Lotta good info here. I'm taking my time, learning all the while. Going to put it all together and may even shoot a bit before final assembly. Likely going to epoxy the base at that point, and as said, keep it out of screw holes. Right now I'm thinking Loctite on all screws. I don't shoot a lot, at least as I would define that, and am too old to be very rough on gear anymore.
I had never thought of welding but duh! That is a super idea. It is beyond my personal skill and tools, and my second rate method should hold minute of deer.
Okanagan;
Good afternoon sir, it's been too long since we've touched base and I hope all is well with you and your wonderful family.
If you were still on this side of the medicine line and if you were so inclined to bring a rifle here for me to work on, then I would ask you if you DID NOT want your bases epoxied down onto the receiver, otherwise all the rifles which come through my shop get glued on.
Why is a good question and I'll do my best to answer as follows.
When I started fooling with horses more than a quarter century ago, I found that they'd loosen pretty much anything off given the opportunity, scope bases included.
I'd recalled reading a story by an old time Montana packer Ed Nixon who'd gone on an Alaska hunt and had epoxied the bases down onto his custom BSA - I think it was a BSA - action which had been barreled to a .338 wildcat which was very close to the .338 Win Mag.
Then after experimenting successfully with epoxying bases on - and not having them come loose on horse hunting rifles, a buddy informed me that some accuracy gurus did that because it takes up any space between the mount and the receiver....
The light went on for me and I began to check the fit of the contour of the base as it related to the receiver and it was seldom the very same. When it isn't, the screws will hold it in place after a fashion if the contour of the base is smaller than the receiver, but less well if it's the opposite situation.
When I was doing millwrighting, we'd use epoxy - JB weld or what have you, when we had slightly worn surfaces which we needed 100% contact on and it worked there too.
My way is as you mentioned - no glue on the screws - so they can come out with moderate pressure. However, in having glued bases onto rifles which are now in use across 3 western provinces, I've not had one person say that the bases loosened off on them. That's with folks who hunt with small planes, horses, quads, jet boats, back packing and just general knock around hunting of course.
Anyways sir, lots of roads lead to Mecca of course - not that we'd go there now or ever, but I digress - however, that's what I do on rifles running through my shop and why.
Hope that made sense and was useful. All the best to you all and we'll be in touch.
Dwayne
