preview and hey were there only once.

 

[joshb]

Looks pretty good! Needs a little practice on the finer points, but not bad.( I'll add that I need the same practice)
I think you got the crack because of the sheer volume of bedding material in front of the lug and the finish left on the stock at that location. I have cleaned up a few and found the solidified compound to be like pottery, and cracks like it.

 

[KRP]

You forgot to fill/mask the barrel nut and mechanically locked it into the stock with the bedding. If the bedding hadn't cracked there it wouldn't have come out.

 

[dminn1]

Did you have clearance issues between the accutrigger and the rear pillar? If so how did you address them?
Thanks
Darin

 

[jepp2]

I tried to follow the steps outlined by Richard Franklin for my first job. You can see it http://www.6mmbr.com/pillarbedding.html

I relieved quite a bit of material before bedding and used the electrical tape to support the barrel for the second point of contact.

I'll include pics of my before and after first bedding job on a Rem 700.

Before bedding but after relieving stock areas.

[URL=http://s860.photobucket.com/user/jepp2/media/Before_zpsu5epxavw.jpg.html][/URL]

After bedding and cleanup

[URL=http://s860.photobucket.com/user/jepp2/media/After_zpsafqwt3x6.jpg.html][/URL]

 

[Mozella]

........... snip......... I do not know what Plasticine is. I assume a thin filler.

Plasticine is modeling clay, which as far as I can tell from the photos, is what you used to control the bedding compound.

 

[centershot]

Did you have clearance issues between the accutrigger and the rear pillar? If so how did you address them?
Thanks
Darin

After I assembled the action to the stock, the bolt release would not go down, it was frozen. It took a while to realize that it was not stuck on the side but against the rear pillar. I used the Dremel to cut a step at the back of the pillar, see photo.

 

[joshb]

I've done one Savage 110. They are a pain. Tikkas and customs are easier.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Savages are easy

 

[Fast14riot]

Good process, I'm getting ready to pillar and bed my 1917 and still working on planning it out. Seeing these threads gives me ideas.

 

[Spike A]

i always thought they said to do the pillars first on there own? ... did much bedding come out the bottom from the pillars? looks good definitely better than my first one.

 

[Riesel]

Don't actually recall my first one

 

[Dgd6mm]

Get a Richard Franklin video. This tutorial and the one from Darrell Holland are great. Doing pillars and bedding in one shot is covered completely. Jim Carr (teele1) turned me on to this, his bedding jobs always come out very good.