newbie help

[sstaylor]

Ok I am new to long range but I have already had a rifle built. It is Stiller predator long action with Shilen 24" # 5 contour pluss muzzle brake. In 300 WM and timney trigger. Jerry Stiller chambered and fitted barrel and all looks good. I ordered a mcmillian drop in stock for rifle and it looks good. I put action and barrel in stock and when i tightened the action screws the bolt binds up. I have another post asking How tight do you make the screws but I have done a little searching and found they are supposed to be 65 in lbs. I do not feel I have the screws that tight yet as i was using an L shaped allen wrench. But when I snug them down the bolt binds.

[J E Custom]

Originally Posted by sstaylor

Ok I am new to long range but I have already had a rifle built. It is Stiller predator long action with Shilen 24" # 5 contour pluss muzzle brake. In 300 WM and timney trigger. Jerry Stiller chambered and fitted barrel and all looks good. I ordered a mcmillian drop in stock for rifle and it looks good. I put action and barrel in stock and when i tightened the action screws the bolt binds up. I have another post asking How tight do you make the screws but I have done a little searching and found they are supposed to be 65 in lbs. I do not feel I have the screws that tight yet as i was using an L shaped allen wrench. But when I snug them down the bolt binds.

There is no such thing as a true drop in stock !!!!

There are stocks that are inletted for a partiicular action but they don't fit perfict so
you should bed the action.

If the bolt binds when you tighten the bedding/action screws then it is flexing the action
and this can't be good.

35 to 65 inch pounds is the correct torque .

If the barrel is not free floated it can cause the same problem.

To check this just lay a dollar bill in the barrel channel and then snugg the action screws,
if the bill wontmove freely up and down the barrel then it needs floating.

J E CUSTOM

[sstaylor]

The barrel is free floating. I am going to get a torque wrench to do this right.
So about how tight by feel is say 50 in lbs out of curiosity. I don't wanna have to send my rifle off. I just now got my stock after 6 months of waiting but this has got me worried now.

[winmagman]

Check the length of the front action screw.

Take the front action screw out or at least loosen it up a good bit, then pull the bolt back re install and fully tighten the front screw and see if you can close the bolt. If not the front screw needs to be shortened a little, easily done with a Dremel.

Like JE said sometimes "drop in " isn't quite accurate.

Chris

[Kevin Cram]

My first guess is probably the front guard screw is too long and is making contact with the bolt lug when the bolt closes. Look at the bolt lug and see if it appears to have been marked up, or look inside the action with a light and see if the screw is sticking up too far.
The other possibility but not as likely is there might be a high center and your flexing the action and putting the bolt in bind. My guess is the first though.

[sstaylor]

Well I took the bolt out tightened it down and looked in the action with flash light and could see some of the screw sticking through. I'm going to grind it down some and see how that works.

Thank You so Very much,
Sean

[grinnergetter]

Same problem here, Stiller's screws were too long...used stock screws and went together just fine.