Bedding - Pillar relieving

Z

zp3design

New member
As I study bedding it appears most leave the pillars whether flat topped or contoured to match action radius as bedded (tight to the action) which means that the action could end up supported on two or more post that most likely have a different density, expansion, compress-ability etc. than the bedding material. I currently bed this way. I've noticed though that a few actually relieve the top of the pillars upon completion of the bedding job. My intuition tells me that there might be some benefit to this because the action would then be supported by a more consistent medium and might have a greater area in good contact with the bedding material more of the time, especially with stock materials that might be on the softer or more flexible side.

Curious if anyone that relieves the pillars got there through testing?

Interested in your thoughts or opinions.

zp3
 
After installation, I shorten the pillars to allow bedding material between the top of the pillars and the action. The minimum is about .035 and .050 or a bit more is better. I shorten the pillars with a piloted aircraft counterbore that's considerably larger than the pillar diameter. The bedding compound on top of the pillar then has more surface area to adhere to. On actions where the rear tang doesn't allow this for cosmetic reason (700's, etc.), the pillars are just shortened with a counterbore of pillar diameter.

If you do your bedding this way, the bedding compound used becomes a much more important factor. Extreme durabilty and minimal long term shinkage are musts.

Good shootin'.:) -Al
 
Pillars are only there to keep the stock material from compressing under screw tension. If you relieve the tops of them, without bedding them as Al suggested, then you haven't accomplished anything.
 
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