Correct Remington 700 scope holes that are crooked

[urbanrifleman]

How do you fix this?

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Proper way would be weld it and redrill it. Second way would be machine a base while mounted on the crooked holes.

 

[GenePoole]

How crooked are they? I have yet to find any that won't straighten out when punched out to 8-40. Cut the new holes with an endmill so they don't try to follow the crooked holes.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Sadly, I do not have a mill...haha

 

[tobnpr]

Gene's right...
Drop it off at a local smith, or if you have a machine shop nearby as a walk-in.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

How crooked are they? I have yet to find any that won't straighten out when punched out to 8-40. Cut the new holes with an endmill so they don't try to follow the crooked holes.

Same here.

 

[carlsbad]

You have to have a mill. Then you have to have patience, and you have to have good taps. Break a tap off in one of these holes and you'll have a bad day. I've never seen any so crooked that you couldn't fix it by just redrilling for 8-40. You have to drill with an endmill so as not to follow the old hole. Not a big fan of welding in general--too much heat and residual stress.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

You have to have a mill. Then you have to have patience, and you have to have good taps. Break a tap off in one of these holes and you'll have a bad day. I've never seen any so crooked that you couldn't fix it by just redrilling for 8-40. You have to drill with an endmill so as not to follow the old hole. Not a big fan of welding in general--too much heat and residual stress.

I use carbon steel taps in receivers for the simple reason that carbide will cut it out if you break one off. Still a bad day but not as bad as it could be. Speaking of this, I need to order some more taps. I try to keep several of the plug, taper and bottoming taps in 6-48, 8-40 and 3-56. A fresh, sharp tap is often the difference in a bad day and an effortless job. They pay for themselves in tap handles alone...by not throwing them across the shop and losing them. Lol!

edit...Actually, I usually tap in a mill by turning the chuck by hand with the mill in neutral. Holding the tap dead nuts straight is critical to not breaking them. Drill the hole and tap from the same setup without moving anything and everything lines up better and straighter.

 

[hogpatrol]

Mill & convert to 8-40, then open up the standard bases with a .161/#20 drill. If it's a through hole, I use a gun tap. They can be driven under power. The three & four flute taps made in Guangdong province that are being peddled today are prone to breakage, even sharp ones.

For those not familiar with what's commonly called a gun tap:

https://www.mcmaster.com/gun-taps

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Mill & convert to 8-40, then open up the standard bases with a .161 drill. If it's a through hole, I use a gun tap. They can be driven under power. The three & four flute taps made in Guangdong province that are being peddled today are prone to breakage, even sharp ones.

For those not familiar with what's commonly called a gun tap:

https://www.mcmaster.com/gun-taps

That's all I use when power tapping any thru hole. Chip evacuation is often the problem in small holes.

 

[10at6]

I think Long Rifles inc, Chad is set up to do them on a CNC. He thread mills the 8-40.
And seemed the price was not bad at all

 

[10at6]

Burris Signature rings will also correct the misalingment

 

[urbanrifleman]

I talked to my smith he has never done one, but he is willing to try. I might have to buy the end mill bit. I am not sure he has one. He said he needs carbide?

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I talked to my smith he has never done one, but he is willing to try. I might have to buy the end mill bit. I am not sure he has one. He said he needs carbide?

Shouldn't need carbide but it won't hurt...unless it breaks off in the hole.
I use a 9/64 end mill. You should be able to find it in carbide without issue.

 

[urbanrifleman]

What end mill do I need to buy?

 

[urbanrifleman]

Shouldn't need carbide but it won't hurt...unless it breaks off in the hole.
I use a 9/64 end mill. You should be able to find it in carbide without issue.

Roger that.

 

[GenePoole]

Your smith should know, but he'll want to align the action to the bolt raceway to ensure the best possible alignment of the scope mounting holes. This requires a setup similar to the one used to true up an action in the lathe: a ground dowel and bushings to fit the raceway.

 

[urbanrifleman]

He has that.

 

[GenePoole]

I'm curious too. When you say "crooked" do you mean out of linear alignment with the centerline of the action, or pointing out at other than vertical angles from the action. If the latter, then I've never seen this before, but I've actually never checked. I usually get some linear alignment issues, but never more than a thou or so off from centerline. I actually do check this and keep records of it too.

 

[carlsbad]

Urbanrifleman, You're total cost should be $100 or less. --Jerry