Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Proper method to tighten action screws

Is there a proper method to tighten the action into the stock? Should all action screws be tightened the same or should the front screw be tightened less or more than the rear?

You may want to ask about a specifice brand and model rifle. They are different. If you rifle is a bolt action and has three screws usually the center screw is snug but not torqued down as much as the front and rear screw. With a Ruger M77 you fully tighten the front screw first and alternate between the center and rear screw.

Guess you're right <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> would help. Was wondering about a Remington 700 and Kimber 84M. The Remington has 3 action screws and the Kimber has 2.

In response to your question on the the proper tightening of action screws. The correct method is to use a torque wrench. If the stocks have been pillar bedded both the front and rear action screws should be torqued at 60 inch pounds. If the stocks have not been bedded the front screw should be torqued at 20 to 25 inch pounds and the rear at 15 to 20 inch pounds depending on the age and spindliness of the forend and pistol grip. The method I use is to snug up both the front and rear screws and then torque the front first and the rear second. As for the third screw on the Remington 700 (an ADL I presume) this is the front trigger guard screw and it just needs to be snugged up.