sheared base screws

[Deleted member 102985]

I had the same issue on both of my Ridgelines. I drilled them out to 8x40 pinned the base and no more issues. I've heard about 10-12 Ridgelines all having the same problem.

 

[live2huntmt]

I had the same issue on both of my Ridgelines. I drilled them out to 8x40 pinned the base and no more issues. I've heard about 10-12 Ridgelines all having the same problem.

my gunsmith doesn't seem to want to pin the rail but said he will thread them to 8-40. Do you think this will be enough?

 

[Deleted member 102985]

It was on my son's 300 RUM. I just like to over build things. I'd hate for this to happen during the hunt of a lifetime!

 

[sedancowboy]

Like bigngreen said glue the rail on to the receiver and never look back. You can get it off if it is ever necessary with heat or I have put one in the freezer and then whacked it with a plastic hammer and it came right off. Clean it and use slow set JB Weld a little acetone on a q-tip and it cleans right up.
I do all hard kicking guns this way. The JB Weld fills the gaps and makes 100% contact. You won't have any more problems. I just use a drop of oil on the screws and they won't stick to the epoxy.
It really makes a good mounting system.

 

[CVCOBRA1]

Have it tig welded.......senseless........yes I know......

 

[Triple BB]

I sheared mine off last summer. I had bases that weren't pinned, but the receiver was, so I switched to Talley ring/bases that were pinned. No issues since.

 

[Matt Moser]

8-40 screws and pin the rail.
done.

pinning is key!

sorry

 

[live2huntmt]

8-40 screws and pin the rail.
done.

pinning is key!

sorry

can I pin the rail myself?

 

[CVCOBRA1]

Scope Base Bedding

www.murphyprecision.com

 

[25WSM]

I would measure the distance the screw holes are and the holes in the base. If the holes are not perfectly aligned it will put stress on the screws to the side. 8-40 screws are pretty tough. I don't know why they even use 6-48 screws to begin with. With scopes getting heavier and rifles lighter the little baby 6-48s are just not enough. When I bed my bases I only let the compound stick to the rail. I wax the receiver. I never use loctite on my screws just a little bolt grease. They get way tighter with the same torque applied. Think about head studs in an engine that use a special lube so they tighten properly. A pin or 2 would surely help on heavy recoiling rifles or real heavy scopes. And some one else mentioned pushing your rings forward on the base before you tighten them. If you don't your scope will start to move forward on the base during firing and when it gets to the stop point it hits it hard and that can break screws also. Just remember barreled action gets pulled back before tightening and scopes get pushed forward before tightening. If you have twist in mounts disregard. Hope all this info everybody gave you helps.
Shep

 

[25WSM]

If your smith is going to do your screw upgrade just have him pin it for you during the same mill setup.
Shep

 

[bigngreen]

can I pin the rail myself?

If you have a mill, you need to spot drill, pre ream mill then ream the rail slip fit then ream the action press for then dowel pin it, it's really quite easy to do but to do correctly costs more in tooling than having someone do it.

 

[B-LOT Banga]

I run seekins 1 pc rail that comes with the front lug underneath, that might be an alternative if you can't/don't pin it or epoxy bed your rail. I have it on a 7 mag with #6 screws and a heavy nightforce with no problems yet, been a couple hundred rounds so far. Good luck.

 

[Montana73]

I guess the real solution for magnum calibers is to go to an integral rail action like the Defiance Deviant action.