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No. 4. Ensure Alignment of Aluminum Bedding Pillars
The "Pillar
Align" kit in use. Fastest setup, with the most accurate results. Best of all, no expensive jigs, fixtures,
or milling machines are necessary. 12 Photos show how.
In
a stock of wood or fiberglass you must build a solid foundation. With these tools, and the "Bed Heads" Installation
process, you can also achieve an accurate foundation.
In order that your rifle sit squarely
on the drill press table, attach a pair of weaver scope mount bases to the receiver.
Be certain that the
depth stop in your countersink is adjusted and locked in a position which prevents contact between the countersink and the
receiver. See picture #3
| Picture #1 |  |
Use these tools to ensure alignment of pillars before they become captured in epoxy.
No expensive milling
machine, jigs, or fixtures are necessary for accurate location of aluminum pillars in your stock. The
"Pillar Align" countersink is piloted on the inexspensive and readily avaliable, Forster inletting guide screw.
These tools are available in Gunsmithing Tools catagory.
Here, we see a pair of Forster inletting guide screws installed in a Remington M-700 receiver.
The "Pillar Align" countersink has been placed down over one of these guide screws to illustrate how they work together.
Picture #3 |  |
The "Pillar Align" countersink has an adjustable stop. Adjust this stop to provide about 1/8" to
1/4" clearance between the cutter and the receiver. You should not drill the hole all the way through at this time.
| Picture
#4 |  |
The factories have discovered the easy way to avoid guard screw alignment
problems.
Just make the hole bigger! The guard screw hole in this stock is 3/8" in diameter and
.050" off-center.
The 2 drills in picture #4 are just my feeble attempt to help illustrate how
far off center the factory trigger guard screw hole is.
| Picture #5 |   |
The "Pillar Align" countersink will not be deflected by an off-center guard screw hole
in the stock, because it is piloted by this guide. A piloted Forstner bit does a good job of following the
original hole, (provided that you have the correct size pilot.) But when the original hole is off-center, the new hole
for your pillar will also be off-center.
| Picture #6 |  |
First, center the barrel in the forearm by
adding tape to the barrel, as shown in Gunsmithing Project #5, picture #10.
Second, center
the receiver in its inletting, by dropping an ADL bushing down over the rear guide screw, until it bottoms
in the stocks trigger guard inletting.
This is the way we center both
ends of the barrelled action in the stock.
| Picture #7 |  |
Next, place the other ADL bushing into the trigger guard inletting,
and aligned with the hole for the front guard screw. Now install and tighten the short allen head cap screw furnished
in the kit. This will hold the receiver centered in the stock after the rear ADL bushing is removed and while
the hole for the rear pillar is drilled.
| Picture #8 |  |
Here is the setup ready to be moved to the
drill press and drilled for the rear pillar
After drilling simply
reverse the setup to drill for the front pillar, as shown in picture #9
| Picture #9 |  |
Once again, center the receiver in the stock by dropping the ADL
bushing down over the front guide screw, until it bottoms in the stocks trigger guard inletting. Next, place the
other ADL bushing into the trigger guard inletting, and directly over the ½" hole that you just drilled. Now,
install and tighten the long allen head cap screw before you remove the front ADL bushing.
| Picture #10 |  |
In this photo,
the rear screw is tight, and the front ADL bushing has been removed, this leaves the front guide ready to accept the "
Pillar Align" countersink.
| Picture #11 |  |
Here, the "Pillar Align" countersink has been placed over the front
guide screw which makes this setup ready for the drill press, and drilling for the front pillar.
| Picture
#12 |  |
Now it is time to complete the final 1/8" to 1/4" that remains
undrilled. The main concern is to complete these holes in a way that is least likely to chip the stock as the cutter
breaks through the surface on the other side. If the stock were chipped while completing the rear guard screw hole,
this chip could show in the area of the rear receiver tang. I have never had a problem when completing these holes with
a sharp 17/32" drill, as shown in photo. This drill will center itself in the smaller 1/2" hole
and no guide will be necessary.
Remember Ernie's
Rule:
For the least amount of stress in your action.
Build your actions foundation
while using the
least amount of force!
To purchase any of these tools, return to Navigation Bar at top of page and click
on Pillar Installation Tools.
No liability is expressed or implied
for damage or injury which may result from the improper installation or use of this product.
(Instructions above are for information only,
do not add to cart)
Item #2004
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