Recoil lugs

[L.Sherm]

Straight sided or tapered and why?
Single pin or doubled pinned and why?

 

[LVLAaron]

I'm gonna say it doesn't matter.


But I like a dual pin - keeps the lug from rotating when I'm test fitting at the lathe.

 

[DaveTooley]

I like Remington tapered style. It minimizes stock material removal. Number of pins ?????

 

[L.Sherm]

I like Remington tapered style. It minimizes stock material removal. Number of pins ?????

For a pinned recoil lug

 

[Doug Beach]

The Remington pattern will fit in whatever stock someone is going to use down the line. If this isn’t a concern, then I don’t think it makes a difference. I am curious if anyone has done any valid testing of lug thickness vs. recoil level of the cartridge, and if this matters from an accuracy perspective.

 

[LVLAaron]

The Remington pattern will fit in whatever stock someone is going to use down the line. If this isn’t a concern, then I don’t think it makes a difference. I am curious if anyone has done any valid testing of lug thickness vs. recoil level of the cartridge, and if this matters from an accuracy perspective.

I don't think it matters. Profile or thickness. Has anyone ever seen a bent recoil lug? I think you're more likely to see damaged bedding - steel is stronger than glue. Haven't see that damaged either.... Happy to be wrong.

 

[jackieschmidt]

I don't think it matters. Profile or thickness. Has anyone ever seen a bent recoil lug? I think you're more likely to see damaged bedding - steel is stronger than glue. Haven't see that damaged either.... Happy to be wrong.

When the first Remington 300 Ultra Mags appeared, there was concern that they
did have enough “omph” to actually distort the factory lug.

Did any actually do it. Probably not.

 

[Bill Rodolph]

At one time, Roy Dunlap said the only way to get a Remington to shoot was with a thicker recoil lug. We now know thats not true. It was also thought that a round action torqued to much in the bedding, thats why all the high power shooters shot Winchesters, flat bottom, better bedding. We now know thats not true as well.

 

[WesG260]

Pinned lugs, I saw one where the pins had sheared. They somehow came out when I rapped the receiver on the bench. Useless 1/16" to begin with.

I make my lugs with a key, and a notch in the receiver face.

 

[WSnyder]

Single pin over dual. I’ve done both and it doesn’t matter to me so I go with the simpler machining job with a single setup single pin. Tapered sides for the simple fact that they go into and out of the bedding way easier than wiggling a parallel sided lug into and out of the bedding. I use .250” thick because that’s become sort of the default standard and plentiful to buy but thinner would be fine with me.

To keep pins from shearing I use a tiny amount of fine lapping compound between the lug and receiver and an ep grease between lug and barrel. Never had one shear with that method.

 

[DaveTooley]

The Remington pattern will fit in whatever stock someone is going to use down the line. If this isn’t a concern, then I don’t think it makes a difference. I am curious if anyone has done any valid testing of lug thickness vs. recoil level of the cartridge, and if this matters from an accuracy perspective.

I have known for decades that my shoulder is not strong enough to flex a piece of steel .187"ish thick.
If we could flex recoil lugs any bedding at the junction of the lug and action would be destroyed.

 

[L.Sherm]

I've got both taper and straight im with Wsynder but just wondering if some of you smiths thought there was an advantage or disadvantage to either as far as accuracy. I dont think there is i feel the bedding job is more important but im more than willing to learn.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I have known for decades that my shoulder is not strong enough to flex a piece of steel .187"ish thick.
If we could flex recoil lugs any bedding at the junction of the lug and action would be destroyed.

Well said.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I agree with others that we don't need thick lugs on anything I plan to shoot. I do prefer 2 pins over 1 though. One can work fine if the journal cut on the bbl for the lug is a very good fit. If it has virtually any clearance, it will allow the lug to rotate some amount even pinned. Two pins keeps this from happening. As to angled vs straight...both can work fine. The factory lugs can have a rough surface on the sides(not front and rear) than can damage bedding when pulled out or just make removal a bit more difficult. Some just tape everywhere but the rear of the lug and that can be enough to prevent it. Otherwise, I'm fine with either.

 

[WSnyder]

With actions like the Bat M, MST for LRBR and the Bumblebees and Vampires with the tapered sides, tapered lugs I doubt there’s any negative accuracy to a tapered lug over a parallel. If there were the top end shooters and gunsmiths would be asking for parallel lugs.

 

[jds holler]

I guess I understand the "why" of having a pinned lug, but I'll bet that the same could be accomplished with a dab of epoxy and a witness mark. Would still be easy enough to pop off if desired. jd

 

[DaveTooley]

A witness mark is not 100% repeatable. Especially if you bed the sides of the lug. I bed the rear facing side so I have some wiggle room but I still wouldn't trust a witness mark.