Scope base came loose!

[Medium rare]

I went to one of the ranches I manage this evening. While walking to the stand I felt something loose and rattling on my gun. I found the scope base was loose. This is the second time in this gun and I have never had a scope base come loose like this before. I torqued everything with wheeler torque wrench and used loctite when I mounted the base. I am going to bed the base with jb weld this evening. The gun is a 10X action(rem 700 clone) brux barrel, b&c stock and an ATACR scope in a 300 wsm. Any ideas on what I can try if bedding doesn't work?

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Get a new base. A steel one, not aluminum.

How tigh are you torquing your base screws?

 

[jonbearman]

If you want them to stay put use .271 red thread locker. You can get them out with very little heat from a bernzomatic propane torch. All you need is just enough to loosen them.

 

[timeout]

Not intending to insult you, but did you prep the screws and female threads to remove oils before applying the loctite?

 

[Medium rare]

I wiped the screws down with acetone and I think the problem I had was trying to use the purple loctite. I wanted to get a 20moa base but only had this one at the time so I figured the low strength loctite would be fine until I get the new base. I decided to bed the base and cleaned everything well. I torqued the 8-40 base screws to 30in-lbs.

 

[Medium rare]

And I used blue loctite this time.

 

[Ricke7]

blue Loctite is best take it from a 35 year auto tech!!!! Red is to much.

 

[stacy]

I wiped the screws down with acetone and I think the problem I had was trying to use the purple loctite. I wanted to get a 20moa base but only had this one at the time so I figured the low strength loctite would be fine until I get the new base. I decided to bed the base and cleaned everything well. I torqued the 8-40 base screws to 30in-lbs.

SHOULD BE FINE I'VE HAD THAT HAPPEN A TIME OR TWO I USE 35 IN-LBS NEVER HAD A PROBLEM AFTERWARD W/LOCKITE

 

[GrocMax]

What size screws? 300WSM is going to stress small ones, you may need to retap bigger or maybe look into one of the Farrell G-force type bases that don't transfer recoil thru the screws but to a separate adjustable 'lug'. Or bond the base on.

Loctite type is not your fix.

 

[stacy]

8-40 HE'S GOOD ON SCREW SIZE!!!

 

[Medium rare]

I appreciate the help but my last post on this thread was in 2014. I figured out the problem and am a little embarrassed to confess the issue. The front screw was slightly too long and was bottoming. I shortened the screw and haven't had a problem since.

 

[284winner]

I've actually used a dremel tool to grind an X right under each pad of a one piece pic rail deep enough to have an area for the epoxy to adhere. Grind a matching set of X grooves on the bottom of the base matching the X on the action. Mix epoxy and apply it into the X grooves. Re attach your base and torque to spec. Next drill a hole between each set of base screw holes straight thru the base and into the receiver(DO NOT drill into the bolt port of the action). Tap a roll pin into it. Grind off the remaining pin from the top of the base. Even if your screws backed out a bit, this would not cause a zero problem with the pins installed and epoxy locking both together. This seems like a crude system but it will not damage anything to decrease strength or make the gun look unappealing. Everything will be unseen after completion but rock solid. Removing will be fairly easy but patience will be required.