Rem 700 Bedding Problem

[parshal]

I figured someone here has some good advice.

I've got a 700 .264 that shoots .75" at 100 with an HS Precision stock. In preparation for a high country buck hunt (which didn't materialize) I replaced the Leupold rings with Talley's and the HS stock with a Brown's Precision. I bedded the action last summer and shot it for the first time last weekend. I was lucky if any group was under 2". ). I was shooting from the same lot I used with the last time I shot. It shot all over the place. I was lucky to get any grouping under 2”. I figure I did something wrong with the bedding since I’ve not done it before (although I’ve worked on my rifles and shotguns as an amateur for years). I had torqued the action screws to 50 inch pounds by the trigger and 70 inch pounds at the fore end. The screws came out much easier than I think they should have. I had used blue Loctite so they definitely should have been tougher to move. I think the screws were too short since it was bedded so I’ve ordered longer screws from Brownells. I had less than three full turns of contact with the old screws which I think doesn't have enough contact allowing the screws to easily back out. I also found the bolt release button was hitting the trigger (Jewell trigger) guard not allowing it to freely move. I filled a little metal off the trigger plate and side of the release button and then polished it. It now moves freely.

The barrel is not touching in any way and is fully free floated. The bolt release would only “stick” once the front action screw was torqued to final. It did not stick if only the rear screw was tightened. This leads me to believe something may not be right about my bedding since tightening the front screw would twist the barrel enough to stick the release button. I can’t move the barrel once the recoil lug is fully seated even before inserting the screws, though.

Can someone tell me if it's just wishful thinking that longer action screws are going help? I could always dremel out the bedding and do it again but I really don't want to do that. The rifle shot fantastic with the old, heavy HS Precision stock.

 

[Cahunter805]

70 inch pounds is a lot without pillars or bedding block. I tend to run 45 inch pounds on most my rifles. You can actually test your rifle in 5 in lb increments and let it tell you what it likes.
Also just because your old load and stock combo grouped good doesn't mean the load will be good in this rifle. You may need to tune the load. Also is this rifle a BDL? If so the magazine box may be binding and need to be shortened.

 

[Shrek]

The binding of the bolt release is a red flag that there is a problem with the bedding. If you have a good bed job then you can tighten the chit out of it and the bolt release wouldn't bind. Is the bolt release in front of the trigger or at the top of the action ? I would take it out and look for rub marks now that you have fired it. Relieve any bedding around the magazine box and anywhere else it shouldn't be.

 

[parshal]

A friend's brother is a gunsmith who builds competitive long range rifles and he's the one that gave me the torque values. I'll definitely mess around with them.

I tried two different loads with the rifle and both were similar in their inaccuracy. I guess I made the assumption that the load that worked best with the same rifle in the HS Precision stock would still be the best in the Brown's precision.

Yes, it's a BDL. Binding where? I don't see it touching the stock anywhere.

Thanks!

 

[Shrek]

Make sure the action screw holes through the stock are oversized and the screws don't touch the stock. Screws should only touch at bottom metal and action and not actually contact the stock.

 

[KMD]

Yep.
Bust out the Dremel. If you don't quickly find an area of binding/contact, hog it all out and bed it again.
Could be you've just gotta relieve some bedding material where it's binding. But, by your description of how torquing screws affects the bolt release, I suspect you've got a bigger problem than that.

What compound did you use to bed it?
How did you hold the barreled action into the stock while it cured?

It's not the end of the world to re-bed. Lordy knows, I've worn down a Dremel battery or two, while hoggin out a lousy bedding job!
Learning from mistakes is part of the curve, don't sweat it...

 

[parshal]

I used what came with the Browns stock. I don't recall the name. I have a box I acraglass that I've not used that I can use again.

I've relieved a few area and the release no longer binds. I've also made sure the bolts don't touch the bedding.

I think I will use the longer screws and see if that and the relief I've done helps. If not I'll rebed it.

I'd try the other rings but they are gone already along with the old stock, dang it.

 

[Shrek]

Thinking about it more and I think there's bedding contacting the trigger somewhere.

 

[Cahunter805]

The magazine box should move up and down with the bottom metal bolted in and tight. Easiest way is to open the action and open the floorplate. Try to wiggle the box up and down. If it doesn't move at all then remove the bottom metal and inspect it. I normally just sand the bottom of the box on a flat surface. Keep checking it until it wiggles a bit. You just don't want it creating a bind or upward pressure when you bolt the bottom metal and action down.

As stated above remove the barreled action and remove areas of bedding that are rubbing around the bolt release.

One thing I just thought about. Make sure the front screw of the front ring isn't making contact with the barrel threads. I've had to shorten a few lately.

The longer screws from Brownell's will need to be trimmed to length. I normally remove the action and run the screws through the stock with bottom metal in place to see how many threads are sticking through. You can do this with your current screws also to see if you are getting good threads already.

 

[gelton]

I have had a very similar thing happen to me but I was switching a rem 700 from a wood to a synthetic stock and the bolt release started to bind. I am Not a fan of Remington's design for the bolt release - it relies on a weak spring and a bent piece of metal. My solution was to lighten the torque but I also messed with the bend in the little metal piece that contacts the spring and it fixed the problem.

 

[LaHunter]

I noticed in the OP that you stated that you put Loctite on your action screws. I have always read DO NOT put Loctite on the action screws. This is probably not the main cause of your problem, but may be useful info for you.
If you do end up having to re-bed the action, I have had very good results with Devcon Plastic Steel Putty (10110). You can find it at Grainger.

 

[parshal]

I have read more about not using loctite but have also read of people using it. I had it so I used it. The thing about it is that the screws should not have been easy to move if the loctite were properly adhering.

The screws I have are short after putting them in the stock without the action. I'll shorten the longer ones one my lathe since I'm sure .25" more will be too much.

I've looked up at the trigger assembly and magazine and see nothing contacting. The magazine doesn't move easily even when assembled outside the stock.

I'll check the front scope ring screw. I haven't looked at that at all.

Thanks!

 

[Shrek]

I use the blue loktite paste on my action screws after I had one come loose on a hunt years ago. It doesn't harden and comes loose easily but I have never had an action screw come loose since I started using it.

Oh , and I replace all slot and Phillips head screws with socket head screws if it doesn't have them already.

 

[parshal]

Cahunter, what about shooting a few rounds without the mag? If it shoots then I know that's the problem.

 

[Cahunter805]

Shooting it without the magazine in is a good way to tell.

 

[parshal]

Some pics.

 

[KMD]

parshal,
Don't mean to offend, but that bedding job looks in need of "re-done".
I would hog out every bit of that bedding material, and start from scratch.

Or, bite the bullet, contact a reputable gunsmith, and spend a few bucks on a professional bedding job.
Worth the $$$, for an already proven, good shootin' rifle and quality stock...

 

[bradb]

Lots of ways to do bedding. But sorry I am with KMD. I like full length, no contact at rear of tang, no contact at screws. Lots more but better get to work! I seriously would do a bunch of internet searching of bedding posts, read them all and learn from as many as you can.

 

[parshal]

No offense taken at all. That's the first time I've done this. Time to re-do!

 

[Shrek]

Definitely redo with a little more aggressiveness. Look at a bunch of pictures and give it another go. MaineTex gray or Devcon steel plastic for bedding. If you would like a book with instructions just pm me an address and I'll send the one I started with.