Aluminum or steel pillars for reciever.

[kawzak]

Maybe no difference, but wondering if steel pillars would be better than aluminum-since steel would not expand as much (however minute) as the receiver warms up. The ones I see for sale are aluminum. Since I can make whatever I want, just curious.

 

[Willoughby]

some go to great lengths making pillars, but steel lamp rod , the larger diameter variety, works very well imho

 

[Dans40X]

Pillar material-
360 brass is my first choice in a stock with adjustment features.
6000 or 7000 series aluminum in a packing rifle stock.

 

[jr600yd]

Now you know what happens to old worn out barrels. They can make great pillars.

 

[JRS]

WOW : With the way everything is expanding, in, and against the stock, (barrel, action, pillars, action screws) i'm surprised the stocks don't have to be repaired/replaced after each outing :

 

['Freak]

Thinkin’ the first set of pillars were made of hardened epoxy and intended to prevent the crushing of the flyweight fiberglass stock material whilst folk put the tight on the action retaining screws. Pillar guy drilled through the stock about the action screws after going for a way oversize in selecting the drill. Anything and anywhere pillar guy rather the epoxy not end up stuck to it got slicked using something like Kiwi shoe polish or Johnson’s paste wax to prevent such from happening. Epoxy completely filled the bores about the action screws and eventually hardened. Once the epoxy had fully cured pillar guy backed out the action screws and separated the stock from the barreled action. Pillar guy drilled through the formed epoxy pillars following the path left by the action screws ending up with through holes enough oversize to prevent the stock from coming into contact with the screw sides.

 

[watercam]

Had a Ruger that was pillared with Steel Bed per the above description. I was skeptical but it lasted for years!
For me aluminum works fine. Plenty strong and easily accommodates 65 in./Ib. torque settings. No reason not to use steel if that is where your heart lies but you will not see any difference down range.

 

[kawzak]

Thanks for all the replies. Since I can turn aluminum faster/easier I will probably go that route.