Pillar bed a shotgun or rifle forend for my heavy barrel Encore?

[encoreguy]

I am going to add pillars to the forearm of my Encore for my 26" heavy barrel .243.  Would it be better to use a shotgun forend since I will be drilling it out to use the pillars or should I just use the factory rifle forearm to add the pillars to?  Does the shotgun forend have a wider barrel channel and is it wider for use in my rest?

[frankkj]

I usually use the standard forend. I have used both 1/2" and 3/8' diameter Al stock to make the pillars. I like the 3/8" best and it seems to work very well. I use a 3 business card thickness to free float the barrel. Use a socket, the same diameter as your barrel, wraped with sand paper to open the barrel channel.

Good luck

Frank

[Silvertp]

Couple of ?'s on the pillar bedding. 

How do you contour the alum stock to the barrel contour? 

Also, I thought pilliars typically surround the screw that attaches the stock and bbl.  Seems 3/8 inch would be too small a diameter.  Or, does the pillar fit in another location?

Would appreciate hearing from someone who has "been there, dun that".

Silvertp

[frankkj]

The pillars are center drilled with a #16 drill to allow the screw to pass through.

The barrel channel is opened to the correct size with a socket wrapped with 120 grit sandpaper.

The pillars are rough countoured with a dremel tool with sanding drum, then finish countoured with a 12mm socket and 400 grit emory paper for a bull barrel. Use the appropiate socket for your barrel diameter. Chuck up the pillars in a drill and turn the sides against a hacksaw blade to form shallow groves to accomidate the epoxy.

I attach the pillars to the barrel, making sure that they are parallel to each other, and perpendicular to the bore axis. I drill out the orginal screw holes in the forend from the barrel channel side, with a 3/8" drill (if using 3/8" pillars). I then slightly inlarge the holes with a round rasp by hand to accept the pillars attached to the barrel.

Use paste wax on anything you do not want epoxied. Mix up epoxy, I use J-B Weld, and apply to the pillars sparingly. Start the forend on, insert the stand-off shims in the barrel channel, pull the forend aganist the shims, and hold the whole thing tight with surgical tubing or a piece of tire intertube.

Don't make this process difficult. Just take your time and think through it.

Good luck,

Frank

[Silvertp]

Thanks Frank...those instructions sound pretty clear.  I'll probably give it try when I start working on my TC's.  One last question...how do you determine the length of the pillar?  Do you base it on the length of the screw or is it a trial and error thing?

Anyhow, thanks again for the tips.  Ive done quite a few "glass bedding" jobs but have yet to try the pillar bedding.

Ken (Silvertp)

[frankkj]

One last question...how do you determine the length of the pillar?

I use custom length 8-40 screws made from screw stock available from Brownell's. Have also used 8-40 Torx screws, available from the same source, that can be countersunk into the pillar. At present, I am having some "overly long" 1 1/2", 8-40 allen screws made by a machinist friend.

Now to answer your question, I adjust the pillar length for the longest 8-40 screws I can find. The standard rear screw from TC will be very close with a 3/4" pillar, countoured for the barrel. Any length adjustment is done on the "flat" end of the pillar.

Clear as mud isn't it? Seems like with all the encore shooters out there, someone, or some company, would get up off it and offer some decent length forend screws in blue and stainless!

Anymore questions, just ask. I'll try to answer them. I am by no means an expert, but I have done about 9 Encore forends, and 5 contender forends (which are a little different).

Frank

[Silvertp]

Frank...actually your explanations are quite clear, and much appreciated.   I can see how the length of pillar will be driven by the length of screws available, and length bedding you choose to use on the pillar / forearm.  Seems the longer the better as the pillar should get more rigid as addnl length is bedded into the forearm.

 I enjoy tinkering with my own guns just to make them perform the best they can...given my limitations.  Ive always enjoyed Contenders, and I just picked up my first encore frame and don't have a barrel yet so will be a while before I begin playing with it. 

Maybe you and your machining buddy should start producing and selling some lengthened screws and pillars for the various contour bbl's. 

Ken

[rcarter]

Not that I disagree with any of the above.  The information is great and very clear for anyone who wants to know how to pillar bed the Encore.  My thoughts are to keep things VERY simple.  I have had many different forends, hanger bars, pillars, etc.  I am sure each has its own argument, but for me its a simple process.  At my work we have access to high heat resistant O rings.  My current Encore has a muzzleloader forend with custom length screws run up and snugged throught he O rings.  The orings space off the forend nicely and is not hard contact other than the screws. 

If you are wondering how it shoots.  I was at the range today and was hitting a 10" circle at 700 yards all day long.  I started shooting at a Champion prairie dog spinning target.  I scored a hit and a nick out of 4 rounds at the end of the day.  (The target is about 8" tall and 3" wide)  So I'd have to say that two orings and 2 screws, 4 minutes, and your done.

Again not to knock the pillar bedding or fine information provided, but sometimes simple works too.