Bedding: Glass or Pillar?

9

9-ball

New member
Hello,

I was recently thinking about starting a little project with an overall poor accuracy bolt-action rifle (haven't decided which one yet) to learn some things about accurising a rifle and hopefully ending with something that makes me proud. So I was doing some reasearch about bedding. As far as I understand it, glass bedding makes the action fit better in the stock, and pillar bedding places the action free from the stock? Somewhere on the internet I read that both can be done together (which I don't understand). What would give the most advantages? Glass bedding, pillar bedding or (if possible) both?
 
Glass bedding makes the stock fit the action perfectly. Pillar bedding is an extra step that gives metal to metal contact between the action, the pillar and the bottom metal. Pillar bedding is an addition to glass bedding, not an alternative. There is no point in pillar bedding by itself.
 
The best of the best... This is a High Masters M1 Garand single shot, sub moa 1,000 yarder from Don McCoy, triple pillared and glass bedded.


M12.jpg


M14.jpg


M13.jpg


The most I've ever done is Glass Bedding, so this rifle is a bit beyond anything I've ever done.

The McCoy is on the left and a standard M1 Garand is on the right. The standard is also glass bedded, but nothing like the McCoy which is bedded all the way up to the tip of the foregrip.

IMG_2045.jpg


Knowing what I do now about bedding, if I were bedding another bolt action it would be everything.
 
Both work together

Having bedded about 30 b/a rifles since the early 1980's, i can say without any hesitation: Always do both !!!!!!

The pillars & epoxy work in harmony to stabilize the action in the stock. It is especially good for wooden stocks as this type of bedding will stop the shrinking, swelling, & warping caused by humidity, temperature, & altitude changes.

No more discussion on the matter----just do it---promise you won't be sorry you did !!!!!

Guru1911
 
Thanks guys!

So the best would be to both glass and pillar bed the action and free float the barrel? Any other things I should know?
 
Additional things to do

1. Lap polish scope rings.

2. Crown, lap, & polish the muzzle

3. Clean, crisp breaking trigger--no creep & no over-travel.

Guru1911
 
There is no point in pillar bedding by itself.

Nateman--Most rifles are pillar bedded only. If your rifle shoots great with just pillars (which is the first step in bedding) Don't mess with it. Glass bedding does not always increase accuracy and sometimes can hurt it. If you have a rifle that is not pillar bedded. Pillar bedding is what you would do first not last. Glass bedding would be the last resort to increase accuracy.
 
Some 'smiths only bed around the pillar areas, but I prefer to bed the entire action, except for some rimfires. Pillars prevent screws from crushing wood or synthetic stock material and maintain torque settings over many hundreds or thousands of rounds.

Many smiths like to leave a bit clearance for epoxy between the pillar top and receiver to allow perfect matching of receiver to bedding. I've done it both ways and agree, but only leave about 1/32" of space for epoxy, sometimes less. No space is left at the floorplate, which bears directly on the pillar.
 
Ive heard that your not supposed to, or can't pillar bed a synthetic stock, synthetic being plactic not fiberglass.

Not sure if this is entirely true though, maybe someone can comfirm.
 
Pillar bedding is used quite often on synthetics. I own several with just the pillars. Glass bedding may well improve the accuracy of my rifles, but they shoot just fine as is. I don't believing in fixing what ain't broke. .5"-.75" groups are all I require of my hunting rifles.
 
Pillar bedding is used quite often on synthetics. I own several with just the pillars. Glass bedding may well improve the accuracy of my rifles, but they shoot just fine as is. I don't believing in fixing what ain't broke. .5"-.75" groups are all I require of my hunting rifles

JMR40--Well said.Just what i was refeering to in last post. If it shoots fine with pillars in it,Don.t mess with it.
 
The only difference with synthetic stocks is that the epoxy bedding compound may not establish a solid chemical bond to the plastics, as it would with a wood or composite stock.

It helps to get a mechanical bond as well- which means cutting angled slots, grooves, holes, etc. and really roughing up the plastic surface so that the epoxy has something to really get a "bite" into. This helps when the chemical bond is weak...
 
So if I understand it correctly, the best thing I'd do is search for a rifle with wooden stock, and then:

1. Pillar bed the action
2. Free float the barrel
3. Polish the muzzle
-test it-
and if needed
4. Glass bed the action
-test it-
5. Re-crown the muzzle (if needed)
6. Install a better trigger (if needed)
 
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