How to time recoil lug on Rem 783?

[slowbalt]

Have a Remington 783 I want to swap the barrel of. Comfortable with all steps, except how to ensure correct timing of the recoil lug, as it is not pinned or referenced. Any advice?

 

[hpshooter]

If you are going to reuse the same lug I would consider making a fixture from 1/4" aluminum plate that located off both action screws and the lug before you disassembled the rifle.

 

[hoz53]

Have a Remington 783 I want to swap the barrel of. Comfortable with all steps, except how to ensure correct timing of the recoil lug, as it is not pinned or referenced. Any advice?

they make or you can make a little tool that bolts to front guard screw and holds recoil lug in place. i have one for 700s that i used for my 783 and about all others i need to do this. shim up each side with some drill shanks or shim stock to center up the lug on action. and use an aftermarket .250 lug. they are flat and parallel. i still have that 783 and its a shooter for a cheap gun.—- brownells has these tools

 

[Eagle Six]

You could use something like this....

Kleinendorst

A bit pricey. As stated previously if you can machine tools, making one would be far cheaper and far faster than this shipped. And as others have said, if you are going to use the same lug you can use feeler gauges on the original before removing the barrel to assure it returns to the same timing especially if it has been bedded. Or, as @Hozzie suggest centering the jig tool. If the lug hasn't been bedded or its a drop in stock, it's probably not a .001" critical.

 

[Bill Rodolph]

Level

 

[Will Henry]

for the last fifty years, I have been putting a witness mark on the lug and receiver and aligning that when I put it back together. Sometimes takes a little messing around, but it works OK. WH

 

[hoz53]

for the last fifty years, I have been putting a witness mark on the lug and receiver and aligning that when I put it back together. Sometimes takes a little messing around, but it works OK. WH

when i do that the lug turns when tightening— i had to find a way to hold it in place. wats ur advice to do this as i have to always hold the lug no matter what rifle unless its pinned ect. Thanks

 

[Will Henry]

I dry the action side and grease the barrel side. Usually takes a couple tries to get it just right. With a pinned lug, I always grease the barrel side as well. WH

 

[WSnyder]

Similar to the above I use a tiny amount of 1200 grit lapping compound on the front of the action and an EP grease on the barrel threads and the shoulder that will contact the lug.

 

[D the D]

Some receiver wrenches have a slot for recoil lugs built in. Needs to be make/model specific or an adapter for that.

 

[hoz53]

I dry the action side and grease the barrel side. Usually takes a couple tries to get it just right. With a pinned lug, I always grease the barrel side as well. WH

i guess that makes sense— thanks

 

[STS]

when i do that the lug turns when tightening— i had to find a way to hold it in place. wats ur advice to do this as i have to always hold the lug no matter what rifle unless its pinned ect. Thanks

Clean the face of the receiver, and the corresponding face of the lug with acetone. Lightly lube the barrel shoulder and front side of the lug. The dry side of the lug and action face will not want to move and the lubricated side will. Done it that way for about 30 years and it works quite well.

 

[hoz53]

Clean the face of the receiver, and the corresponding face of the lug with acetone. Lightly lube the barrel shoulder and front side of the lug. The dry side of the lug and action face will not want to move and the lubricated side will. Done it that way for about 30 years and it works quite well.

thanks

 

[Machinist John]

Lug indexer is mounted on the wrench, you can barely see it

Remington wrench at top showing the lug indexer. I have several of the indexers too fit various lugs. I also pin the lug to the receiver with a 3/32" hardened pin, it goes through the lug and into a hole drilled into the receiver ring.

Look closely and you can see the hole in the lug with the pin inserted.

The 1/4"-28 socket head screws into the front action screw hold.

 

[LVLAaron]

I think I'd find someone to drill a hole for you

 

[Machinist John]

I think I'd find someone to drill a hole for you

Hollands lugs came predrilled with a pin. The Remington action wrench also serves as a drill jig. Clamp the wrench onto the vertical mill table with the action and lug in the wrench, and drill through the hole in the lug. Easy enough for a caveman to do.

 

[3Sigma]

Bugholes Lug Alignment Tool

www.bugholes.com

if the 783 is like the 700, this is what I used on a 700 remage. Use the action screw to index the lug, tighten in a barrel vice with an action wrench.