Pillar posts for Savage?

Status
Not open for further replies.
kmw1954

kmw1954

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2018
Messages
3,598
Location
SE Wisconsin
Now I am hoping that someone here can answer this and help out. I need to figure out the length of the pillars for my Savage 11. This Richards stock is going to desperately need them as the rear portion of the stock is very marginal and really bored out around the rear action screw.

I have performed a number of web searches and came up empty. Lots of hits but no mention of a length. I have also measured the original plastic stock which also looks to have been pillar bedded but not very well. Each time I've measured I've come up with a different number. So I don't know which to trust.

Some pix's of what I am dealing with;

001.JPG 003.JPG
006.JPG
 
So no takers on this one huh. After fooling with it I think I have it close enough to work.
Still need ideas on how to buildup the area in the stock around the rear action screw. Anyone with an idea I would gladly listen.
 
I would use thickened epoxy. With the West system it would be thickened with their high density filler. With the West system you can mix it as thin ot thick as you need. I thickened it up enough it would not run, stayed place.I made a dam out of plastic to keep it out of the trigger. Was still able to make it flow to fill the voids. This is what I used on the Rem. I have not done a Savage or I would had made a suggestion earlier.
 
Thanks, have been considering this approach and also using fiberglass strands to reinforce it all. My biggest concern is if it will hold to the stock.

To do this I was thinking of building up in layers instead of one big glob of a block.
 
Most epoxies have problem bonding to them self once cured. On the West system there is a window where you can add additional layers and have it bond as 1. Scuff up the wood so it's not smooth gives it more surface area to bite into. You can use putty to make a dike if needed. I used some teflon and HDPE sheeting to keep it out of some areas.
 
Last night I was on US Composites website, I remember them from my boat building days. They are also a Wests System distributor along with their own brand. They also offer many different types of additives for thickening and strengthening/reinforcing.

I have though about building up the area with epoxy and chopped fiberglass strand and then re-drilling the hole for the pillar rather than just pouring in a bunch of epoxy.

Biggest hold up at the moment is cost of material. Even their small 16oz kit is over $20.00 and then the glass mat. Even just that small kit is way above anything I will ever use so most would go to waste.
 
Not sure exactly how I am going to use this but here are some pictures of the stock before and after I inserted some modeling clay to take an impression of the trigger area. This clearly shows the area needed to clear the sear and trigger.

006.JPG

001.JPG

002.JPG
 
One thing I do on the pillar post is insert a piece of delrin plastic so the epoxy does not sick to it. I will do one side then the other, this keeps the hole aligned. I wrapped my trigger group with teflon tape, to keep the epoxy out of it if something leaked by. I then took my Foredom (dremel) and removed what was necessary for it fit and work.

The West system is expensive. The mix rate is 5 part resin 1 part hardner. I prefer the slow hardner since it gives you plenty of time to work with. I have plenty of additives, High Density and others. If you find the epoxy at a marine dealer I can send you some additives to thicken it up with.
 
It's all relatively expensive when one considers that I really only need about 4oz resin and then the appropriate amount of hardener. If I could find something like Evercoat resin in a very small container I would do that. More and more I am developing an idea of how best to proceed. Really thinking of building up the stock in fiberglass resin and matt in that area and then drilling the pillar hole and then grinding away the excess for the trigger clearance.
 
Unfortunately, Evercoat is a polyester resin. No where near the strength or dependability of an epoxy resin, like WEST. You get what you pay for. Brownell's sells some epoxy resins in smaller amounts, if that's the problem. My buddy has a boat he "repaired" with polyester, and it has already failed a year later.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top