Gunsmithing Truing Action on Rem 700?

[Sniper52]

I was debating weather to try to True the Action on my TBA M40A1 myself or send it to GAP to fix it. I am by no means a gunsmith. I have no Idea of how to do this or what would be used. I just tinker with my rifle's and would like to learn to do some of these things on my own.

The action has already been worked by TBA but seams to be rough to me. The bolt is hard to cycle without a lot of effort. I have several custom rifles, and this is the only one I have any issues with. Of course it is the only TBA I own, and all the others were built by GAP. I would like this one to be comparable to my GAP's. They fell like they move on ball bearings. Rifle shoots okay around .5 MOA Just wondering what I could do to help slick the action up.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Jonathan

 

[LukeUSMC]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1585427#Post1585427

 

[Sniper52]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

LukeUSMC,

I have read your thread and was looking to see if there were any other opinions, or experience of other TBA owners. Maybe some more detailed instructions. Any help appreciated. JAA

 

[300sniper]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

maybe talk to tba first?

 

[echotango]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

TBA built my M40A1 10 years ago. I guess I don't ever recall the action running smooth as silk, or like glass, but it hammered like no other, and I never had expectations of it running like a benchrest machine. I've used my TBA in many different situations/competions/weather environments and I have to say that how smooth or not the action was has never factored into how well it has performed, or if it was it ever really on my mind in the heat of the moment. It worked. Any issues I may have had I have traced back to my own error.

All that said, I just got my TBA (mayber former TBA now) back from GAP, for a rebarrel job and check up (not that I don't trust TBA, but I was driving through Kansas City in the process of relocating, and it just made sence, timing and all, to drop it off at GAP). GAP was going to check everything out and do whatever necessary to "bring it up to speed" in addition to the rebarrel.

On my rifle's return, I don't feel anything any different on the "smoothness" of the action post GAP vs. pre-GAP. Granted, the action has years of rounds on it, It all feels the same to me. But, I have 10 years of living with that rifle and I think I know it pretty well.

I can't vouch for the recent quality of TBA, but everything I know about them and those that own a TBA will tell you that Mike builds a quality product. They are probably just not on the "in vouge" builder of the day list anymore. Give your TBA a chance. Does it shoot? To me, that's the bottom line.

ET

 

[Sniper52]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

ET,

Thanks for the reply. I have been waiting for another TBA owner to chime in and appreciate you opinions. I am going to give the rifle a chance. Have been doing some minor changes to it myself. Tried some of the suggestion's in the post mentioned by LukeUSMC. Have been pleased so far and will continue to work on it.

As for how it shoots, the rifle is a little more than a .5 MOA rifle. Most groups are in the .5 to .7 range with FGMM. Would like it to shoot a little better but just noticed a little bolt jump in the action so when I fix that it should shoot better.

Thanks again.

JAA

 

[shadow4]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

Sniper52,

Take the firing pin out of your rifle and then cycle the bolt. Sometimes the friction you feel is the pressure from the firing pin. When I cycle/close the bolt on my bolt rifles I feel resistance or what you might be calling "roughness" then if I remove the firing pin the bolt closes SMOOTH. It will fall into place with no effort from me.

 

[toygunner]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

BY cycling rough do mean opening after a shot with a slight snap or what? It could be the bolt is now out of time after the action had been trued(to much distance between the front of the bolt handle and the back of the receiver) or the firing pin could be binding in the bolt.

Give some more info on the "rough".

 

[wadcutter]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

If it is hard to chamber a round then it might have a minimum size chamber. Headspace just might be tight?
Try and bump the shoulder of your cases back a thou or so and see if it is any easier.
Add some grease to the bearing surface of your lugs and bolt body also to slick stings up.

 

[Sniper52]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

Thanks for all the comments guys. Have tried a lot of you suggestions and seems to be much better, after using some rubbing compound on the bolt and action, and changing the stock. Thanks again. JAA

 

[echotango]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Sniper52</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
As for how it shoots, the rifle is a little more than a .5 MOA rifle. Most groups are in the .5 to .7 range with FGMM.
</div></div>

If you're getting half minute with Federal Match, I think it's doing good. IMHO, you have to start loading your own to get less than half minute groups. And a lot of other factors come into play, such as shooter techniques and skill to aquire consistant sub half minute groups.

We're not shooting Benchrest. I'll take half minute to the bank everyday and twice on Sunday

The real test is how the rifle performs at distance on target. If you can hold that, you're good to go. Most of the time, our rifles will out perform us. It's up to us to develop the skills to utilize the rifle to it's potential.

Good luck!

ET

 

[smith2be]

Re: Truing Action on Rem 700?

Truing an action on a 700 usually starts with truing the front of the receiver, then recutting the threads in the receiver. Next the bolt lugs are trued and then the bolt nose. Sako extractors are installed most of the time. Smiths polish the firing pin spring in and out. Firing pin where you can, gets poished. etc. etc. There are many little things we do that are trade secrets,(maybe. As far as the bolt being hard to open or close, without a cartridge. Bolt timing of the cocking piece can be done to make it better. Some bolts acually have a roller bearing to make it smoother. generally a bench gun thing. Action truing, bedding and all that just try to eliminate stackable tolerances that affect accuracy in small degrees that add up to a big change. At least that's the plan