Question about action screws

[Swampmonster]

Hey guys, I just got a new Stockeys LRS for my howa 1500 30-06 but when I put it together whenever I tighten the front action screw down it pulls the barrel down to where it is touching the stock.

Everything fits nice and if I listen the screw a bit it returns to free floating but with it being a larger caliber in afraid it will malfunction on me somehow.

Do y'all think it will be fine or should I send down the inside of the stock a bit so I can tighten it down finger tight?

If you need any more information let me know. Thanks!

 

[DirtySteve]

Yeah they need to be tighter than finger tight. You will need to do some sanding. Here is a good article on action screws..
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/savage-action-screw-torque-tuning/

 

[Toolbreaker]

Since the front action screw goes into the recoil lug on Howa actions, you might try bedding the stock around and beneath the lug. That should keep it from tipping the action forward.

 

[Albany Mountain]

Primary contact should be the action with minor contact of the barrel if not free floated. A 30-06 will shake things loose in a poor fitting stock.

 

[Lougler]

i just bedded a Howa twice, and here is what i found out. The first time, i left a tape gap under the recoil lug with a pad under the portion of the barrel immediately in front of the recoil lug. The rifle DID NOT like that setup. I stripped the pad out under the barrel, and bedded under the lug. It's much happier now.

 

[joshb]

You would have to research the torque values that Howa recommends . I use 40-50 inch pounds on my guns. Finger tight won't work. I,d sand the barrel channel until the barrel free floats. Use a dowel and some 80 grit. A 2 foot length of dowel gives you a good handle. Glue the paper on the dowel. If you're going to bed the action, wrap a ring of tape around the barrel before you do it Wrap about 1/16" of tape . Wrap it at the area where you have contact with the stock. Here's a pick of how I bed:

 

[hogpatrol]

Josh, how do you maintain vertical alignment with that clamp? Do you have pilot studs in the action long enough to go through the stock?

 

[joshb]

You want me to reveal trade secrets! Ok. The pillars keep it straight. The holes I drill for the pillars are 1/16 larger than my pillar diameter to allow for bedding compound around them to lock them in. The holes go all the way thru the blank. I wax up my action, then use my action screws ( which are wrapped in blue painters tape to keep them centered in the pillars) lightly snug, to hold my pillars in place. The inletting in the stock for the action is oversized by 1/32 to 1/16 overall. The rear pillar is 1 1/8" long. Given the geometry of that, there is a possible 1/ 2 to 1 degree off perfect vertical by my best figuring. I hope that explains it? It's not perfect but I'm an amateur at this.

Edit: I just looked at that pic, closely. Same system is used but that's a Tikka 595 action. They're flat bottomed actions like a Panda and is a big reason why I buy every one I see!

 

[hogpatrol]

You want me to reveal trade secrets!

Just what I suspected, a stockmaking skunkworks.

 

[joshb]

Just wait for "phase 2". I'm buying a duplicator.

 

[USMCDOC]

Just wait for "phase 2". I'm buying a duplicator.

First you say that you can't let the "trade" secrets out, and then hog says something about Area 53 and then you go let the cat out of the bag.. you must work for the gooberment!

 

[joshb]

Hog's a friend. I can't say "no" to a friend unless he want's to borrow money.

 

[Cigarcop]

I would never clamp anything during bedding especially if your hoping to have it stress free. Just my opinion

 

[Someoldguy]

A man ought to buy a cheap rifle and bed it 20x if he wants to learn bedding.

Ooops.

 

[joshb]

I would never clamp anything during bedding especially if your hoping to have it stress free. Just my opinion

I'd really like your input. I only have very light pressure on the clamp. Just a few ounces. I put a good 12" Stabila level across the stock to check it. It's still flat on the bottom at this point and the butt is clamped to the flat work table. Then I put the level on the rail and use the clamp to make the action level in the bedding. Just a small amount of pressure on one side or the other. Do you think the light pressure is hurting the procedure? Should I just use gravity? I have no "formal training". I read a lot and watched a bunch of videos of guys using rubber bands, tape and such. I'd appreciate any pointers, especially coming from you.

 

[Someoldguy]

I hope you guys keep this discussion open. I know just enough to know I don't know much.

 

[ricco1949]

I set pillars flush with bottom of stock and let them set high in inlet then mill them off to appropriate height when cured, usually about .025 above the inlet bottom. I put a little forward rise on the barrel/action trying to assure that recoil is going down not up in the buttstock for bag riding.

I use 1/4-28 socket cap screws with the head turned off for bedding alignment bolts..... the Allen socket remains. After pushing the action into the bedding with the alignment bolts attached I remove the alignment bolts and replace with action bolts and snug the action to the pillars, then release both bolts and just barely snugging the rear bolt only, allowing gravity to take its course. Tape wrapped around the barrel assures centering at the forearm.

I should add that I do this two bedding steps....... three in a screw and glue in. The initial step only covers the very bottom of the inlet up to the top of the pillars and a little up the sides, 2nd step completes the bedding or ready for glue-in. I find that its easier to achieve good stress-free centering alignment when doing the bedding in steps.

That's my story and I been stickin' to it.

 

[nmkid]

just barely snugging the rear bolt only,

Please explain why.

 

[ricco1949]

Please explain why.

I just snug the rear action bolt for centering and to make sure the action is on the top of the rear pillar. Gravity pulls the front down.

I try to make the barrel centering tape in the forearm coincide with the height of the pillars so that when the action is snug to the pillars the tape just touches each side of the forearm.

The pillars come off the lathe with a 9/32 pre-hole so I have a few 000's to slide the rear end from side to side for centering on the initial bedding step.

 

[ricco1949]

Oh boy...... just realized this thread is a year old.