pillar and glass bedding?
02-21-2007, 12:47 PM
#2
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,429
RE: pillar and glass bedding?
Very good question. There is no short answer, so I'll just dive in.
Bedding is a generic term for providing a solid platform from which your rifle operates. there is pillar bedding, glass bedding, aluminum bedding blocks, kevlar reinforced bedding etc.The two most common types of bedding are pillar and glass.
Pillar bedding is rather simple, yet highly effective. The term Pillar, as you may infer, describes a type or method of bedding. Think of Bridge pillars, strong upright cylindrical columns that are very solid. Now apply that image to a rifle, only make the columns out of aluminum. These pillars are epoxied into the stock such that the action bolts insert through the center of the pillars. Thus producing metal to metal mating surfaces. Consequently their is much less chance of movement due to compression or expansion as there is with a metal to wood mate.
Glass bedding is another method of bedding. In glass bedding stock material is removed sufficient to provide a reveal or space around the action. This reveal is then filled with an epoxy of some sort.Itgot the "glass"nomenclature due to the use of fiberglass type epoxies. I prefer Pro Bed 2000 for my bedding jobs. The beauty of glassing is that the entire action is basically seated into a "bed" that is perfectly formed to its size, shape, and contours. If done properly the action can not possibly shift position in the stock without breaking the bedding.
You didn't ask but another term that is used quite often is "free-floating" this term refers to the barrell not being in contact with the stock. The barrel is completly free of stress and pressure points from the wood/laminate/synthetic etc.
Do they improve accuracy? I quarantee it! In my opinion a rifle can't be accurate without being bedded and free floated. It may be accurate for one or two shots then the third one sprays a little and by the fifth shot the groups has really spread. This is simply due to the barrel heating and expanding cause pressure or possibly even movement within the stock. When I start working on a rifle the first thing I do is remove the stock and begin bedding and free floating.
Some will say that its overkill, but I both pillar and glass bed my rifles. I start by pillaring the action in. this gives me a solid point to work from. Then I begin removing material to free float the barrel and to provide the reveal needed to apply my glass. When I get done I've got a metal to metal mate on my action bolts and my action has a custom fitted cradel if you will to sit in.
I hope this helps. I only wish I had some pictures to post. Some times pictures make all the difference. The next bedding job I do, I'm going to take pics of each step so that I have a detailed photo description of how it all works.
Bedding is a generic term for providing a solid platform from which your rifle operates. there is pillar bedding, glass bedding, aluminum bedding blocks, kevlar reinforced bedding etc.The two most common types of bedding are pillar and glass.
Pillar bedding is rather simple, yet highly effective. The term Pillar, as you may infer, describes a type or method of bedding. Think of Bridge pillars, strong upright cylindrical columns that are very solid. Now apply that image to a rifle, only make the columns out of aluminum. These pillars are epoxied into the stock such that the action bolts insert through the center of the pillars. Thus producing metal to metal mating surfaces. Consequently their is much less chance of movement due to compression or expansion as there is with a metal to wood mate.
Glass bedding is another method of bedding. In glass bedding stock material is removed sufficient to provide a reveal or space around the action. This reveal is then filled with an epoxy of some sort.Itgot the "glass"nomenclature due to the use of fiberglass type epoxies. I prefer Pro Bed 2000 for my bedding jobs. The beauty of glassing is that the entire action is basically seated into a "bed" that is perfectly formed to its size, shape, and contours. If done properly the action can not possibly shift position in the stock without breaking the bedding.
You didn't ask but another term that is used quite often is "free-floating" this term refers to the barrell not being in contact with the stock. The barrel is completly free of stress and pressure points from the wood/laminate/synthetic etc.
Do they improve accuracy? I quarantee it! In my opinion a rifle can't be accurate without being bedded and free floated. It may be accurate for one or two shots then the third one sprays a little and by the fifth shot the groups has really spread. This is simply due to the barrel heating and expanding cause pressure or possibly even movement within the stock. When I start working on a rifle the first thing I do is remove the stock and begin bedding and free floating.
Some will say that its overkill, but I both pillar and glass bed my rifles. I start by pillaring the action in. this gives me a solid point to work from. Then I begin removing material to free float the barrel and to provide the reveal needed to apply my glass. When I get done I've got a metal to metal mate on my action bolts and my action has a custom fitted cradel if you will to sit in.
I hope this helps. I only wish I had some pictures to post. Some times pictures make all the difference. The next bedding job I do, I'm going to take pics of each step so that I have a detailed photo description of how it all works.
