• New Contest Starting Now! This Target Haunts Me

    Tell us about the one that got away, the flier that ruined your group, the zero that drifted, the shot you still see when you close your eyes. Winner will receive a free scope!

    Join contest

Gunsmithing Need some remington recoil lugs ground

Put a stocker in a solid vise with a .0001" indicator behind it. Push on it with your thumb and watch it flex. I get .006" just pushing easy and it I push hard I can bend it with one thumb. Try the same test with a Holland .250" lug and I can only flex it .002". Even pushing hard I can't bend it with one thumb. I also just tried it with a .250" Pierce Titanium lug and it is twice as stiff as the stocker but not near as strong as the Holland lug. A stiffer lug is just that. It will help dampen harmonics in the rifle and help preserve your bedding by spreading out the recoil forces over a larger supported area.
 
Do you have a .185 custom lug you can try that on to see how much it flexes? I have built rifles with thinner custom lugs and have had zero issues with them. It would be helpful to know.
 
I don't have any aftermarket 3/16" lugs because I have never bought one. I never tried to push on one that was clamped up in an action barrel joint. I was just pointing out how flimsy they are by themselves. The recoil of most rifles is a bunch harder than I can push with my thumb. Next factory 700 I tear down I will put the indicator on it and give it a shove. I'm almost certain there will be measurable flex.
 
If you dont test your theory against a custom lug of known quality the same approximate thickness, it has little value to me. I KNOW how good a rifle can shoot with a thin ptg lug. If you get a chance let us know how much flex a 3/16" custom lug has.
 
In my opinion if the factory lug moves, bends and distorts as much as you say, smiths would have seen this when tearing down a factory action and barrel. I would also think less smiths would use them.
It would be an interesting find though and look forward to your example.
 
A recoil lug is supported by the barrel and the receiver. I would say that makes the circular part solid when torqued properly. Try putting a factory lug in a vise with just the rectangular lug sticking up and put the indicator on it, I but it doesn't move.
 
1) I don't think that comparing the deflection of a lug when clamped in a vise is comparable to how the part is supported and loaded in a barreled action.

2) My preference would be to buy a 0.187" lug from PTG that is properly hardened and finished from the factory.

3) If the ~$25/each for a new PTG lug is a problem, then I don't see a big issue with surface-grinding the OEM lugs.

4) Chad Dixon at LongRifles, Inc has made mention of surface-grinding OEM recoil lugs; you may want to contact him for this service.
 
Last edited:
I have a nice grinder (Brown/Sharp Micromotion) that does a good job. For those that want to retain a factory lug I offer reconditioned versions. They've been ground on both sides and the bore has been enlarged to accept our oversize tennons when we accurize a 700 action.

$35 gets all that done. If you wanted them ground only we can work on that price. It'll depend on what kind of quantity your talking about. I do batches of 50 at a time. I have a pretty large assortment these days due to the GB.

Be happy to help.

C.