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Expandable Pillars

centershot

Silver $$ Contributor
I have a previously bedded rifle with the adjustable length pillars. Now they seem kind of “Mickey mouse”. Should I remove them an put solid ones in or just leave them in place?
 
Right now it is in the process of being re bedded. I want it to shoot well.
If it is always going to be an area of concern to you put in solid pillars like you are familiar with.

Pillars are in compression and locked in by the bedding compound. If these are sleeves threaded together to allow for adjustment they can't go anywhere so my guess, having never used this type, would be that installed properly you would be hard pressed to see a difference between these and solid sleeves.

Anxious to see comments from more experienced Stockmakers and Smiths.
 
Waaaay back...when I started doing accuracy bedding work....I did several of my own guns with the adjustable pillars that Score High Gunsmithing sold, using J.B. Weld on the threads to lock them at the height needed. As my bedding practices evolved and I got a lathe, I changed them all over to solid pillars that I make. But you know...those adjustable & J.B. Welded together pillars were all still solidly at the same height when I removed them years later. ;)

The one caveat I would add is that the inner I.D. of the adjustable portion of the adjustable pillar leaves you with minimal clearance between the action screw O.D. and the I.D. of the adjustable part of the pillar. Any contact between the pillar I.D. and the O.D. of the action screw is Bad JuJu :eek:for accuracy work.

You only want one recoil bearing surface in a bolt-in gun. And it better not be the action screw(s)!

Good shootin'. -Al
 
Yes, it did shoot!
Al, I will drill the I D out slightly. I noticed that the piloted bit that I originally used is too big for the pillar I D holes. So I agree with your statement. Thank you.
 
"You only want one recoil bearing surface in a bolt-in gun. And it better not be the action screw(s)!"

Good shootin'. -Al
As an experiment I have necked the action screws down like a connecting rod bolts for additional clearance, 1/4"radius at the ends of the relief and polish with 400 paper. Take the necked area down to around .225. Still plenty strong for 30-60 inch pounds of torque.
 
As an experiment I have necked the action screws down like a connecting rod bolts for additional clearance, 1/4"radius at the ends of the relief and polish with 400 paper. Take the necked area down to around .225. Still plenty strong for 30-60 inch pounds of torque.
An easier solution is to make the pillar I.D. 5/16" and glue a 5/16" O.D./1/4" I.D. sleeve in the pillar. That way, the action screws are perfectly centered and you have .031 clearance all around the action screws when you remove the sleeve after the bedding cures. -Al
 
An easier solution is to make the pillar I.D. 5/16" and glue a 5/16" O.D./1/4" I.D. sleeve in the pillar. That way, the action screws are perfectly centered and you have .031 clearance all around the action screws when you remove the sleeve after the bedding cures. -Al

Agree 100%, I use brass tubing sleeves of identical dimensions you mentioned as removeable spacers around the screws when bedding with full diameter action screws or stock makers screws. The necked down "experimental" action screws were not used when bedding.

Toying with the idea of using 1/4 IDx3/8 OD "o" rings between the pillars and action when bedding so the action can be bedded in one step and avoid contact between the action and pillars.
 
Toying with the idea of using 1/4 IDx3/8 OD "o" rings between the pillars and action when bedding so the action can be bedded in one step and avoid contact between the action and pillars.
I don't ever allow hard contact between the top of the pillar and the action. A good amount of bedding material should be on top of the pillar. -Al
 
I don't ever allow hard contact between the top of the pillar and the action. A good amount of bedding material should be on top of the pillar. -Al
I have done it by gluing in the pillars separately and spacing them 3/16-1/4" below the action with spacers and then removing the spacers and bedding the action. Have also just counter-bored the top of the pillar with an end mill after bedding but don't like the void that leaves. Thinking of ways to bed them in one step with the action and have compound between the pillars and action. Making the pillars from the bedding material may be the easiest way to accomplish this.
 

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