Remington 700 build questions (bottom metal)

[GeorgeBush]

Might have put this in the wrong place, please move if necessary.

Havent built a gun before but so far this has been fun, ordered a barrel action and a B&C stock.... not happy with the Remington bottom metal I got.

It fits and looks great but its extremely lightweight to the point of flimsy / cheap. Cant afford some of the fancier 300 dollar options I see, so in my price range the steel ones look like:

Sunny Hill
Stockys
Obendorf

It needs to be drop in... at least as much as the Remington one was. Somewhat related... are all internal magazine springs blued? In other words, is spring steel always blued and internal springs are never stainless?

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1005034156?pid=417752
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1005029740?pid=294506

Links for reference... both look stainless / both arrived blue. Thanks in advance for any wisdom.

 

[GeorgeBush]

Oh one more comment... my action fits snugly in the M40ish stock (no complaints there), but the recoil lug has a lot of space in front of it because the slot is large. I know it only really matters that its snug and that it contacts the rear of the slot, but I saw some people with aluminum bedding blocks will epoxy JUST the lug slot (using release agent on the lug itself).

Important or unnecessary?

 

[jimmyjames8]

Stockys and Brownells have bottom metal. I think I got mine for my M24 build from Brownells and it is very nice. On the recoil lug, some smiths bed the entire thing in bedding compound. Some do not bed it at all. B&C says not to with their bedding block but a lot of smiths do anyway. I have a 308 20" Rem 700 SPS factory bbl'd action in a carbine B&C stock (no longer made) with bedding block and it fit perfectly and is a tac driver. I didnt have to do a thing. Have the same set up in 223 and the bbl channel had to be opened up and I had to shim the action to get bbl and bbl channel clearance. That bbl is shot out now and if I get it rebarrelled, I will bed it at the same time.

 

[Chuckman]

Bedding vs no bedding is about as contentious as barrel break-in (cross thread points). If I had the option, I would bed it. For bottom metal I am a fan of the buy once-cry once philosophy, with Badger Ordnance. But honestly, you can get good bottom metal half the price.

 

[REELDOC]

Stocky Stocks are great, laminated ones are hard as a woodpecker beak so if you need to put screws in it pre-drill them first. Don't ask me how I know this.............

 

[GeorgeBush]

I did not see where B&C said not to bed the lug... thanks for pointing it out. I might have a few unused bits from this project if anyone wants them (heads up).

Also thanks whoever moved this!

EDIT: Next question... torque values seem all over the plane online. What do you guys recommend for the actions screws (assuming steel bottom metal), one piece scope base (DNZ) and scope rings (DNZ)?

Seems like even blue loctite is hotly debated online... might as well touch on that too.

 

[Hashknife]

Bedding vs no bedding is about as contentious as barrel break-in (cross thread points). If I had the option, I would bed it. For bottom metal I am a fan of the buy once-cry once philosophy, with Badger Ordnance. But honestly, you can get good bottom metal half the price.

Badger Ordnance all the way...!

 

[Zbizzle911]

Blue loctite on the scope mount screws and rings. Just a dab. I wouldn’t put any on the action screws. As far as torque goes follow mount and scope recommendations for that stuff. The action screws can be anywhere between 45-65.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CHRIS_WNC]

Torque values are determined by manufacturers. Badger has always been 65 in/lb. factory pot metal Remington has been lower. The Manners mini-chassis has two different ones. 65 front/45 rear.

Some people tune torque on their rifles. Rimfire guys with wooden stocks seem to do that some.

CHRIS

 

[GeorgeBush]

Back from the dead... what kind of scope cover would have been used in Vietnam (if any)?

Hard plastic? Flip? Bikini (hard)?

Wanted to avoid Butler Creek but if it looks right...

(thanks again)

 

[ronn47]

Carlos appears to have used screw on/off caps