Torque values on Remington 700 SA?

[40X Guy]

Wanting to know torque specs for my Rem. 700 SA with aluminum pillar bedded laminated stock. Took barreled action out of stock just to clean and look things over before putting away for end of season and want to do this right.

Thanks in advance
Frank

 

[JLDavid]

Frank,
I go 55 inch pounds and do not get any deflection on the barreled action when tightening the screws measured with a micrometer. I bed with Richard Franklin's procedure and have had great luck using Devcon. Works for me.

 

[40X Guy]

JL David, I am curious where and how are you measuring deflection on the barrelled action with a micrometer? Being as obsessive about nth degree attention to detail as I am do I need to worry about this? ;D

Frank

 

[40X Guy]

Figured out the method of checking deflection yesterday with help of a friend, my bedding is good to go with 0 deflection while loosening or tightening rear action screw. And I torqued the screws to 55 inch pounds. Thanks!

Frank

 

[JLDavid]

Sorry for not getting back sooner Frank. I put the rifle in a vise with padded jaws with the screws facing up. Put your magnetic base on the vise or secured to the table near the end of the barrel. Set up the dial indicator on the barrel and torque the screws evenly. Watch the needle as you work. Gordy Gritters had a Utube video that showed it really well. Glad it went good for you. A friend had bedding in front of the recoil lug and did not bed stress free and the deflection showed up with the screws at 30 inch pounds and went up very fast from there.

 

[TRECustom]

Looks like 55 in/lbs is the norm. I've been going to 65 in/lbs in stocks that have pillar blocks, and 45 on glass bedded stocks without pillar blocks.
JLD, I have never indicated a barrel during tightening or loosening, and I always bed for a short distance in front of the recoil lug. I can't wait to try indicating some of them tomorrow, but I'm half afraid of what I'll find! Thanks for a clear, simple way to do it.

Tom

 

[JLDavid]

TRE,
The gun that had a lot of deflection was not bedded in a stress free way. I am not 100% sure but I think clamps were used to hold things together during bedding. I have bedding in front of several lugs and don't get any deflection but they are bedded using the Richard Franklin stress free method. I bet you won't find any if you did it stress free. If you can find the Gordy Gritters UTUBE video, he shows it way better than I described it. Good luck.

 

[TRECustom]

Well, I'm STILL not out of the woods. I use long, blank, bedding screws to guide, align, and hold the action/barrel vertical and then guess what? I clamp the action in with 2 of the parallel woodworker's clamps, as near as possible next to the blank bedding screws! I haven't checked any of mine yet, too much going on, but I have my fingers crossed.

Thanks, Tom