Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Tightening M700 Mt. rifle action/stock bolts

I have disassembled my M700 Mt. rifle to remove the pressure point and freefloat the barrel. Now my question is, what is the proper way to re-tighten the action? I have heard several methods, the most sensible to me is where you stand the rifle up on it's butt to firmly seat the recoil lug, tighten the back/trigger guard bolt, then tighten the front bolt until you feel the barrel torque in the stock, then back off and tighten as hard as you can without torquing the barrel/action in the stock. Is this the right way or are there better methods?
Selmer

Torque is a rotational function so I don�t see how tightening the guard screws could torque the barreld action in the stock.

The guard screws should be tightened sequentially back and forth to draw the receiver down into the stock evenly. There are exceptions, but most 700�s seem to respond best to equal torque on the front and rear screws.

Sounds like Bubba gave you some bad advice. Do like RickB suggested and [color:#FF0000]DON'T[/color] over tighten the screws.

Well, it's back in the action, I have the rear bolt about the same as the front bolt, and I have it just tight enough to be tight, but I can't feel the barrel torque to one side in the stock. Regardless of method, it's now grouping sub-MOA thanks to a lack of that pressure point that I removed.
Selmer

Why would tightening your guard screws cause your barrel to rotate...or to cant off to one side or the other in the stock?

Wrong! It's now grouping sub-MOA because you followed suggestions given to you by folks on this forum who are educated and experienced in such things. Things you would not have thought of by yourself. You floated the barrel based on suggestions, and you didn't overly tighten your guard screws. Either one of these by themselves could be the reason you are now getting sub-MOA groups. Don't be so quick to discredit others.

I wasn't trying to discredit anyone. Yes, I used some of the suggestions that I received, mainly don't overtighten the rear guard screw. As for the front screw, I can't see how tightening it so much that I can feel the barrel pull to one side of the forend can be good. I was able to tighten it enough that it touched on one side of the barrel channel. As I said, it's tight, but not pulling the barrel to one side.
Selmer

PS, I floated the barrel based on my own experience, but came here to verify that Remington commonly does this on their guns. (this is my first M700 and first Remington other than a couple M788's) I planned to float the barrel regardless, I have yet to own a floated barrel that won't shoot good.
Selmer

Selmer--
If the screw is pulling the barrel to one side as you snug it up, then things are not right. The classic test of a bedding job on a target gun is to snug up the screws while a dial indicator measures change in the position of the barrel relative to to the forend of the stock. If there is more than a few thou of deflection, then the bedding is wrong. A free floated barrel means that you can tighten the screws to firm snug and the barrel never touches the stock.

Selmer,

The dial indicator works great, but for those who lack the necessary gear, a quick check can be done by gripping the barrel and forend with one hand while backing off the front guard screw with the other. If you detect any movement at all, then all is not well with the bedding.

BoreSnake explained exactly what I'm talking about. It's factory bedded, the only free-floating that I did was to take out the pressure point from the front end of the barrel channel. I can detect movement, I was told to tighten until I detected movement, back off and tighten as far as you can WITHOUT feeling any movement. This is what I have done and it's shooting sub-MOA at 100 yds., which is good enough for my mule deer hunt next weekend. I would like to properly glass bed the action on this rifle, but I haven't the time or funds right now. Seminary kind of eats up both of those items rather quickly...not to mention two daughters (4&2) and my wife the only money maker.
Selmer

If the front screw is pulling the barrel/action to one side, that rifle is in dire need of a bedding job.

Casey