i'm making a couple of my own stocks for .22LRs, going to need some bedding pillars. any suggestions? I can turn my own but it's kind of hard for me to get into the local tech college's one night a week class (i can hold my own with a lathe)

I recently completed my gunsmith training at Trinidad State Junior College and two of the classes I took had to do with stock bedding methods. One class was Benchrest Stocking & Stock Design and the other was Precision Bedding. Both classes were taught buy Speedy Gonzales who is a top authority on how these things are done. If you look him up you will see he has a shooting record that is hard to argue with.

It is my understanding from those classes that he is a big fan of using G10 rod to make his own pillars. I am pretty sure he goes through MSC to purchase the rods. I unfortunately did not have to opportunity to make my pillars in either class due to the amount of projects I was working on but from what I remember he used a simple dremel tool in the lathe to bore out the material. You can also purchase premade pillars from Brownells that I would think should work too if you do a little work to them as I think they are made to fit Remington 700’s. Just remember to cover the Lathe ways so protect them from the dust.

I do have more information in some note somewhere and I would be happy to look for them if you’re interested in more specific info.

Here a couple links. Hope this helps!

Brownells

MSC

Speedy is also a fan of Marine Tex as a bedding epoxy. Well, that and Araldite.

Doesn't Speedy like Devcon too? I don't remember anyone useing that in the classes but I do remember putting something in my notes about it. I loved working with Araldite but the cost has kept me from using it in my shop. My bedding material of choice has been Marine Tex due to it's cost and I think it's shrink and expansion is less than Acraglas too. It;s also really easy to work with for set up time and clean up using the WD 40.

I think I had better spend some time orginizing my notes and handouts with tabs so I can just flip to a subject.

IIRC, he's not fond of Devcon's shrink rate. I remember he said it shrank more than Marine Tex.

 

Back on topic. Go to Lowe's in the hardware section with all the drawers of nuts and bolts. There you'll find pillars of various sizes you can cut to length or maybe not have to cut at all. I do suggest cutting a couple groves around them so whatever bedding you use will have something to hold to. Roughing them up with sandpaper after cutting a couple of groves and they will be solid as a rock in the stock.

I have used aluminum pipe/tubbing...

Sections of old rifle barrels work well, too.