Bedding and floating the ol' 788…

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
My go-to deer rifle is a Remington 788 chambered in 6mm. We took it apart last night, took a drimel to it, and spread some bedding compound in it. We'll take the barrel rasp to it today. I'm looking forward to re-zeroing it. I'll be sure to take pics.
 

Wildlifepro51

Guest
I had a old model 788 back in 1980. I wish I could find another one or a 700 in 6 mm for sale. The make great flat and fast shooters. I took a bunch of ground hogs with mine years ago. let us know how it turn out.
 

MJ74

Old Mossy Horns
I have one in 22-250, I know they were the el cheapo Remington's but its something about them I just love.
 

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
No, just straight bedding. We are floating the barrel, though. What's the purpose in pillars?
 
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1SHOT1KILL

Old Mossy Horns
The purpose of the pillars is to have/provide two points of contact, that are crush proof, between the action and escutcheon/triggergaurd/floorplate, that the action screws go through. Once these are insalled, you have to relieve all the material (wood, aluminum,, fiberglass, etc.) that is in contact or may be in contact with the action, and fill in that newly created void with bedding compound. This provides a completely stress free and bind free bedding of the entire action, which is going to ensure maximum accuracy. Without pillars you are just skim bedding. Skim bedding is better than no bedding, but does nothing to releive the stress or binding of the action itself.
 

Mr.Gadget

Old Mossy Horns
Yep, what he said....

And the side to that is if the stock dry out in the sun and heat say summer the action will become loose in the wood and can crack the stock, as it gets damp it will get tighter.

All changing the POI, the pillers, when set stay about the same year round and in any weather.

Older stocks get dry and if they have been taken on and off, you can compress the stock, changing it every time it is installed.
 

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
Gotcha. I didn't know about pillars before we did it, and my budget is limited anyway. I appreciate the info, though. This is mostly just a 300 yard max deer rifle, and it was already at least as accurate as me. I'll definitely keep the pillars in mind for the next one. Thanks!
 

GrizzlyBear

Old Mossy Horns
You can add pillars afterwards. Very easy to do. Cheap too. Go to the hardware store and get some tubing just a little larger than the action screws. Easy peasy
 

Larry R

Old Mossy Horns
Most it cost is time. Really easy to do, cheap and the best thing one can do for accuracy.
 

gremcat

Twelve Pointer
It's funny in cold climates I never had a stock work loose but here with the crazy temps swings it happened once.
 

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
I asked the guy that helped me tonight. He said he's never done pillars. I may do them eventually. That said, this 788 has an ~1" tit that comes down in the back for the action screw. Will that act like a pillar?
 

1SHOT1KILL

Old Mossy Horns
No, it will not act like a pillar. I make all my own pillars for the pillar bed jobs I do. When I make pillars for a 788, the front one is pretty much a standard straight pillar, but the rear one I counter sink it, so that the screw thread extension fits inside it and it rest on the bottom shoulder of the counter sink.
 

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
No, it will not act like a pillar. I make all my own pillars for the pillar bed jobs I do. When I make pillars for a 788, the front one is pretty much a standard straight pillar, but the rear one I counter sink it, so that the screw thread extension fits inside it and it rest on the bottom shoulder of the counter sink.

10-4, thanks again for all the information!
 
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