Point me in the right direction

[Wingnut00]

So I'm asking this question for a buddy and all advice is welcome. He bought his wife a new Winchester and called up a respected manufacturer of rings and mounts, told em what he had and asked for a 20 moa rail for it They send him a rail and he sets it on the receiver and notices it rocks on the reciever really bad. Calls the manufacturer and lets them know something is wrong with the rail. So they send another one and same problem. So he went to the local sporting good store and tried the rail on 8 diffent rifles of the same model and the rail doesn't fit any of em correctly. Attatched are two pictures he sent me obviously showing the problem. Top picture is with the rail torqued down and bottom is with only rear screws torqued. He is waiting on another brand of rail to try but he was asking me suggestions in case the next rail has the same issues. I told him he may have to bed the rail which I have never done or have a gunsmith machine the rail to match the receiver. So give me some suggestions if you could thanks. Forgot to say it is a Winchester XPR.

 

[Prose]

The two options you listed are pretty good. A third would be to lay some emery paper on top of the action facing up and "Squaring" up the bottom of the rail. This would be a last option, but it could work.

If it were me, I would try another brand. The manufacturer may have simply spec'd it wrong. It is a new model after all.

 

[Wingnut00]

The two options you listed are pretty good. A third would be to lay some emery paper on top of the action facing up and "Squaring" up the bottom of the rail. This would be a last option, but it could work.

If it were me, I would try another brand. The manufacturer may have simply spec'd it wrong. It is a new model after all.

Thanks for the reply. The manufacturer of the rail he has claimed that they tried another manufactures rail and it was the same as theirs so he is worried. So when you say lay some Emory cloth on the reciever I take it like you are saying to basically sanding the rail to fit. Am I correct in my understanding or am I way off?

 

[Prose]

Thanks for the reply. The manufacturer of the rail he has claimed that they tried another manufactures rail and it was the same as theirs so he is worried. So when you say lay some Emory cloth on the recieved I take it like you are saying to basically sanding the rail to fit. Am I correct in my understanding or am I way off?

You got it. Sand to fit. Usually a skim bed epoxy too when using that method. I've only done it on rifles that have no factory options for mounts (really old rifles). A bent rail means a bent scope. Sanding it will also make it an unknown MOA rail. Lots of opportunity for failure...

A fourth option would be to shim/lap the rings to create a straight base for the scope, but when you are working with bent metal I assume the error factor would be ever present.

Does winchester sell a rail for the XPR? They probably got the measurements down if they do.

 

[Wingnut00]

Ok I'm glad I understood correctly. He was gonna lap the rings but I told him that I was worried about having to take so much material out of the rings it might get to the point the rings may not torque to the scope correctly. Not sure but he doesn't want to chance ruining $150 rings which I understand. I'm not exactly sure if Winchester makes a rail or not. He claims only two manufacturers make a rail for that model and I guess I have not checked. I will pass the info you have shared with me on to him and thanks again. Much appreciated!

 

[jimbires]

here is an instruction sheet from Ken Farrell . you do not want to bend the mount . bed the mount so it is stress free .

 

[Wingnut00]

here is an instruction sheet from Ken Farrell . you do not want to bend the mount . bed the mount so it is stress free .

Thank u for that. That will be very useful!

 

[swd]

Bed it. Fast, easy and it won't permanently eff anything up. Some powered steel in the bedding compound won't hurt either.

 

[Wingnut00]

Bed it. Fast, easy and it won't permanently eff anything up. Some powered steel in the bedding compound won't hurt either.

Ok. I will pass that along to my buddy. Thanks for the reply!

 

[Zero333]

Tell your friend to go on youtube and search "bedding scope rail".

If he graduated from grade 8 then he should have no problems doing it himself.

If he has a engineering diploma this might be too much for him and should let someone else do it.

 

[Wingnut00]

Tell your friend to go on youtube and search "bedding scope rail".

If he graduated from grade 8 then he should have no problems doing it himself.

If he has a engineering diploma this might be too much for him and should let someone else do it.

Thanks for the reply! I never thought about you tube just simply cause I never watch stuff on there. I think he made it through 8th grade but not sure. I'll ask and also pass along the you tube suggestion.

 

[Wingnut00]

Tell your friend to go on youtube and search "bedding scope rail".

If he graduated from grade 8 then he should have no problems doing it himself.

If he has a engineering diploma this might be too much for him and should let someone else do it.

I just text him. He claims he made it half way through ninth so he should be able to figure it out. Now I gotta watch you tube!