New build ..windage issue

[jlvandersnick]

New build on a blue printed rem 700 long action..
8 twist, 26 inch proof CF, 28 nosler
Two piece talleys – 20 moa. They seemed very true…when I lapped them they needed very little attention
Swaro X5 5-25x56 which has 50 moa of windage adjustments

Did a little load development and got the gun to shoot ½ moa without a lot of work. Gun is zeroed at 200yds ….BUT I only have 6 MOA adjustment left and have 43 MOA right. I called swaro to make sure there wasn't some adjustment on the scope I was missing……nothing there

I tried a different scope and it was basically the same (7MOA left and 42MOA right)

Took it back to the smith and he recommended that I shim one side of the rear mount…thus pushing the top of the mount slightly in the direction opposite the shim…makes sense, but do I really want to do this??

Ideas on how to trouble shoot this issue

I asked the smith if he could put the action in the mill, true it up and mic both sides of the barrel as far down towards the muzzle….. as much as the travel on the mill would allow. He said the outside of Remington actions are so far off that this would not show anything

I asked him if he could index the barrel to 12 o'clock……he said yes…..but he would have to charge me .

Ideas on how to trouble shoot this please

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

you'll see this a lot with rem 700 actions the screw holes are out of align from rear bridge to front bridge. are they still factory??

 

[jlvandersnick]

yes... factory rem 700 LA and scope holes are still where rem put them

 

[Elk Hunter 338]

if you take the talley mounts off line a piece of straight stock on outer edge of holes and youll probably see the front vs. rear are not in align and youll need to have them milled out bigger NOT chased . this will fix your windage issue a lot.

 

[Gone Ballistic]

I had this same issue on my custom 300RUM and had larger screw holes milled also adding a 40 degree picatinny rail. Using a Nightforce 7X35 ATACR I have over 100 degrees of elevation and my windage was 7 degrees L of center at 200 yards. A good Smith should be able to achieve this for you. Mine also used silver solder to cover the original screw holes and I can't even see where they were after he retouched my receiver.
Good luck with your setup!

 

[LoneTraveler]

Remington has trouble with their actions, They do not hold specs tight. I have a 700 action with varmit barrel. When I went to put a Pic rail on, It took 30 thousands shim and Epoxy to get the fit to the back ring of the receiver.

 

[raz175]

You could always use Burris Signature Zee Rings and avoid all the machining costs and frustration. The inserts will allow you to get most, if not all, your MOA back. I use these on all my scopes.
From Burris;
***-Align® Inserts

• Virtually sight in your gun without moving the scope adjustments
• Corrects any misalignment caused by receiver holes drilled off-center
• Corrects for bases or rings being slightly off center
• Makes expensive tapered bases or shimming for thousand-yard shooting a thing of the past

 

[jlvandersnick]

if you take the talley mounts off line a piece of straight stock on outer edge of holes and youll probably see the front vs. rear are not in align and youll need to have them milled out bigger NOT chased . this will fix your windage issue a lot.

Thanks I,ll try this and see how much I get gain.

 

[jlvandersnick]

Thanks for all the comments. It would appear that most think it,s the action....which makes sense and was my first thought.
I have over a dozen builds on 700 actions, and this is my first issue. Sounds like i,ve been lucky

 

[jlvandersnick]

You could always use Burris Signature Zee Rings and avoid all the machining costs and frustration. The inserts will allow you to get most, if not all, your MOA back. I use these on all my scopes.
From Burris;
***-Align® Inserts

• Virtually sight in your gun without moving the scope adjustments
• Corrects any misalignment caused by receiver holes drilled off-center
• Corrects for bases or rings being slightly off center
• Makes expensive tapered bases or shimming for thousand-yard shooting a thing of the past

k.
I,ve used these in the past. If enlarging the holes doesn,t get me what I need then i,ll try these.
Thanks

 

[LaHunter]

I would try a different mounting system before I started modifying the screw holes in the receiver.

 

[MNbogboy]

While you have the scope adjusted for this windage try a physical bore sighting.
Are the crosshairs on target or does it seem physically off? The internal barrel curvature may indeed be the culprit and may require "clocking" as you suggested to your smith.
There are a few experienced "eyes" out there that may detect extreme curvature by looking through the barrel. A bad one tends to look "egged" to me.
The clocking will also give you moa where you want it and maybe eliminate your need for elevated mounts.
Also I agree with the Burris Signature mounts and inserts, you can get your windage and elevation at the same time without modification to anything.

 

[D-mon]

Do you know what method your smith is using to set the barrel in the lathe? If it through the spindle ( using a jig or a spider) I reckon he should have timed the barrel for you if the barrel had the slightest visible bend.
I have seen somewhere a video of a smith in the US who rethread the screw holes of a Remington action up to 8-40 and true to the center line of the action using a cnc milling machine and quite a clever set up. That could help a little. But it won't do much if the barrel is clocked side way.
The Burris rings might be one option, or the old leupold one piece base with the dovetail on the front and the rear side screws on the back could be another. It exists with a 20moa incline as well , it is their long range model.

 

[Canhunter35]

You could always use Burris Signature Zee Rings and avoid all the machining costs and frustration. The inserts will allow you to get most, if not all, your MOA back. I use these on all my scopes.
From Burris;
***-Align® Inserts

• Virtually sight in your gun without moving the scope adjustments
• Corrects any misalignment caused by receiver holes drilled off-center
• Corrects for bases or rings being slightly off center
• Makes expensive tapered bases or shimming for thousand-yard shooting a thing of the past

This^^^. They work very well, and you don't have to worry about machining holes, besides it could be the action threads out of line not just the screw holes causing ur windage issues