The 2 receiver screws on my rifle have become over the years unaligned, as not in the 12 o'clock position. Both are in the 1-2 o'clock range. I'd like to avoid sending the entire rifle to a gunsmith to make new screws so here's my question. Is it possible to send a picture of the screws tightened in the action to show their position, and then send both screws to a gunsmith to machine new ones that would be properly timed? If yes, any suggestions on who would be appreciated. Thanks.

No. But, he should be able to correct the ones you have, provided there is sufficient material on the bottom side of the head.

Why wouldn't a gunsmith be able to with thread count, pitch, etc. Isn't it just a matter of doing the math?

How would he correct the ones I have if they are overtightened to the 2 o'clock position? I would need to add material to back it up so to speak. Taking more off means the screw would go deeper, which means I might have an issue on the other end of it extending too far, right?

quote:

Originally posted by Prewar70:
Why wouldn't a gunsmith be able to with thread count, pitch, etc. Isn't it just a matter of doing the math?

How would he correct the ones I have if they are overtightened to the 2 o'clock position? I would need to add material to back it up so to speak. Taking more off means the screw would go deeper, which means I might have an issue on the other end of it extending too far, right?

Without the actual gun in hand, there would be a lot of variables involved to guess where a screw slot might stop.

Mechanically it's the same procedure for setting back a gun barrel with sights. Turn it in the required distance and take the excess just created off the other end. Unless the screw head has a special shape that must match the contour of the guard, then it may only need to go less than 1/2 a turn. In that case, it would be a pretty simple procedure.

The rear screw is machined to match the guard, sloped and scalloped to match the guard contour.

quote:

Originally posted by Prewar70:
The rear screw is machined to match the guard, sloped and scalloped to match the guard contour.

Send the smith the gun.

Know what?...pillars might just be the easy answer

Or just get out some 8 thousandth shim stock and a good Whitney punch and make spacer to place under the guard, front and rear. That should allow the guard to tighten up with the slot turned back about 60 degrees or 1/6 of a turn for a 22 tpi Mauser. For a 28 tpi Remington I think you would need about 6 thou, then again, who would ever time the screws on a Remington.

It may seem obvious, but if you either add or remove material from the back of the screw head, the head will be recessed or proud of the guard. The loss is between the guard and the bottom of the receiver, that is where you need to add material if you want to use the same screws and have them in time. Of course the "correct" way would be to make up some new screws with thick heads, tighten to the correct position, then mark and cut the slots. This "could" be done by sending the screws to someone, having them make up the new ones and send them to you. Then you mark them for the slots and send them back. I don't know of anyone who would do this, since it usually takes some messing around to make them just right.

Make up the shims, and when just right, superglue them in. Stainless lasts forever, and can be replaced with a thicker piece if you insist on over tightening the screws and compressing that poor stock in the future.

quote:

Originally posted by RogerR:
It may seem obvious, but if you either add or remove material from the back of the screw head, the head will be recessed or proud of the guard. The loss is between the guard and the bottom of the receiver, that is where you need to add material if you want to use the same screws and have them in time. Of course the "correct" way would be to make up some new screws with thick heads, tighten to the correct position, then mark and cut the slots. This "could" be done by sending the screws to someone, having them make up the new ones and send them to you. Then you mark them for the slots and send them back. I don't know of anyone who would do this, since it usually takes some messing around to make them just right.

Make up the shims, and when just right, superglue them in. Stainless lasts forever, and can be replaced with a thicker piece if you insist on over tightening the screws and compressing that poor stock in the future.

Ya know, it would help to have the "whole" story up front. If prewar70 would have said right off the bat that he had a set of custom, hand fit guard screws that matched the contour of the trigger guard, then "obvioulsy" the answers would be different.

We still don't know the complete story. Is the misalignment the result of things settling, stretching or wearing. Without a "complete picture", the only real soultion is for prewar70 to package the gun and get it to a gunsmith where it can be dealt with appropriately. That's the solution.

FWIW, I personally think the use of pillars should be standard equipment in any gun that is built today, 2008.

If the guard screws are not aligned as original, it could be that they have been tightened once too often, pillar bedding would have helped that. Now, if they are turned too much, either the wood has compressed or the screws stretched, which seems unlikely. The previous answer to shim is probably your best answer. Also, has the bottom metal also been compressed into the stock. You need a math lesson to determine the amount of shim or material to be removed from the screw head.

Take the screw pitch divided by one, divide that by 360, calculate the amount the screw is turned too much or needs to be turned and multiply that by the previous calculation. Simple. Take it to a gunsmith who knows what to do with it.

Thanks for the responses from everyone. I suspect they are out of alignment due to overtightening, wood compressing, and age. The rifle is a G33/30 by Darwin Hensley that a picked up a year or so ago. For some reason pillaring the stock doesn't make me feel real comfortable, which is why I was going the route of new screws. Figured take a picture of how they look in the action, send them to a gunsmith, and have them copied, piece of cake, no problems. Understand that is easier said then done. You can also understand my hesitation of mailing the rifle, just don't trust the system and seems like too much risk for a set of screws. They are not that bad so it's not a big deal, just looking for a project. I have Jim Kobe down the road from me too, so if I wanted to bring it in person I can do that. Again, I was curious if the screws could be made without having to send someone the whole rifle in case I had a smith I wanted to use that was not within driving distance.

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
If the guard screws are not aligned as original, it could be that they have been tightened once too often, pillar bedding would have helped that. Now, if they are turned too much, either the wood has compressed or the screws stretched, which seems unlikely. The previous answer to shim is probably your best answer. Also, has the bottom metal also been compressed into the stock. You need a math lesson to determine the amount of shim or material to be removed from the screw head.

Take the screw pitch divided by one, divide that by 360, calculate the amount the screw is turned too much or needs to be turned and multiply that by the previous calculation. Simple. Take it to a gunsmith who knows what to do with it.

Would that not be "divided INTO one" or "one divided by the screw pitch?

quote:

Originally posted by Prewar70:
For some reason pillaring the stock doesn't make me feel real comfortable, which is why I was going the route of new screws.

FWIW, provided it is done right, adding a good set of pillars will do nothing but improve things.

quote:

Originally posted by JLarsson:

quote:

Originally posted by Jim Kobe:
If the guard screws are not aligned as original, it could be that they have been tightened once too often, pillar bedding would have helped that. Now, if they are turned too much, either the wood has compressed or the screws stretched, which seems unlikely. The previous answer to shim is probably your best answer. Also, has the bottom metal also been compressed into the stock. You need a math lesson to determine the amount of shim or material to be removed from the screw head.

Take the screw pitch divided by one, divide that by 360, calculate the amount the screw is turned too much or needs to be turned and multiply that by the previous calculation. Simple. Take it to a gunsmith who knows what to do with it.

Would that not be "divided INTO one" or "one divided by the screw pitch?

You are correct, a brain fart on my part. They come more often now!

quote:

The rifle is a G33/30 by Darwin Hensley that a picked up a year or so ago

I trust you mean G33/40. If I were fortunate enough to have that rifle, I would leave it as is. I would not irreversably alter it, even to make new screws.

It has been said in several ways, but if what you are asking is to have the screw slot turned back from 2:00 to 12:00, that is 2/12 of a turn back. Those screws would have 22 tpi screws. Each full turn of 360 degrees would withdraw the screw 1/22 inches or .0454". If you want to have the screw bottom out 2/12 of a turn earlier, that would be 0.0075".

If the guard is now pulled into the stock .008" you have no problem. If the guard is now flush with the stock, then the whole stock has shrunk and your guard will be .008 proud with a shim.

New screws would likely require that the guard be refinished to match the contour and finish. IMHO, that is not a good idea. You might try some 7 or 8 tho shims to see how it looks.

Roger,

You are correct, G33/40, fat fingered the previous post. I will probably leave it alone, certainly not pillar the stock regardless of how much it would improve anything. The guard/bottom metal has not sunk at all and is where it should be. I have some shims and will continue to play with those and maybe tackle the new screws (no refinishing though unless it's just the screws) at some point.