Just bought a new Remington 700 stainless synthetic and a Leupold one-piece scope base which takes three screws, two front and one rear. The rear screw is longer than the front two. Well, the rear screw just kept right on turning and never got tight. It sinks in far enough but doesn't seem to grab the threads. Turn the rifle upside down and the screw falls out. Anyone ever seen this happen? And what should I do?

I suppose I could fill the hole with red loctite and hope it would hold the screw, but I'd rather fix this thing right.

Also, I wondered if it's okay to shoot the rifle with only the two screws holding the scope base on. It's a 7mm SAUM.

Wonder how I got into this situation with two quality products, both brand new.

I'd figure out why it doesn't tighten first. Either the screw is too short or undersized or the hole in the action is the problem, oversized, not threaded etc. I've had a few problems with Leupold bases, mainly the countersink being drilled too deep or all the way thru so it's not unheard of, ditto new rifles having problems. Take a look and identify the problem and contact the offending party.

Have you tried running the screw into the hole in the action without the base yet? That should give you an idea if it is too short or there is a problem with the threads in one or the other.

You need a Brownells 6-48 "oversize" tap and screw and that should fix it.

Audsley:
Sure you don't have that base turned around backwards?

Most bases for the 700 arrive with different length screws. Put the long ones in the the wrong hole and they will interfer with the bolt. Put the short ones in the wrong hole, they don't reach. A little trial and error may be in order.

quote:

Originally posted by one-holer:
Audsley:
Sure you don't have that base turned around backwards?

You’re kidding, right?

audsley,

Did your new rifle come with the little threaded plugs in the base holes? If it did then that leads me to believe you have a bad rear screw.

Try threading the screws into the receiver without the base and see if they thread in alright. I always do that anyway just as a quick check on the alignment of the holes.

If the rear one still does the same thing try one of the front screws in that hole and that will let you know if it’s the screw or the threads in the hole.

When you get your problem sorted out be sure to clean the holes/threads real well with a pipe cleaner soaked in alcohol to remove any gunk before you start threading screws into them. You’d be surprised how much stuff can accumulate in there and if you don’t clean it out your screws won’t tighten properly.

Rick:
10-4 on the accumulation in thread holes. I too use the pipe cleaners with carb cleaner followed with a blow out with compressed air. And don't forget to clean all the oil and factory gunk off of your screw threads before insertion. Recently I had epoxy seep into the front screw when I epoxied a one piece onto a 700 action. Front screw and epoxy put pressure onto the barrel threads. I could get 30" fliers at 125 yards. Bottom tap and air took care of the problem.

quote:

Originally posted by one-holer:
Rick:
10-4 on the accumulation in thread holes. I too use the pipe cleaners with carb cleaner followed with a blow out with compressed air. And don't forget to clean all the oil and factory gunk off of your screw threads before insertion. Recently I had epoxy seep into the front screw when I epoxied a one piece onto a 700 action. Front screw and epoxy put pressure onto the barrel threads. I could get 30" fliers at 125 yards. Bottom tap and air took care of the problem.

one-holer,

I once was talking to Dick Thomas at Premire Reticle and asked him what he thought was the best way to install base/ring screws . He said that Leupold engineers had done a bunch of tests and had found that a very small amount of light machine oil on the screw threads was the best at assuring good thread contact and allowing accurate torque readings. Their tests showed that those screws stayed in place just as well as any other method...and better than some methods. He also stressed the importance of assuring that the threads in the holes and on the screws were totally clean before applying the light coat of machine oil.

I’ve used that method ever since and it works great.

Rick:
Now this is interesting stuff. I've always winged it as I have never had "the authority" weigh in and say this is how it ought to be done. I have always removed any and all traces of oil from the screws and threads. Why, I'm not sure other than I usually use locktight on my base screws and want everything clean to help the locktight to set up properly. Our two methods are about at opposite ends of the street. Any other ways to do this procedure?

quote:

Originally posted by one-holer:
Rick:
Now this is interesting stuff. I've always winged it as I have never had "the authority" weigh in and say this is how it ought to be done. I have always removed any and all traces of oil from the screws and threads. Why, I'm not sure other than I usually use locktight on my base screws and want everything clean to help the locktight to set up properly. Our two methods are about at opposite ends of the street. Any other ways to do this procedure?

one-holer,

I am not saying this is the one and only way...but I have an enormous amount of respect for the opinion of Dick Thomas when it comes to anything and everything having to do with optics and mounting them on rifles.

Loctite, IMHO, has several disadvantages for use on scope ring/bases, not the least being its tendency to give false torque readings...that can also change between the wet and dry condition. Also, it is a pain in the ass to clean out if you have to remove the screws for any reason and then try to re install them.

I don’t shoot any “big-kickers†so my opinion might be different on those rifles...but I doubt it, since I routinely check the tightness of all the screws on my rifles before and after shooting. Just a personal quirk of mine, that I couldn’t do if I used loctite since I would be continually breaking the seal.

We aren’t that far off in our preferences since both methods start with assuring that the screw and hole threads are really clean and free from any debris prior to my coating them with light oil, and you using loctite.

I’ve also seen guys use their wife’s nail polish over the heads of the screws to keep them from backing out.

I cann't argue with anything you say. This is one of those things that I do because my daddy probably did it the same way.
I must say that when you think about it your way seems to make more sense.

quote:

Originally posted by one-holer:
I cann't argue with anything you say. This is one of those things that I do because my daddy probably did it the same way.
I must say that when you think about it your way seems to make more sense.

Thanks for the compliment...but it ain’t “my way.†It just happens to be a suggestion from someone whose opinion I regard very highly.

Do you ever get days when you just have to give your head a shake? Well today is one of those days for me! You guys and gals are ignoring the obvious with Audsley and his defective 700. Sure some of the things you have suggested are great and will even work. But in the end he is stuck with a bastardized product which is going to make it very hard to sell if he wants to trade into something else 1 or 10 years down the road. I did warranty for Remington for close to 16 years and during that time I operated as a proof house here in Canada. This is the way things should work Audsley. #1 DO NOT TRY TO MAKE A REPAIR YOURSELF! That’s very important! If you do it can render your warranty null and void. #2, take the gun back to the shop you bought it from ASAP! If the shop has any scruples at all they will inspect the gun and tell you if there is a problem with the gun or if you are doing something silly like using a 5x40 screw instead of the 6x46 screw that should come with the base. Trust me that one has been done to death! I’m as guilty of doing silly things as the next guy so don’t feel bad if it turns out like that, it happens to all of us all the time so don’t sweat it. If it does turn out to be Remington’s problem ask the shop if they will exchange the gun. Don’t get mad if they say no because they are not obligated to do that. Exchanging it will mean that they are going to lose about a hundred dollars in the deal by the time they get it warrantied and resell it as a used gun that has never been fired ........ BUT !!!!!!!!! some large dealers like Cabellas have been known to do exchanges in certain circumstances. If they are not willing to do an exchange thank them for identifying the problem and contact:

Don’s Sport Shop, Inc.
7803 E, McDowell Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85257-3745
Phone: 480-946-5313
Fax: 480-970-0840

That shop is a Remington service center and as memory serves they do warranty work for Remington. Audsley don’t do anything that will get you stuck with a bad apple. Follow what I’ve outlined and you will end up a satisfied customer. Otherwise you may find yourself out of pocket and very unhappy! Start with the place you bought it from. Then contact the closest Remington warranty depot, I am almost certain its Don’s. I think that in the end it will have to go back to the plant because it will need a new barrel and action body and there are no proof houses in the USA except for the plant in Ilion. Don’s may exchange the gun at Remingtons desecration to let you get on with your hunt. I have been in this industry a long time Audsley and the manufacturer will generally bend over backwards for you if you if you are polite and cry a bit, lol. Remember you don’t need them ... they need you! Rod Henrickson

Rod,

While sitting there shaking your head did you ever stop to consider that this problem could be caused by a bad screw?

I have no way of knowing whether it is or isn’t, but it certainly ain’t that hard to rule that out before you start shipping your rifle off for warrantee service.

I don’t know about you but I’ve always found it helpful to rule out the simple cheap stuff before I started worrying about the bigger stuff.

Rick and I would never leave Audsley high and dry. We were merely killing time waiting for Audsley to make a few simple checks and get back to us.

Speerchucker, take a pill and check back in the morning. The guy asked a question to what should be a simple problem. Identify the problem and chances are he can avoid going thru a goat screw with his local guns shop and address the problem himself. If indeed it requires something like a resizing a hole I'm betting he'll take it in and have it done. Doing this is a lot less of a headache than sending it back into Remington for a warranty repair and right before hunting season.

I believe his first suggestion was to take it back to the shop. No, that was suggestion #2, the first was not to do anything that would void the warranty.

Both seem reasonable to me.

Regardless, welcome to the forums here Speerchucker!