sako 85

[sako 243]

Would it be worth me having my rifle piller bedded i have a sako 85 laminated varmint as i really like the stock and had the comb done on it.Would it be a problem .

[Ronin]

The first question I would ask is how does it shoot now?

 

 

If its 1/2 MOA then I would think that you would not see the benefits if it were bedded.

 

If its 1 moa or worse, then yes it may shoot better bedded.

 

Re pillars, if there is room to insert pillars (there isnt always on sako stocks) then yes, but 90% of the time a simple (skim) bedding job is easier and just as benefitial to accuracy.

 

Done quite a few 75's but no 85's.

[ejg223]

I'm just messing about with a walnut stock on my remmy.

I've only skimm bedded the stock without pillars and can say it is neither

as accurate nor as reliable over a longer time than a composite stock that I'm also testing.

In a wooden stock, pillars are a must in my opinion. I would choose stainless

over aluminium because the thermal expansion will be the same as the action screws.

 

edi

[sako 243]

The first question I would ask is how does it shoot now?

 

 

If its 1/2 MOA then I would think that you would not see the benefits if it were bedded.

 

If its 1 moa or worse, then yes it may shoot better bedded.

 

Re pillars, if there is room to insert pillars (there isnt always on sako stocks) then yes, but 90% of the time a simple (skim) bedding job is easier and just as benefitial to accuracy.

 

Done quite a few 75's but no 85's.

Thanks for your reply ronin. It shoots 1/2 MOA ,I thought it might improve accuracy.

[sako 243]

I'm just messing about with a walnut stock on my remmy.

I've only skimm bedded the stock without pillars and can say it is neither

as accurate nor as reliable over a longer time than a composite stock that I'm also testing.

In a wooden stock, pillars are a must in my opinion. I would choose stainless

over aluminium because the thermal expansion will be the same as the action screws.

 

edi

Thanks ejg223

[Ronin]

Ok

 

I doubt that accuracy would improve significantly given the outlay of bedding.

 

1/2MOA is good enough for 5 inch at 1000 yards (in perfect conditions)

 

 

Eddie

 

 

hear what you say re the compression factor of wood, but this stock is laminate - they tend (in my experience) not to be a "spongy" as solid wood.

 

I recall reading a test somewhere where someone in the states subjected a variety of rifles in walnut, laminate, composite stocks to extreme fluctuations of weather then shot them.

 

The Composite and laminate were very similar - the walnut was crap..

 

 

Problem with Sakos (75's and I guess the 85 is no different) and the inlet is there is little or no space for adherance of rear pillar (unless one has a "free floating pillar" - that effectively would not be doing anything.

 

 

If they have changed the design to something like the Tikka's with a spigot coming out the base of the action with action retention screw in the centre this can be sorted easily with a new custom made recoil lug set into the stock during the bedding process.

 

 

Here's one I made earlier:

 

 

 

It may be that Sako have stayed with the cross bar retained with a allen screw - I dont know...

 

 

And I suggest that the rear inlet will have similar material as this, which effectively prevents pillar insertion:

 

 

The original stock has no coverage of the "hole" for the action screw, the devcon made this and I left it as is after trimming.

 

Due to the large (and flat) surface area, I also suggest that there is less "squishing / compression" of the stock material than with a round action?

 

 

Just my thoughts...

[TC]

After taking some advice from my builder, when I bedded my 75 action I decided to go without pillars for the reasons stated above.

 

I bored 15mm (as I recall) holes through the stock using the action screw holes as a guide then filled the voids with devcon steel using the same for bedding the action and the bottom metal. When set I then drilled back through the devcon to give channels for the action screws with clearance.

 

Devcon is obviously very strong under compression and my thinking is that by having a single substance in effect for both bedding and "pillars" then thermal expansion is likely more consistent than adding the usual aluminium pillar.

 

The results have been excellent. I clearly can't attribute the results to the bedding but I do know I will be doing the same with the Manners I have sitting on the shelf. It just seems so much more logical to me than introducing another material with differing expansion to the bedding and stock.

 

My rifle is in a McMillan stock but I see no reason why the same method would not work with wood, in fact logically to me there would seem to be greater benefit.

 

Then again my logic may well be flawed........

 

 

Tony

[ejg223]

Ronin, mostly the plywood will be stiffer than walnut. But not always.

I think it was howa that had real lousy ply in some of their laminated stocks.

Without pillars it'll be mainly the bottom metall that will be spongy due to the small

surface on a not so stiff material such as ply.

Much better than pillars would be to have a stock with high compression strength materials

integrated in the areas of the action. It can be done with composite stocks.

 

 

Sako243, I don't think you will notice any improvement straight away with pillars in that stock, but

maybe the rifle will need less re zeroing over the year. The torque of the action screws will be

consistent.

 

edi

[baldie]

Different folks do the job different ways i guess. I always fit pillars in a sako. It can be done, you just need to fit fairly large diameter ones, and mill off some of the front face for the action to be replaced. I,m also not one who subscribes to the "skim" bedding theory. I always remove up to 5mm of stock material, otherwise i think the bedding can flex. If its shoots 1/2" moa, i wouldn,t bother if you are paying for the job. Bedding never makes a gun shoot any worse, and its improved every one i,ve ever done.....but is it worth £200 for so little gain on a gun that is obviously already a shooter ? Thats for you to decide buddy. Nice looking rifle by the way.

[Ronin]

Just to clarify

 

when I say Skim, I do mean removing 1/4 inch of stock material under the mill and replacing it with bedding.

 

Guess its "fill" rather than "skim"

[mildot]

I have a sako 85 that i got bedded into a mcmill stock. The gun smith in question did a great job but because of the design of the 85 recoil lug he had to machine a special pillar which he claims he will not be bedding another 85. However this was an 85 action into a 75 stock! it can be done and mine was done brilliantly.

[baldie]

Just to clarify

 

when I say Skim, I do mean removing 1/4 inch of stock material under the mill and replacing it with bedding.

 

Guess its "fill" rather than "skim"

 

Yep, Fill. i bloody hate that term "skim" bedding.

 

I see quite a lot in the shop however, that have had around 1 mm of devcon squeezed under them. Thats taking the piss in my book, and does not constitute a proper bedding job.

I,m sure you will have seen them too Andy, and i think people would be surprised just where some of them come from.

[Ronin]

Yep

 

 

seen some rubbish that required rectification, despite 3 figure price tags......

 

 

Always amazes me how some people get away with the "quality work" or lack thereof...

 

 

 

Anyway, rant over

[sako 243]

Different folks do the job different ways i guess. I always fit pillars in a sako. It can be done, you just need to fit fairly large diameter ones, and mill off some of the front face for the action to be replaced. I,m also not one who subscribes to the "skim" bedding theory. I always remove up to 5mm of stock material, otherwise i think the bedding can flex. If its shoots 1/2" moa, i wouldn,t bother if you are paying for the job. Bedding never makes a gun shoot any worse, and its improved every one i,ve ever done.....but is it worth £200 for so little gain on a gun that is obviously already a shooter ? Thats for you to decide buddy. Nice looking rifle by the way.

Dave would be intrested in pillar bedding my rifle,as you say improved everyone i,ve ever done

 

 

terry