Re: out of round on OD Remington 700 action
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mnshortdraw</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bedding the base is the only good option. </div></div>
Not quite.
Lapping the base to the receiver works also and offers a true 1:1 metal to metal fit.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">any good posts on bedding bases? My receiver appears both out of round and has misaligned scope mount holes. The Holland base fixed all of this, but I am thinking of buying a long action magnum and am starting to think it may be better just to buy a Pierce or similar action and be done with it.</div></div>
Here is the deal on this. You can't fix this problem with a drill. Drills take the path of least resistance. If there's a hole, it's going to attempt to locate off of its center and just make a crooked hole bigger.
It leaves you with two choices:
1. In a manual machine you get yourself a micro boring bar, indicate off the centerline of the bore axis, and enlarge the holes to accept #8-40 base screws.
2. In my case (cnc mill) I write code to direct a 1/8" endmill to interpolate the hole to the #8-40 thread pitch.
In either of these two cases the point is the tool does not give a rats behind how off center the hole is. Assuming the machine is in good shape and the machinist is competent it will make a nice round bore on the correct location.
The ultimate followup on this is to thread mill the base holes as it too will run on center. Thread milling is using a small "chinese star" shaped tool that mills the threads single point style sort of like a lathe. Taps, like drills take the path of least resistance although if your setup is rock solid and you use quality tooling the location accuracy will be quite good.
Things to avoid: Cast aluminum fixtures marketed by certain companies that advertise this service as being a "no brainer" using only a drill press.
FWIW A .005" location error between the front/rear base hole on a M700 short action translates into a 3 and a half minute shift on paper. That's over 35" at 1000 yards. (35.309" for the technical people)
That's more windage than I'd like to burn up on a scope getting things timed up.
Just sayin.
Hope this helps.