WHAT TO DO WITH A BAD PILLAR JOB.

[jonbearman]

I recently bought a russo stock and it was bedded before the nice guy that sold it to me. I am in no way blaming the seller,he is top notch. Anyways ,when they glued the pillars in they didn't align them correctly and you cant bolt it in without undo stress applied to the reciever which is a savage. I have come up with an idea and want to bounce it around and see what you fella's think. The pillars are quite thick and made out of steel with about .250 wall.They are tough steel. My thought would be to mill the hole larger and make a sleeve up and glue it in to take up the slop. I can correct the hole by measuring of the other screw hole to make 4.275,now the pillar would end up oblong slightly. There would be enough strength that the pillar will still do it's job.Now should I make a sleeve to make the hole through the pillar tighter or leave it loose and re skim coat the bedding in the stock now and let the recoil lug after it gets bedded take care of alignment when I tighten the bedding screws. It is a tapered holland lug. I guess what I need to know is: Should there be any looseness in the bedding pillars or should the screws be a perfect fit. If they have to be a perfect fit(just barely a slip fit as you slide them in) should I mill the pillars right out and start over? Please help as I really like this stock as it is a lowrider very similar to a Richard Franklin stock.

 

[kelbro]

Without seeing it and going off your description, I would mill the old ones out and do it right. I don't like my bolts to touch the pillars.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Sounds like they are just binding a little, I'd just ream them out. Or use a end mill and drill em straight. loose won't hurt.

 

[MQ1]

I'd run a long close fitting screw with the head turned down to just less than the pillars. Makes sure that you have two or three inches to spare. Snug it with a nut on the other end over a couple washers that are less than the od of the pillar.

Get out the torch...heat up the bolt, and when the pillar heats up enough to melt the glue...pull the bolt with some pliers....

Then start fresh.

MQ1

 

[Preacher]

You absolutely do not want the screws hitting inside the pillars, it's a accuracy robbing thing..

 

[jhord]

I'd mill the whole thing out and start over. No two Savage receivers are the same, that's why you are having trouble now.

 

[watercam]

I would be tempted to melt the installed ones out, straighten the holes if that is the problem and use a filled epoxy (Devcon is my favorite) to rebed new ones. The epoxy filled with steel is plenty strong enough. One gunsmith I use bedded a Ruger using only Devcon and no metal pilllars at all. That was fourteen years ago and it is still in use w/ no degradation at all that I can see.

 

[remy3424]

I'd run a long close fitting screw with the head turned down to just less than the pillars. Makes sure that you have two or three inches to spare. Snug it with a nut on the other end over a couple washers that are less than the od of the pillar.

Get out the torch...heat up the bolt, and when the pillar heats up enough to melt the glue...pull the bolt with some pliers....

I read that quick the first time and laughed....reread it and that sounds like it might work great!

 

[jonbearman]

Fella's I appreciate the advice and decided to remove the rear pillar and now I am gonna take the other one out as well.I am making new pillars to custom fit where they butchered it.The actual bedding job was flawless,the only thing wrong was they missed on the 4.275 dimesion but about .055 thou.Boy sometimes the easy ones will fool ya.Thanks again,this is why I spend so much time on this forum.I have learned a ton from all of ya. A special thanks to preacher for his willingness to share knowledge,he has helped me alot. As for the rest of you,you guys are great and am privilaged to be a member.