Gunsmithing Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

[effinnewguy]

....enough so that the bolt is a bit heavy to unlock?

My Rem 700p just went through a mag well in-letting in order to fit a Seekins DBM. My gunsmith didn't use the screws/bolts that came with the DBM as it looked to him to not have enough threads (sufficient, but in his opinion, not enough) to hold the action/barrel assy to the bedding on the stock.

After bringing it home, I did a thorough cleaning and removed the (lightly installed) stock screws, inspected the work done and re-installed everything. When running the bolt through its motions, I noticed it felt very heavy to unlock. I cycled it, thinking it needed it, but never came close to it cycling loose. I greased and oiled all moving parts, took the bolt apart-oiled that, and once again cycled it. Same deal.

I loosened the stock screws to take it ALL apart and for the hell of it, cycled the bolt. VOILA ! It felt a lot better. Was I torqueing the action when I had those screws tight, in effect binding the bolt during its lock/unlock travel? What is the proper torque setting? Should I loctite the screws to avoid them coming loose during shooting evolutions? Any help is appreciated.

 

[BOLTRIPPER]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

ask seekins on the twisty thingie settings


skip the lock-tite

and skip oil on the bolt

and........why jack with stuff if its running well?

 

[jasonk]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

If the front action screw is too long then it pokes up through the bottom of the receiver and will bind your bolt. It needs to be shortened.....or just use the right ones that Seekins sent you.

With the bolt out and action screws out, reach your pinky in there and feel around until you feel the whole on the bottom of the receiver. Then screw the screw in the action, if you can feel it with your finger then it's too long.

 

[Nate O.]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the front action screw is too long then it pokes up through the bottom of the receiver and will bind your bolt. It needs to be shortened.....or just use the right ones that Seekins sent you.

With the bolt out and action screws out, reach your pinky in there and feel around until you feel the whole on the bottom of the receiver. Then screw the screw in the action, if you can feel it with your finger then it's too long. </div></div>

yup..this

 

[redirt78]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

Great name

 

[effinnewguy]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the front action screw is too long then it pokes up through the bottom of the receiver and will bind your bolt. It needs to be shortened.....or just use the right ones that Seekins sent you.

With the bolt out and action screws out, reach your pinky in there and feel around until you feel the whole on the bottom of the receiver. Then screw the screw in the action, if you can feel it with your finger then it's too long. </div></div>

Let me try this and see if it solves the issue.

 

[Glen Seekins]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....


No loctite needed. If it makes you feel better to use it then make dang sure its the blue stuff and do NOT ever use red on anything you want to remove in the future...

Did the gunsmith use my pillars or make his own? If he used ours the screws we sent were the proper length. This spacing is critical to allow the bottom metal to sit high enough to easily feed a round, but not too high so the mag hits the bottom of your action and not too low so the bolt rides over the top of the case. If he used his own pillars to make the bottom metal line up with the bottom of the stock and neglected the proper length then it might not feed perfect (or maybe it will and you got lucky).

The front screw your gunsmith installed is too long and its hitting your bolt.

 

[ArcticLight]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

My smith uses 9/16" Stainless pillars - I love them!

Not that it would solve the problem of a bolt being too long.

If the bolt is too long, put a washer on it to test, if problem goes away get the dremmel out and properly shorten screw...

 

[fw707]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: jasonk</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If the front action screw is too long then it pokes up through the bottom of the receiver and will bind your bolt. It needs to be shortened.....or just use the right ones that Seekins sent you.
</div></div>


Yep, I bet that's the problem.

 

[effinnewguy]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: heatseekins</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
No loctite needed. If it makes you feel better to use it then make dang sure its the blue stuff and do NOT ever use red on anything you want to remove in the future...

Did the gunsmith use my pillars or make his own? If he used ours the screws we sent were the proper length. This spacing is critical to allow the bottom metal to sit high enough to easily feed a round, but not too high so the mag hits the bottom of your action and not too low so the bolt rides over the top of the case. If he used his own pillars to make the bottom metal line up with the bottom of the stock and neglected the proper length then it might not feed perfect (or maybe it will and you got lucky).

The front screw your gunsmith installed is too long and its hitting your bolt.


</div></div>


Thanks for replying Mr. Seekins!

The gunsmith used the pillars that came with the Rem 700p HS precision stock as per your accompanying instructions. He did install it properly and is feeding rounds from AICS magazines like a hot knife through butter.

You and the other poster above (jasonk) were right. The front screw is too long when I did that pinky test. I used your front screw and everything is good to go !!

Your DBM is awesome! I like the machining, design and aesthetics. Keep 'em coming !!

 

[effinnewguy]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

Thank you everyone for the quick replies! Mucho appreciated.

 

[vman]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....

What everyone else said...

And +1 on not oiling the bolt. You should grease it, but not oil it.

 

[effinnewguy]

Re: Is it possible to overtighten stock screws.....




Easy there, cowboy.