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Gunsmithing Need some remington recoil lugs ground

selfbowhunter

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Full Member
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Jan 6, 2006
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I have accumulated quite a few and would like to have them surface ground. Anyone around who offers that service for a fair price? Thanks.

Chuck
 
I cant imagine the factory lug bending under recoil if bedded properly. can you enlighten me please???

chuck
 
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.
 
Forgive me, but your saying if you had a factory barreled action and put it in the vise you can bend the recoil lug with your thumb?
 
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.
 
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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.
 
To me the cost in time alone surfacing a stocker makes the aftermarket lug an easy choice. I also pin all lugs to the action. If I had to set up and drill stockers, or bore them oversize would make the stock piece that much more time consuming. If I'm buying a good one why not get the predrilled beefed up version? It's just my opinion.