Gunsmithing Both Remington 700 action screws too long?

[csireeves]

I just purchased a LH Remington 700 SPS Varmint and mocked up the barreled action into a new stock. When I hand tighten the action screws the bolt cannot be inserted at all. I tried backing off the rear screw and the bolt could be inserted, but not fully seat. I, then, backed off the front screw a bit and the bolt cycled completely. It seems that I will need to shorten both screws, but when the rear screw is hand tight it doesn't sit flush or protrude on top behind the bolt as it did in the plastic Remington stock. It appears to be recessed by a few threads. Is the rear screw supposed to sit flush in any stock? Does it need to sit flush? Could this be a problem other than the action screws being too long?

EDIT: I just found out that when the front action screw is hand tight the bolt cannot be inserted any more than 1/4" or so. When both screws are hand tight the rear screw is still a bit recessed and the front screw appears to protrude slightly above being flush.

 

[Thud]

Cut them till they fit.

 

[csireeves]

What causes the bolt to bind when neither of the action screws touch the bolt even when hand tight?

 

[E. Bryant]

How do your scope mount rail screws look?

 

[Kebo57]

are you sure the front action screw isn't in the lug recess when you tighten it? shorten them both and go shoot

 

[csireeves]

How do your scope mount rail screws look?

The scope rail screws look fine. They are just on enough to hold the rail on. I haven't torqued them down yet

are you sure the front action screw isn't in the lug recess when you tighten it? shorten them both and go shoot

The front screw might protrude slightly when hand tight, however when it is hand tight I can't even get the bolt to insert (from being removed) more than 1/4". That happens even when the rear screw is loose.

 

[Kebo57]

the hole for the front action screw goes all the way through the receiver into the area the right side lug on the bolt locks when you turn the handle down. If the front screw is too long, regardless of how tight/loose it is, if its in the space the lug locks in the bolt isn't going to close

 

[Greg Langelius *]

Please note that the scope base mounting screws are not all the same length. The short one(s?) go in front, to prevent interference with the bolt locking lugs.

Some stocks do not conform to the same bolt length pattern as Remington. If they make the bolts end up too long, they can be ground down shorter, a little at a time, until they clear the bolt recesses. Another approach is to use washers as spacers under the bottom metal.

Greg

 

[csireeves]

the hole for the front action screw goes all the way through the receiver into the area the right side lug on the bolt locks when you turn the handle down. If the front screw is too long, regardless of how tight/loose it is, if its in the space the lug locks in the bolt isn't going to close

Yes, I understand that, however the problem isn't getting the bolt closed with the action screws hand tight. When I remove the bolt and hand tighten the front action screw I can't even get the bolt started more than 1/4". I'm not understanding how the front action screw, when hand tight, can prevent the bolt from going back into the receiver.

Please note that the scope base mounting screws are not all the same length. The short one(s?) go in front, to prevent interference with the bolt locking lugs.

Some stocks do not conform to the same bolt length pattern as Remington. If they make the bolts end up too long, they can be ground down shorter, a little at a time, until they clear the bolt recesses. Another approach is to use washers as spacers under the bottom metal.

Greg

The scope mount screws are in the correct place. The base is a EGW 20MOA, installed sloping towards the bore. The screws are only in enough to hold the base in place. They are not torqued let alone tight.

As for the action screws being too long, when the rear screw is hand tight it does not stick out. It is recessed by 2 threads or so. The front screw, when hand tight, might, slightly, protrude, but no more than 1/2 a thread or less.

I guess I am trying to understand how the action screws can affect how the bolt moves in the receiver. I understand how the rear screw can keep the bolt from cycling if it is sticking out of the top. I also understand how the front screw can prevent the bolt lug from closing if it is sticking out. What I don't understand is how, when either the rear or front are hand tight, I can't get the bolt back into the receiver. What I understand even less is how, when the front screw only is hand tight, with the bolt removed, I cannot get the bolt started back into the receiver (can only be inserted about 1/4" into the receiver - about half the length of the lugs).

I don't have a problem shortening the screws. I am just trying to understand the mechanics of how the action screws relate to the movement of the bolt when neither of the action screws are touching the bolt.

 

[hangunnr]

See if the bolt stop is binding not allowing it to pivot when you tighten the screws down in the new stock. You may just have a simple clearance issue.

CR

 

[csireeves]

I have attached pictures of the rear and front screws when hand tight. The picture of the bolt lug show how far the bolt will go into the receiver when the either screw is hand tight. The last picture shows the bolt face as far as the bolt will go in the receiver when either screw is hand tight. Seeing as how the action screws don't stick out when hand tight (the front might stick out slightly) I'm wondering if the action screws are too long or if the problem is actually something else like hangunnr suggested i.e. a clearance issue. The bolt stop moves freely when pressed when both action screws are hand tight.

 

[farrier]

if the bolt inserts properly with the action out of the stock, and/or with the action in the original stock, you have a clearance issue with the bolt release/fit of trigger group. Once that is eliminated, place the action in the new stock without any screws or bottom metal. If bolt inserts ok, slide bottom metal into position and check again, if all is well you're problem is now restricted to bolt length so start shortening!

 

[csireeves]

if the bolt inserts properly with the action out of the stock, and/or with the action in the original stock, you have a clearance issue with the bolt release/fit of trigger group. Once that is eliminated, place the action in the new stock without any screws or bottom metal. If bolt inserts ok, slide bottom metal into position and check again, if all is well you're problem is now restricted to bolt length so start shortening!

I will test all of this today. I'll post the results when I'm done.

 

[slayer_21420]

Judging by the pictures it looks like your bolt is on the wrong side of the gun..

Good luck with your issue, i'd be looking at the possibility of your bolt release binding in the stock seeing as how you can only get the bolt in a 1/4".

 

[csireeves]

Well, I removed the barreled action/bottom metal from the stock and reassembled it all outside of a stock. I tightened the action screws down to approximately the same level as then were in the stock. The bolt inserted and cycled freely. I put everything back into the stock and hand tightened the screws. The bolt inserted and cycled freely. I torqued the screws down to 60 in/lbs. The bolt inserts and moves freely, but it won't close all the way. It looks like the front screw is about a 1/2 turn too long. I must have had something binding and/or the magazine box was misaligned when I first installed everything in the new stock causing the bolt to bind. Now all I need to do it file a bit off of the front screw and I should be good to go. Thanks all for all of the help.