I have a customer with a Remington Model Seven with a bolt that will not lockup or unlock easily.

After looking it over I removed the barrel. Appeared that action was bent on right side just back of the front ring. I clamped it in padded vice and tightened a bit. Improved bolt movement dramatically so tightened vice on it again. Not perfect but thought I'd post here before proceeding further.

Should I continue this way or do any of you have suggestions? He doesn't know how it was bent (at least he's not telling me). Says he has used it for years with no problems.

Since he just brought me the barreled action I suspect he had somekind of accident (running over it with a car?) though I see no evidence of this.

He likely tried to do some home smithing like changing barrels without the proper tools and buggered it up.
Clamping it in a vice will not bring it back straight. Put a dial indicator on it to see how bad it is or a small level. If nothing else you'll know where it's still bent.

wallyw

Man I hate to be negative. I am usually pretty optimistic.
But if this guy is ignorant enough to screw up his action like this and not be straight with you on how it happened, then he is ignorant enough to sue your arse.
I realize that it isn't that hard to twist an action, but if this guy has used this gun for years with out problem, he should know what happened to it. Something is fishy.

I fell kinda bad for posting this so ya�ll don�t come down on me to hard.

God Bless and good luck
Shawn

If you can strighten it on a vise then you may be adding to his problems, thats not anyway to fix a warped action IMO...I suggest he trash it and start all over...or send it back to Remington if he dare....