Glass & Pillar Bedding

H

Hoskins

New member
Is pillar bedding needed if you glass bed your stock? I've got a Winchester Model 70 Ranger in 7mm Rem Mag. My intent is to accurize this rifle from its' basic capabilities. I want this to be my "longer" range/Heavy Game rifle. This will be my go to Elk rifle. Additionally it will be my go to rifle when hunting the strip mined areas of my home in the mountians of Ky where a longer shot can be the norm.

In hunting the hardwoods you are lucky to get a 100 yard shot & any entry level rifle will do the job...the 7mm Rem Mag in its' current basic state would be plenty enough & plenty accurate. I just want to make it as close to a tack driver as I can.

The Winchester Model 70 Ranger is one of the Entry Level/Economy Models of the MOD 70 that Winchester came out with. It didn't come with a free floated barrel or any of the other perks. The stock isn't checkered and isn't that great to look out. Regardless, it is a stock & I figure with some work on my end I can not only make it look better but also make it more accurate.

I have already free floated the barrel myself, that wasn't that big of a deal. Now for glass bedding, I have the basic concept but I'm going to study the procedures a bit more before I execute. Now for pillar bedding, I get a bit nervous. The whole thing about drilling out the screw holes in the stock makes me nervous. I just don't want to drill them out too much. I know that as long as I start low & gradually move higher then I'll be good, but I just got to build up some more confidence.

So, after all my rambling I guess I could end with my questions. Does pillar bedding add anything to the rifles accuracy if you have already glass bedded it? By free floating, glass bedding, & pillar bedding (if needed) ...will those additions to a economy stock greatly increase the rifles accuracy?

Thanks in advance for your alls help & I look forward to the advice & expertise.
 
Does pillar bedding add anything to the rifles accuracy if you have already glass bedded it? By free floating, glass bedding, & pillar bedding (if needed) ...will those additions to a economy stock greatly increase the rifles accuracy?
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That depends on how well it was glass bedded. Short answer is "not necessarily".

Go ahead and glass bed it. If that does not improve it enough, you can try a pillar bed kit.
 
Thanks again, I guess you are my go to guy! :D Is the process of glass bedding as simple as I think that it is? It seems that as long as you are careful & take your time that it isn't that difficult of a procedure.
 
Pretty simple, as long as you follow a few basic rules and use a good release agent on your action screws.
 
Pillar bedding does it's best work in stocks that the action screws may crush somewhat.

The manufactoring short cuts Winchester took with the less pricey rifles didn't include inferiour action or bore work.
 
Winchester, if I'm copying you correct then you are saying that the quality of the bore & action is still as good as some of Winchesters more expensive MOD 70s...they just took shortcuts in the stock and other areas? I read that the bore & action was good to go on the Ranger models. Just trying to verify.

I'm a Winchester bolt action guy.
 
Pillar bedding

Yes, i would still do the pillar bedding, even if the receiver had been previously glass-bedded. I make all my pillars from 3/8" x .035" stainless steel instrument high pressure tubing.
 
Since the Ranger has the floor plate, you can also do a simple drop-in installation with a Hogue overmold stock. The pillar model is quite simple and affordable to switch out. I still like to glass in the lug and tangs. It depends on your personal taste.

-7-
 
Just thought I would toss in my two cents on weither bedding is worth it. After my guy did mine I went from .5 moa to same hole three shot groups.
 
The purpose of glass bedding is to get the stock mass to be part of the recoil reaction before bullet escapement, and in a consistent way.

The M70 is a flat bottomed receiver, and does not need much help.
I have never built a 7mmRemMag without glass bedding it, despite the fact that glass bedding hardly helps accuracy at all.

The pillar in the front of an M70 is going to be a pain, and not accomplish much.
The pillar in the rear of an M70 is a lot easier to do, and could keep the rear action screw from crushing the stock.

If you are lazy, you could just put a little bedding behind the recoil lug, and a little under the rear tang, and clearanced everywhere else.

I have only glass bedded one M70 and can't remember much, but I have shot 8 deer with it since I bedded it.
 
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