Pillar bedding on new savage?

F

ffffg

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I received my new savage .243, 12 varmit low profile with laminated stock.. Beautifull gun, shot better than expected first time out.. The next night i noticed the barrel was not centered in the forearm.. I put pressure on it and it moved over between 1/16 and 1/8 of an inch.. I looked closely at it and the pillar screws were not tight, 1/4 turn on the forward screw, 1 /8 inch turn n the rear pillar screw(aproximatly).. with orriginal screw position and the barrel is moved back and forth, the barrel, action , scope and tang all move back and forth with the tang moving in the opposite direction of the barrel... Is this normal? I want the gun for critter shooting and not so much for groups..Yes id like good goups but to get the gun out of the safe, into a case, out of the case and carried for a mile then i need first shot repeatability, not pin point groups.. Have any of you seen this, is it standard, or unusual for a factory gun?.. If its a normal thing i wont worry about it.. thanks dave
 
I bought a Stevens

a few months ago and can not believe how soft the stock is (plastic). It does have light pillars in it. I tightned the screws to 40 in pounds but the forend still wiggles around. It shoots quite well though.

I looked in the barrel with my borescope and am sorry I did. The barrel at the chamber end is laoded with chatter marks which extend way out 2/3 of the length of the barrel. Nevertheless, it shoots reasonably well; not a tack driver, exactly, but I have shot a few groups that were in the .200'ds; good enough to kill critters but not much of a target rifle. Wonder if Savage would replace the barrel?
 
Savage "bedding"

ffffg: My experiences exactly with new mdl. 12BVSS: the "bedding" is a hole in the stock, into which the receiver just happens to "fit". Worst example was when I tightened the front guard screw, then watched the rear of the tang as I tightened the rear guard screw. I could watch the tang flex/bend down. Yes it was pillar bedded, using the term loosely. Tops of both pillars were flat, and neither one contacted the round bottom receiver. it has since been properly bedded, using Brownells "Steelbed", and the groups are more repeatable/ consistantly sub MOA. Barrel had some reamer/tool marks, as I could see with my "Hawkeye". I was able to smooth-out to a degree with JB bore paste, blue label. Was originally factory chambered in 243, now a 6BR after set-back (7/8"), and re-chambered with my .272" no-turn Pacific reamer. Will hold consistant 1/2 moa 5 shot groups, at 300 yds., my longest, near-by available range distance. Basically a good rifle, just needed a little extra "work", something the factory cannot do and still remain price competitive, and lets' face it: the majority just want it to go "bang".:)
 
Im not disapointed, I feel ive gotten a good stock, lock and barrel..Its just doesnt have a 200 dollar bedding job.. i obvoiusly have a good barrel as all groups were under an inch on first day and one at 36.5 varget and sieria 85 grain hpbt was just a little over 3/8 inch.. thats first day out, blowing out cases, using lee zero error loader. So im happy.. The tops of the pillars are flat and the reciever is round so the gun basically is moving from side to side hitting the screws on each side.. It may be ok as is, ill check, tightneing the screws more has no efect on side to side movement. Tighteing one screw and lossening the other doesnt seem to change the barrel position (carefully feeling pressure as im sliding stacked paper under the forearm) so its all pretty level in there.. If impacts are changeing i could have a good smith skim bed it. would skim bedding fix the problem? (if it will change impacts from day to day as it is?) thanks for your help by the way.. dave
 
Betting your Savage..

Good Pillars will fit the contour of the action. If you make new pillars for your rifle, contour the end touching the action 1.135" with a flycutter. Open the lug area in the stock with an end mill. Fit your pillars first by glassing them in. Remember the rear pillar has to be machined in half for the sear to openly move past it. After you get it pillar beded clean up the stock real well and glass in the lug. A properly beded Savage will require a little work to remove it from the stock it fits so snuggly. There should be no movement of the action in the stock and it should be properly aligned.

Rustystud
 
Bedding a VLP12

f d shuster said:
ffffg: My experiences exactly with new mdl. 12BVSS: the "bedding" is a hole in the stock, into which the receiver just happens to "fit". Worst example was when I tightened the front guard screw, then watched the rear of the tang as I tightened the rear guard screw. I could watch the tang flex/bend down. Yes it was pillar bedded, using the term loosely. Tops of both pillars were flat, and neither one contacted the round bottom receiver. it has since been properly bedded, using Brownells "Steelbed", and the groups are more repeatable/ consistantly sub MOA. Barrel had some reamer/tool marks, as I could see with my "Hawkeye". I was able to smooth-out to a degree with JB bore paste, blue label. Was originally factory chambered in 243, now a 6BR after set-back (7/8"), and re-chambered with my .272" no-turn Pacific reamer. Will hold consistant 1/2 moa 5 shot groups, at 300 yds., my longest, near-by available range distance. Basically a good rifle, just needed a little extra "work", something the factory cannot do and still remain price competitive, and lets' face it: the majority just want it to go "bang".:)
Click to expand...


f d,
Yes... I have seen similar results too. Well said.

Dave,
You have a solid platform... The Savage VLP is THE rifle I recommend to new accuracy minded shooters... Outstanding platform.

Think your stock is inleted just right for a skim and filler bedding.
With the Brownells product you will get solid directions for bedding. Read throughly while examining your action out of your stock. You will get the idea pretty quick.
Some thoughts:
If ya use the supplied release agent. Use two coats for a reliable release. Go easy on the applied amount so as not to get a mechanical lock-up stock to action. You just need a tight stess free skim fit...
Bed from right behind the recoil lug to about 1/4" behind the rear piller. This will allow the rear tang to "float".
Two ways to allow the bedding to set-up and cure... One, you can support the gun by the barrel in a padded vice.
Another is to set the gun in a cleaning cradle ... I use both and work equally well.
Mate the stock with the bedding compound to the action and >>just barely tighten the action screws<< to "just " get the compound to squirt ...JUST a tiny amount. Wipe off excess compound from side of stock/action and allow 24 hours to set.


If ya get some tiny voids in the bedding, don't worry, won't harm anything.
Little cleaning up some spots of the compound and you'll have a tight wiggle free bedding with no stress built-up in the action...! Tighter consistent groups you shall get!

Good luck,
cale
 
Savage bedding, part 2

Dave: yes, that was one of the problems before bedding: I just could not count on it to have the same point-of-impact, as when previousely fired, using the identical ammo, range, bench eqpt., weather conditions, etc. Was always clicking in corrections. Since the bedding, have not had to adjust Leupold 6.5-20x. The previous post describing bedding procedures is first-class information, obviously gained from experience. Favorite load for this 6BR is 30 grs. of N135 with the excellent 85 gr. Sierra HPBT #1530, seated .020" off-- tried to touch and groups opened up slightly. Velocity slightly over 3000 fps. tried the 87 V-Max ( because of the high BC), but cannot get them to shoot. Come to think of it, have tried the 87 V-Max in 2, 243s' and a 6mm22-250 and they would not shoot in those either. Just some of my thoughts, and i agree, the Savage is an excellent platform with a lot of possibilities.:)
 
My 6mm wouldnt shoot them either, then i pushed the evelope,and the 87 gr vmax started shooting it at about 1/2 inch.. at 3000 fps thats 1188 (over speed of sound) at 1000 yards.. works well if i can read the wind, see impacts, and keep the bipod solid so i dont change the cant from shot to shot.. I also hang a 9 lb weight from the bipod on a sling swivel, i call it awf, added weight forward.. Ive envented it, and makes a 18 pounder out of a 788.. At 90 degrees shell break a 2 1/2 gal grocery store water jug at 1000 yards.. That gun with wood stock just has too many problems from season to season so im going to use it as a light varmiter, and use the slv for coyotes and long range.. Sounds like ive made a good choice, thanks to you all.dave Dave
 
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