Glass bed, Pillars or Aluminum block in a laminated stock?

[rich56]

I'm building my 40X into a F-T/R rifle using a laminated wood stock. Which method of bedding is preferred? I can either buy one with a aluminum bedding block and skim coat, pillar bed or just glass bed

 

[rayjay]

I've been cogitating on the whole bedding thing for a few weeks. I don't like bedding blocks unless the entire stock is metal. For wood stocks pillars have been the norm for a long time. But if you think about it you have the action standing up on these metal pillars that have a different compressability as compared to the wood stock and glue of the the bedding. I have about decided that my next bed job will dispense with the pillars but have oversized washers under the screw heads. This will widely spread the load of the torque being applied to the wood and give a larger 'column' of wood being placed into compression by the fastener torque. Say 3/4" to 1" dia escutcheons / washers and maybe 1/4" thick so there's no deflection ?

What say yee ?

 

[JBO]

OTE="rayjay, post: 36712230, member: 540727"]I've been cogitating on the whole bedding thing for a few weeks. I don't like bedding blocks unless the entire stock is metal. For wood stocks pillars have been the norm for a long time. But if you think about it you have the action standing up on these metal pillars that have a different compressability as compared to the wood stock and glue of the the bedding. I have about decided that my next bed job will dispense with the pillars but have oversized washers under the screw heads. This will widely spread the load of the torque being applied to the wood and give a larger 'column' of wood being placed into compression by the fastener torque. Say 3/4" to 1" dia escutcheons / washers and maybe 1/4" thick so there's no deflection ?

What say yee ?[/QUOTE]

IMHO I think it's a moot point. If done properly both work well. If there's issues with action screw deflection it may be a bad bedding job and need to be redone. I know smith's that like escutcheons and I know a few that don't. Aesthetically I think escutcheons look better are they functionally better, I think that's subjective.

Here's a great video from Alex Wheeler about bedding deflection.
http://www.wheeleraccuracy.com/#!information/p62ad

 

[Cold Bore]

But if you think about it you have the action standing up on these metal pillars that have a different compressability as compared to the wood stock and glue of the the bedding.

Done correctly with pillars, there is no wood compressibility issue that needs to be dealt with.

 

[dkhunt14]

Done correctly with pillars, there is no wood compressibility issue that needs to be dealt with.

I agree with this. The bolts go through the pillars into the action. They set on the bottom of the pillars. The action and pillars are bedded with Devcon. Matt