Gunsmithing Pillar bedding

[stello1001]

Hey all,

I am wanting to get a Boyds Pro Varmint stock for my Howa 1500. To my knowledge, it does not come with anything. I am wanting to have some pillars installed and have it bedded. My question is, do I have to take this to a competent smith or is this a relatively simple DIY task? I've never done this before but I usually like to work on these things myself. I bedded the scope base myself and it came out pretty good. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks...

 

[Demonian]

Tons of video series on YouTube on this exact subject.

It's hard to say weather or not it is a simple DIY job without knowing your skills. For me it's an easy task, but I am a machinist with access to mills and lathes and a few hundred thousand dollars worth of tooling. For an accountant who doesn't know how to use a screwdriver, maybe not so easy...

I can say it is a bit more difficult than bedding a scope base.

 

[spife7980]

If you have a drill bit and have bedded a scope base you can do this yourself. It might not look as good as a bunch of smiths pics on the web that they advertise but it should be just as functional. The howa should be relatively easy.

 

[MagnumManiac]

The easiest method for the DIY crowd is to buy a kit, these generally come with destructions, pre cut to length aluminium pillars and guide screws/centering cones.
Brownell’s are a very good source for these kits. There are also generic kits that are adjustable to suit different actions, these require a little more skill, but aren’t difficult to master.

 

[mdmp5]

The easiest method for the DIY crowd is to buy a kit, these generally come with destructions,

I don’t know if you want to buy a kit with destructions

 

[mcfred]

I am wanting to get a Boyds Pro Varmint stock for my Howa 1500.

That's basically what I did today. If you're just swapping hardware over from a Factory Howa then you'll probably do fine. I installed an aftermarket DBM onto a Model Seven and it took a while figuring out what to cut out to make it fit.

If you're good with your hands, detail-oriented and patient then you'll have no problem. Watch the vids and read the threads before you start. It's not hard.

 

[pmclaine]

That's basically what I did today. If you're just swapping hardware over from a Factory Howa then you'll probably do fine. I installed an aftermarket DBM onto a Model Seven and it took a while figuring out what to cut out to make it fit.

If you're good with your hands, detail-oriented and patient then you'll have no problem. Watch the vids and read the threads before you start. It's not hard.

Hmmmmm, tell me about that wood M40 looking stock I see in the background.

Does it need a home?

 

[stello1001]

Thanks for the info everyone. Reading over the replies, I've been reminded of what it is I'll be feeding rounds from? I'm relatively new to the whole precision rifle world so don't know much about bottom metals and all that. I'll be taking her out of a chassis which I can run AICS type mags. I'm guessing those won't work anymore. Any ideas?

 

[mheimer_45]

CDI makes a great bottom metal for these that can run AICS mags but it needs a little machining to fit. I’ve always had the stock mailed directly to him from the manufacturer, with contact to CDI first. Also PT&G makes a bottom metal that requires no machining (so they say). Also I have 3 Howas and haven’t pillar bedded a single one of them but they are bedded into the stocks, which is just like bedding your scope base.

 

[mcfred]

Also PT&G makes a bottom metal that requires no machining (so they say).

I can attest that's not the case with the Model Seven using a factory trigger. I had to remove a bunch of aluminum behind the rear mag well and then the Boyd's inlet had to be cut forward about an eighth of an inch and mag well widened a bit. PTG's Howa products may be different though. I've no experience with those models.

I've heard good things about CDI though. They'll inlet any stock you send them to work with their bottom metal.

Hmmmmm, tell me about that wood M40 looking stock I see in the background.

Does it need a home?

Sorry, that stock's spoken for.