Action screw tension without a torque wrench?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jeff, CA
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J

Jeff, CA

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I've just gotten an HS Precision aluminum-bedding-block stock for my Remington .30-06. The instructions say to torque the action screws to 65 in-lb. I didn't want to shell out $70 for an in-lb torque wrench just to tighten 2 screws, though. How critical is this? Am I kidding myself if I think I can do it properly by hand?
 
Jeff, here's what some of my local guys do. Take a couple of boxes of their favorite load, a 1/4" sharp cold chisel, a hammer and a properly fitting screwdriver to the range. Tighten your screws as you normally would. Shoot a group and tighten the screws a touch. Repeat until you find the tension that is most accurate with your rifle. When you find the "sweet spot" make an index mark on the gaurd and the screw at the same time with one rap on the cold chisel. They tell me that this works very well for them. George
 
65 in/lbs is just a little over 5 ft/lbs...not REALLY tight. The guys over on benchrest.com say to use an "L"-shaped allen wrench and just tighten as tight as you can with your fingers, using the longer leg for contact with the screws.
 
Talk about tight....
I just got my Weatherby Ultralight back from Weatherby. They had put a new fiberglass stock on it. (pillar bedded)

I went to check the action & I'll be darn if I can break the screws loose with anything like normal torque! The Weatherby tech had put those puppies in there but good!
I left them alone out of fear of damaging the head of the screws. I figure that is where they will stay until I just have to take the stock off for some reason.
k
 
Try the eBay auctions

FYI: I recently purchased a "like new" inch-pound torque wrench for $25 on eBay. It had a cal sticker on it that was just two months out. I checked it against calibrated foot-pound ones and it read the same, using the conversion factor of course.
 
The Anschutz 1800 series rifles in the 1980s came with an allen wrench of a specific size, with two curved areas for your fingers to hold it. The theory/application was to install the action screws, then use the rifle's weight with your fingers in the wrench's "grooves." With the wrench handle horizontal (well, within 36°) and the rifle vertical, the torque would be correct.

You may want to get a long-handled allen wrench and do the math for your rifle.
 
That's it!!

I'll use a 3/8" ratchet with an allen wrench on it, and use my trigger pull scale to apply the force at a known distance from the screw. Cheapo, you're a genius!
 
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