Thread: Pillar bedding

I have fixed two stocks that were compressing as you have described. If the underside of the stock is compressing where the bottom metal mates this will need fixed by bedding the bottom metal back to the correct position.
Then likely the area around the Tang has compressed too.
What has been very successful and fool proof is to use bamboo Kebab sticks as vertical pillars. Drill a circle of holes the right size to accept the bamboo around the action screw holes but far enough out that they are in solid holding - 15mm diam approx. Set the length of the sticks so that the bottom metal is in the correct original position with the action taped to the stock for reference, then epoxy them in with JB etc. a cardboard spacer can be used for the bottom metal and the action removed to access from the top during this step.
With the sticks in place the bottom of the stock can be bedded for the bottom metal, then proceed to bedding the action. Full length bedding will support the stock. The bamboo has the advantage that it provides a key for the epoxy and can be easily filed / sanded if a mistake is made with height at the start. The action ends up sitting on epoxy top and bottom with the bamboo acting as pillars
If the stock is soft it is going to benefit from some other reinforcement. Instead of brass crossbolts, the bamboo works just as well and is nearly invisible.