Custom Barrelled Action vs Full Custom Build

[dwm]

Wow you guys go all out. I just bedded one too...

Course sandpaper from the garage
Blue masking tape to mask off stock
Electrical tape to mask off recoil lug and Savage nut
Devon steel epoxy in the tube
Q tips from the bathroom
Paper towels from the kitchen
Rubbing alchol from bathroom to clean up with

And I used Emperial Sizing Wax from the reloading bench as the release agent.

I use the action screws to hold the stock, put some release agent on them they come right back out. Screw them in to seat the action then back them off a quarter turn or so. Drill action holes back out with hand drill later.

If I spent over $25 I would be surprised...

The sizing wax is awesome, action popped right out, didn't stick at all. Came out nice for a do it yourself bedding job....

 

[codyadams]

Wow you guys go all out. I just bedded one too...

Course sandpaper from the garage
Blue masking tape to mask off stock
Electrical tape to mask off recoil lug and Savage nut
Devon steel epoxy in the tube
Q tips from the bathroom
Paper towels from the kitchen
Rubbing alchol from bathroom to clean up with

And I used Emperial Sizing Wax from the reloading bench as the release agent.

I use the action screws to hold the stock, put some release agent on them they come right back out. Screw them in to seat the action then back them off a quarter turn or so. Drill action holes back out with hand drill later.

If I spent over $25 I would be surprised...

The sizing wax is awesome, action popped right out, didn't stick at all. Came out nice for a do it yourself bedding job....

I would agree, my biggest expense was the bedding compound itself. Everything else I already had for other projects, and didn't need to purchase it, so I wouldn't count it in my cost. I pillar bedded a rifle recently...used steel 1/4" pipe fittings from the hardware store cut to length then roughed up with sandpaper. Think it was like 3 bucks...and to rough up the stock where the bedding compound goes, I use sandpaper, and a hand drill and make some strategically placed holes/dimples to add more surface area for the compound.

 

[Edd]

I think the OP was asking about doing one stock. If I were to do another one, I wouldn't have to buy all the stuff I bought for this one again. I would never get the cost down to $25, I paid more than that for my pillars. I bought 3 sets of them so I guess I could say I used pillars I already had and not count them as an expense on the next one.

 

[DM770]

It is like hiring a contractor to your on your house. Yes you can do it yourself and some are very good at it but not everyone is. Materials are not overly expensive what you are paying for is someone's time and knowledge.
Ask about any Smith about rifles that have been brought to be fixed after there owners did some homemade smithing on them.

 

[shortgrass]

As working 'smith I see it weekly. Some stuff so badly screwed it can be fixed!

 

[maninthemaze]

I'm definitely a newbie when it comes to bedding and installing pillars. My first rifle to do was a used Savage 22-250 that needed a stock. So my first purchase was a couple DVD's from Richard Franklin. He has great instructional videos on just about every aspect of building a custom rifle. After that success I bedded the factory walnut stock on my 243 followed by another stock replacement on an 8mm mauser. So when the bug bit to build a custom rifle, I just ordered the barreled action from the gunsmith and then purchased everything else to assemble the rifle. I figured I saved around $1000 doing the rest of the assembly myself.

The most expensive part of bedding should be the bedding compound itself. I used Devcon 10110 on all my rifles. That along with electrical tape, masking tape, q-tips, kiwi shoe polish for release agent and Remington bore bright for cleanup. My Manners stock came with the aluminum pillars ready to be cut to length and the barrel channel was cut for my barrel contour. I think most people with a moderate amount of mechanical aptitude can pillar bed a rifle. Getting my mag well to fit well was a definite lesson in frustration. Install, remove, file, install, remove, file, install....you get the idea.

Anyways, having some part in the building of my rifle was definitely worth it to me, not to mention saving enough in the build to buy a scope.

Here's one article that help make my decision to order his DVD'S.

Stress-Free Pillar Bedding