Does slop between barrel and action threads affect accuracy?

I like to ensure the shoulder of the barrel and action face are both cut square.

As far as tightness of threads....I don't want them to feel so tight I'm scared to screw the barrel all the way in but I don't like any "wiggle" room if that makes sense?
I am in no way an expert or even someone should take advise from....just my two pennies....
 
I like to ensure the shoulder of the barrel and action face are both cut square.

As far as tightness of threads....I don't want them to feel so tight I'm scared to screw the barrel all the way in but I don't like any "wiggle" room if that makes sense?
I am in no way an expert or even someone should take advise from....just my two pennies....
That is my way after having one lock up from tight threads and having to redo it. If I can screw it on by hand with very little wobble, I'm happy.
 
That is my way after having one lock up from tight threads and having to redo it. If I can screw it on by hand with very little wobble, I'm happy.


I haven't had one lock on me "yet" but I have witnessed a couple. I made a little tool out of aluminum that is just a basic little 1.5" round stock with a 1 1/16-18 and 1 1/16-16 tap run in the ends that I thread on a barrel tenon "before" trying an action.

I don't know it helps anything other than my piece of mind? I figured worst case, I could cut the aluminum off the barrel while still in the lathe vs having to attempt removing a stuck action.
 
Or, are the mating surfaces being perpendicular to the bore more important?
I've been wondering this too. From a purely logical standpoint it seems the flat mating surfaces are what's providing the alignment. The threads would have to be pretty sloppy to cause any disturbance in the force. It seems the centerline of the bore and receiver would be coaxial/parallel as long as the mating surfaces are square. And I think the geometry of threads in general would prevent coaxial misalignment of the bore to the receiver. If there was .005 difference in the threads, would the barrel settle into the receiver threads while remaining square but misaligned? Or does the 60deg taper help to center the two?
 
After doing this for 30 yrs and handling barrels from alot of great benchrest Smith's I think a little jiggle room is perfect. You want enough room in the tennon to let the shoulders to square up and not have any bind. If the threads in the action are perfectly square to the center line I believe you can make a tighter fit. I have seen rifles that shoot in the 1s consistently that had threads so loose I laughed. I fully believe square shoulder true to center and action face true to center is the most important thing. The 60 degree threads when torqued will self center on each other. These are my thoughts on the subject after discussing this with Jim Borden and Greg Tannel and they essentially said you need to have enough play in threads for shoulder to square up.
Shep
 
After doing this for 30 yrs and handling barrels from alot of great benchrest Smith's I think a little jiggle room is perfect. You want enough room in the tennon to let the shoulders to square up and not have any bind. If the threads in the action are perfectly square to the center line I believe you can make a tighter fit. I have seen rifles that shoot in the 1s consistently that had threads so loose I laughed. I fully believe square shoulder true to center and action face true to center is the most important thing. The 60 degree threads when torqued will self center on each other. These are my thoughts on the subject after discussing this with Jim Borden and Greg Tannel and they essentially said you need to have enough play in threads for shoulder to square up.
Shep
100%
 
....... after discussing this with Jim Borden and Greg Tannel and they essentially said you need to have enough play in threads for shoulder to square up.
Shep

And that ain't much play. I have some barreled actions that were threaded and chambered by Greg Tannel. If the threads aren't real clean, they won't screw together.
 
And that ain't much play. I have some barreled actions that were threaded and chambered by Greg Tannel. If the threads aren't real clean, they won't screw together.


My BR rifle was built by Jim Borden (excellent by the way) and I agree....if the threads aren't clean that barrel is not screwing on.

By these two examples, I'd say one's "looseness" of threads is open for interpretation?
 
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