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Savage 12 front scope base hole and barrel threads?

I purchased a Savage 12 FV and installed a Criterion .260 bull barrel. In installing the Leupold 1pc 20 MOA base, I noticed the screw (all 6-48 screws were the same length) going into the first receiver hole was tight before bottoming out. My concern is that I may have gotten down into the barrel threads when I tightened.

My question is if this will cause problems down the road with removing the barrel? I've since called Leupold and requested a 6-48 screw that is .030 shorter. The original 6-48 screw was .180 and the new one will be .150.
 
I purchased a Savage 12 FV and installed a Criterion .260 bull barrel. In installing the Leupold 1pc 20 MOA base, I noticed the screw (all 6-48 screws were the same length) going into the first receiver hole was tight before bottoming out. My concern is that I may have gotten down into the barrel threads when I tightened.

My question is if this will cause problems down the road with removing the barrel? I've since called Leupold and requested a 6-48 screw that is .030 shorter. The original 6-48 screw was .180 and the new one will be .150.
I have just milled of the extra threads. But that is just me.. Tommy Mc
 
My question is if this will cause problems down the road with removing the barrel? [/QUOTE said:
Of course it could if you boogered the barrel threads badly.............. Always test mount the front screws separately and check for looseness of the base. If you detect looseness trim the screw/screws accordingly................ Your experience is not unusual for any type of action. ALWAYS test fit the base/bases........ A good Gunsmith can remedy your problem ( if you have one) by reaming out the hole and removing the "burr" on the barrel thread then re-tap the hole for a larger shank screw.
 
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It's easy enough to shorten the screw yourself. Just take off a little bit at a time until you can get it snug without bottoming out.
 
Yes it could of bottom out . Depending on how and where it hit on the threads it can make removeing the barrel a problem. I never remove a barrel wit the front screw in the base. If you start to remove the barrel put penetrate oil in the base hole work the barrel back and foward by hand . Don't Force it . Larry
 
Yes you have gotten into the barrel threads. It is not horrible but not something you want. The damage is done however, that one screw MAY not be securing the front on the rail properly so I would replace it with the correct length one. Whenever the time comes to remove the barrel you will have that buggered barrel thread fighting you a bit. It does not seem to chew the receiver threads up and the barrel threads can be cleaned up with a thread file. The other end of the thread file can be used just to go over the receiver threads. What is interesting is that you noticed the screws were all the same length as most folks don't note that until it's too late. The shorter screw that is USUALLY supplied with the mount is barely noticeable that it is indeed shorter. Like I said it is not horrible but not desirable for sure. You will see (when the barrel is removed) the one or two threads that got damaged. I learned this when I purchased two barrels (used) on this site and when I complained to the seller he told me he sold them for a friend so I got stuck but wan able to clean them up. I was very sure they were cleaned sufficiently before screwing them into the receiver by running the jam nut on and off until I was happy. Jam nuts are cheaper than a receiver.
 
I'm guessing that the action is heat treated to be harder than the barrel. I'm sure that small amount of damage will straighten itself out in the first turn of the barrel. The screw hole in the action should act like the flute in a die does and will allow any chip to collect in it and not jam in the threads. If the barrel head spaces with the threads in that spot than the that area of threads is doing nothing anyway. These are the kinds of things I agonize over but have zero bearing on life. Just a dad of oil in the screw hole before you spin it out. That is a huge area of threads and a speck of damage.
 
I was very sure they were cleaned sufficiently before screwing them into the receiver by running the jam nut on and off until I was happy. Jam nuts are cheaper than a receiver.
Sage advice for new or used barrels. I've had brand new bbl.s with threads dinged in shipment or handling........ It couldn't POSSIBLY have been me :D
 
I purchased a Savage 12 FV and installed a Criterion .260 bull barrel. In installing the Leupold 1pc 20 MOA base, I noticed the screw (all 6-48 screws were the same length) going into the first receiver hole was tight before bottoming out. My concern is that I may have gotten down into the barrel threads when I tightened.

My question is if this will cause problems down the road with removing the barrel? I've since called Leupold and requested a 6-48 screw that is .030 shorter. The original 6-48 screw was .180 and the new one will be .150.

Yes it will cause problems when removing the barrel. I have done it my first Savage. I got it used with the base on it. I turned the barrel about 1/8 turn and I knew something was wrong. I removed the front screw and the barrel came off but there was damage to the threads. I had the threads fixed. The damage was done by turning the barrel. You should be ok. I cut the screw problems fixed.

Mark Schronce
 
Every time I mount a scope base I check all of the screws that are going into blind holes. For each the procedure is the same. Without the base I start the screw in the receiver, and then slowly back it out, with some down pressure on it, to the point where I hear a click, which is the beginnings of the male and female threads passing each other had the screw dropping. Starting from that point, I turn it in by half turns, counting as I go, and when I hit bottom, adding the additional fraction of a turn to the total. The count will go something like half, one, half, two, half three, half, and perhaps a quarter, for a total in this example, of three and three quarter turns from where the thread is first engaged to the point where it bottoms. After I have noted this for all the blind locations (without the base(s) in place, I do the same thing with the base(s) in place. I like to see a half turn less with the base in place. If the count is the same, or the difference not as much as I want for any screw, I file the screw down till I have the difference that I want. I have done this for years, every time I mount a scope base.
 
The forward (muzzle) screw hole on the OP's Savage is NOT a blind hole, rather a through hole which if you look into with flashlight you can quite clearly see the barrel threads. (1 or 2) The screw will bottom, right into the barrel threads.
 
The forward (muzzle) screw hole on the OP's Savage is NOT a blind hole, rather a through hole which if you look into with flashlight you can quite clearly see the barrel threads. (1 or 2) The screw will bottom, right into the barrel threads.
Wouldn't that make it a blind hole?
The next one back if the screw is too long the bolt won't turn.
Rule of the thumb start all 4 screws and tight one till you feel resistance and see if the base will move Loosen and repeat. Be careful with the second bolt back it will hit on the lug . Larry
 
Wouldn't that make it a blind hole?
The next one back if the screw is too long the bolt won't turn.
Rule of the thumb start all 4 screws and tight one till you feel resistance and see if the base will move Loosen and repeat. Be careful with the second bolt back it will hit on the lug . Larry

NO. One might say blind is blind, you can not see though it.
A blind hole is one which is NOT drilled completely through the material in which you are tapping etc. A though hole is that front mount hole (for the mount) on a the OP's Savage. (front meaning towards the muzzle). Screw is too long? It goes into the barrel threads.
BoydAllen wrote above a great description of how NOT to cross thread these screws, along with insuring blind hole screws do not bottom.
My installation is to get the short screw in that forward hole and start it....that way the correct screw is in the correct hole. Start the other three. I believe in torque wrenches. When all 4 are snug start with the torque wrench in the center screws and work forward and backward.

The above paragraph is merely the way I do this and not meant to sound like the only or the only correct way to do this.

Larry....after I re-read your post I realized what you meant by "Wouldn't this make it a blind hole?". The answer is still no. If it were blind that forward screw could not touch the barrel threads. I misunderstood.
 
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.....................You're going to be OK. That bit of flattening you did to the top of those barrel threads might argue a bit but you probably won't even notice if you're using an action wrench. IMPORTANT to remove base screws before unscrewing barrel. If you are using an action wrench you would have removed scope base. Does it matter if it's a blind mouse hole?
 
.....................You're going to be OK. That bit of flattening you did to the top of those barrel threads might argue a bit but you probably won't even notice if you're using an action wrench. IMPORTANT to remove base screws before unscrewing barrel. If you are using an action wrench you would have removed scope base. Does it matter if it's a blind mouse hole?
Not if the front of the base is milled back. All mine are. Larry
 
Just to clarify, when I wrote blind hole I meant any threaded hole that has the possibility of the screw running into something at its bottom, whether that be the material that the hole was drilled and tapped into or something else...like the shank of a barrel. The point of the post is that one does not have to guess about what is going on when you tighten a scope base screw. The procedure allows you to know if the tip of the fastener is bottoming and if not, how much clearance there is. Beyond that, the idea of ordering a different screw to deal with a difference in length of a few thousandths seems a little funny to me, since I have been shortening them for decades. That is why we have such things as files and grinders.
 
file the screw down to fit, I would much rather file to fit than order one that could be a tad short then you could have a mess, no grip. You will get it fixed no biggie just be careful measure, measure, measure.
 
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