GUNSMITHING ODDS AND ENDS:#3 - PILLAR BEDDING - IT'S ALL ABOUT YOUR ACTION'S "COMFORT"
Bedding "Comfort" requires a bedding process designed to conform the stock to the receiver, and without the need for the receiver to conform itself to the stock in any way.
PICTURE #1
First it is important to remember that the action you are preparing to install in this stock is not straight - at least not straight in the strict sense of the word.
Almost all commercially manufactured receivers go through a heat treat process AFTER final machining.
They will all warp, to one degree or another.If you apply epoxy, then install this barreled action, and tighten the trigger guard screws now (without Accu-Risers), you will force the action to conform to the stock. This is backwards, and this is what "Skim Bedding" does. "Skim Bedding" holds the receiver firmly in the same position that has been the problem all along.
Install Accu-Risers, and relieve your action's stress!
Install Accu-Risers, and relieve your action's stress!
PICTURE #2
If your wood or fiberglass stock has a perfect bedding surface, you can apply epoxy now, install the barreled action, and tighten the trigger guard screws. Your aluminum pillars will maintain that same spacing from now on.
However, if a problem exists in your stock's bedding surface, and you use hundreds of lbs. of pressure from the trigger guard screws to pull the receiver into that problem area, your receiver will wind up being held firmly in the same position that has been the problem all along.For an accurately located receiver, you must first establish an accurate foundation.
You can do this with the "Bed Heads" "Two Step" installation process.
Install "Bed Heads" and relieve your action's stress!
Install "Bed Heads" and relieve your action's stress!
PICTURE #3
Your rifle's action does not know what material its stock is made of.
Your rifle's action only knows there is a particular type of support that is the most comfortable.
Our job is to provide that type of support irregardless of what material the stock is made of.
In order to make the action "comfortable" we must employ a bedding process that is designed to conform the stock to the receiver, and without the need for the receiver to conform itself to the stock in any way.In Picture #3 you will see 2 very different stocks whose bedding surfaces are being prepared to do just that, to conform these stocks to the receiver.In both cases, the receiver will be supported by aluminum pillars or, Accu-Risers, which rise above the surrounding area and closely encircle the trigger guard screws. The location of this support is the most critical ingredient necessary to produce a stock bedding surface which will conform to the receiver.The farther that support for the receiver strays away from the guard screws, the more leverage there is available to bend, or stress the receiver when the guard screws are tightened.
Based on this principle, THE FIX SEEMS TO BE providing SOLID SUPPORT AS CLOSE TO THE GUARD SCREWS AS POSSIBLE.
"Bed Heads" Aluminum Pillars, (in a wood or fiberglass stock), or Accu-Risers (in an aluminum bedding block stock), will build in a space between the stock and the receiver which makes room for a layer of epoxy to be formed between the two. When complete, this layer of epoxy will be perfectly formed to match the stock's bedding surface on one side, and the receiver's bedding surface on the other side. Best of all, this fit was formed while the receiver was under no stress, as it was being allowed to find its own resting spot in a bed of soft epoxy.
In order to make the action "comfortable" we must employ a bedding process that is designed to conform the stock to the receiver, and without the need for the receiver to conform itself to the stock in any way.In Picture #3 you will see 2 very different stocks whose bedding surfaces are being prepared to do just that, to conform these stocks to the receiver.In both cases, the receiver will be supported by aluminum pillars or, Accu-Risers, which rise above the surrounding area and closely encircle the trigger guard screws. The location of this support is the most critical ingredient necessary to produce a stock bedding surface which will conform to the receiver.The farther that support for the receiver strays away from the guard screws, the more leverage there is available to bend, or stress the receiver when the guard screws are tightened.
Based on this principle, THE FIX SEEMS TO BE providing SOLID SUPPORT AS CLOSE TO THE GUARD SCREWS AS POSSIBLE.
"Bed Heads" Aluminum Pillars, (in a wood or fiberglass stock), or Accu-Risers (in an aluminum bedding block stock), will build in a space between the stock and the receiver which makes room for a layer of epoxy to be formed between the two. When complete, this layer of epoxy will be perfectly formed to match the stock's bedding surface on one side, and the receiver's bedding surface on the other side. Best of all, this fit was formed while the receiver was under no stress, as it was being allowed to find its own resting spot in a bed of soft epoxy.
Remember Ernie's Rule:For the least amount of stress in your action, build your action's foundation while using the least amount of force!