I have a sako Vixen with wood stock, no pillar bedding. bedded action and first couple of inches of stock. How tight should the action screws be? I dont want to crack or split stock, nor do I want to have them come loose. Is there an approved order of tighten? thanks for thoughts on this.

I have the same action - barreled in .222, tighten the front first then the rear. "One grunt" tight has always been good enough for me. The rifle drives tacks. Here is a picture.......

Nice looking rifle!! thanks for the information. Is that one big grunt or two little grunts? I take that to be firm snug but not white-knuckle tight.

Jamie

I have the same, and One good grunt from me is pretty damn tight, but that's where I have the front one and a light grunt on the rear....I always put more torque on the front screw than on the rear..but I always enlet or re inlet my rifles be they custom or factory..

Big grunt on the front and just a little "sigh" on the rear should do it.

Mike,

Well let see here.....my Dad bought the action in the early 60's and had it barreled by a local smith in the Eugene, OR area. The stock is a Fajen that my Dad modified to his taste. That rifle hung on my bedroom wall for as long as I can remember growing up. The metal was still in the white and there was no checkering.

I brought the rifle home with me from Alaska 2 years ago and completed the project. That black walnut blank may not look like much but it is the hardest piece of walnut I have ever checkered. Period. But the wood was over 30 years old and so was the finish! lol

The rifle is now the family favorite - everyone loves to shoot the .222

I usually tighten the front screw to 40 to 45 inch pounds and the rear to 30 to 35 inch pounds on alll my rifles. Seems to be right or at least consistant.

Bob257