Squaring receiver face by hand?

[stcummingsjr]

I have a few project actions (rem 700) that will be hosts for left over parts that I have gathered over time. I'm looking for input on squaring just the receiver face with a tool like brownells "RECEIVER FACING CUTTER & PILOTS" rather than leaving the action alone before re-barreling? I'm not looking to squeeze every last bit of Bentchrest potential out of them, but would be happy gaining on what I have.

I've read about dave Manson's hand trueing system, But did not want to spend that type of cash on hand tools, when I could put it twards tooling for a lathe. Is it worth just squaring the receiver by hand, cupled with a ground recoil lug? Or is it too small of a pice of the hole picture to gain any real world benefits

I realize that there can be many factors which will lend to different accuracy potentials in a worked over action, And that I may never be able to account for this small of a step, but assuming no other details have been overlooked would facing the receiver by hand be a step in the right direction.

Thanks steve

[J E Custom]

Originally Posted by stcummingsjr

I have a few project actions (rem 700) that will be hosts for left over parts that I have gathered over time. I'm looking for input on squaring just the receiver face with a tool like brownells "RECEIVER FACING CUTTER & PILOTS" rather than leaving the action alone before re-barreling? I'm not looking to squeeze every last bit of Bentchrest potential out of them, but would be happy gaining on what I have.

I've read about dave Manson's hand trueing system, But did not want to spend that type of cash on hand tools, when I could put it twards tooling for a lathe. Is it worth just squaring the receiver by hand, cupled with a ground recoil lug? Or is it too small of a pice of the hole picture to gain any real world benefits

I realize that there can be many factors which will lend to different accuracy potentials in a worked over action, And that I may never be able to account for this small of a step, but assuming no other details have been overlooked would facing the receiver by hand be a step in the right direction.

Thanks steve

The key to a good truing of the receiver face is based on the center line of the action.

If you use a tool that uses a piloted bushing in the back end of the receiver that fits, it will
square up very close depending on how good the tool is. I prefer to use the Lathe but if you
are not ready/equipped then the hand tools will work ok if care is taken.

Also mic. the recoil lug to make sure that it is the same thickness all the way around. If it
is not, replace it with a ground after market lug, or the action truing is a wast of time.

Anything is worth the effort if it improves the performance and accuracy.

Hope this helps.

J E CUSTOM

[Fitch]

Originally Posted by stcummingsjr

I have a few project actions (rem 700) that will be hosts for left over parts that I have gathered over time. I'm looking for input on squaring just the receiver face with a tool like brownells "RECEIVER FACING CUTTER & PILOTS" rather than leaving the action alone before re-barreling? I'm not looking to squeeze every last bit of Bentchrest potential out of them, but would be happy gaining on what I have.

I've read about dave Manson's hand trueing system, But did not want to spend that type of cash on hand tools, when I could put it twards tooling for a lathe. Is it worth just squaring the receiver by hand, cupled with a ground recoil lug? Or is it too small of a pice of the hole picture to gain any real world benefits

I realize that there can be many factors which will lend to different accuracy potentials in a worked over action, And that I may never be able to account for this small of a step, but assuming no other details have been overlooked would facing the receiver by hand be a step in the right direction.

Thanks steve

How will you measure them to see if they are out of true to start with? How will you measure them to see if you made an improvement when you are done? If you can't measure them, you are doing nothing more than cutting and guessing.

IMO., if you can't measure them to start with, you would be better off using them just like they are, or paying somebody with a lathe to true the receiver face to the bolt bore. Truing the receiver face is a 10 minute job if one has a lathe and a mandrel to go between centers like this:



Fitch

[Fitch]

Deleted.

[geargrinder]

Originally Posted by Fitch

How will you measure them to see if they are out of true to start with? How will you measure them to see if you made an improvement when you are done? If you can't measure them, you are doing nothing more than cutting and guessing.

IMO., if you can't measure them to start with, you would be better off using them just like they are, or paying somebody with a lathe to true the receiver face to the bolt bore. Truing the receiver face is a 10 minute job if one has a lathe and a mandrel to go between centers like this:



Fitch

I was under the impression that you should always true a Savage action in relation to the action threads and not to the bolt raceway like a remington. It's also done because you don't want to recut Savage threads. If you did, you'd never be able to use prefits.

What's your thoughts, Fitch?

[stcummingsjr]

"How will you measure them to see if they are out of true to start with? How will you measure them to see if you made an improvement when you are done? If you can't measure them, you are doing nothing more than cutting and guessing. "


This was in fact what was driving me nuts and drove me to post. I usually can wade through and come up with a pretty solid answer on most stuff. *I have yet to hear/read of anyone using the hand squaring tool from brownells, ( as noted for good reason by fitch) *I can't get past that it was designed, maybe poorly to accomplish a squaring task- but as it has been pointed out...I will never really know if it did any good of not. Has anyone ( maybe back during your cheap sluming days ever try one for kicks? I would assume that if operated properly it can't make things worse... But I'll never know

Thanks for walking me through this.

[sinarms]

I made my Savage truing mandrel to go off of the lug and threads and has worked very well.