Oh Momma...

[flaco]

Do we all know that sinking feeling when a screw won't torque down?

 

Threads stripped?

 

Oh momma.

 

After a generous invitation from the retailer who sold me the scope for Project #2, I had him mount the scope.

 

I saw quite clearly that he couldn't get one of the screws to tighten up.

 

Out comes the locktite.

 

Just enough range time confirmed that this rifle could shoot, but then... it couldn't even find paper.

 

Mounts loose.

 

As it turns out, I've been lucky enough to spend time every day last week with a Trinidad trained gunsmith who has a name in the target circuit.

 

He's a great guy, patient enough to explain each technique, and generous with his time.

 

I took the barreled action in, and, after a cursory examination, here's what he did.

 

The front mount--Leupold standard on an '09--mounted well with a spare set of screws I had. Perhaps they were a little longer than the screws that came with the Leupold mounts. (As an aside, I suspect Leupold supplies screws short enough that they'll fit every Mauser action, and perhaps not as long as might be appropriate in some applications.)

 

It was pretty obvious that the shallow area of the bridge mount threads were stripped. Once again suggesting that the screws could have been longer.

 

I would have counterbored the mounts for the 8-40s, redrilled and tapped, and thought nothing of it.

 

The professional approach was to re-drill and tap the receiver--of course--but then, instead of counterboring the mounts, turn down the 8-40 screw heads on the lathe.

 

In addition, instead of shortening the screws to fit, he shortened the screw heads (underside) on the lathe. The has the effect of making the screws look like they were designed for the mounts--obviously they weren't--and assuring they went all the way through the receiver, but cleared the bolt.

 

Once fit, the screws were cleaned with a shot of spray brake cleaner--seems like a valuable addition to the shop, he gets it at the $1 store--and then dropped in a plastic medicine bottle of cold blue.

 

(Sorry, forgot to ask which one. Probably Brownell's.)

 

Wish me luck.

 

I hope to get this puppy sighted-in in time to put some holes in a target for the next Postal Match.

 

flaco

 

Also, he had advice on torque: "Tight is right, too tight it broke."

 

LOL.