I have a M70 Classic Sporter Lt which has the two piece bottom metal (3 screws). How tight should each of the screws be?

50-60 in/lbs. on the front and rear screws. Just barely snug on the middle screw

Geronimo

These people:
http://www.jamescalhoon.com/bedding.php
say 40 inch pounds.

Lots of 1903 Turkish Mausers come with broken action screws. I don't think I have ever broken one, and I can't imagine anyone can twist a screwdriver harder than I can. Did the Turks have impact wrenches?

If all factory rifles had well bedded fiberglass stocks with one piece steel bottom metal, you would probably see all of them recommend something in the order of 50-60 inch pounds. Because they don't, you see a very broad range of factory recommendations.

The lower the QC in inletting fit and softer the stock, the lower the factory torque figures. Remington has it in writing posted on their web-site tech section (per my question) that they recommend no more than 10 inch pounds for their wood and laminate stocks!! This is the result of sloppy fit and the tendancy to bind the action if you torque much higher. Brownells has a tech section that tracks the different manufacture torque recommendations as well. They noted how Winchester lowered their torque values in the later years of production(I think it was dropped to 25 inch pounds, and I suspect it was because of very poor QC).

I'd feel comfortable in the 25-35 inch pound range on a factory inletted wood stock M70 provided it doesn't bind the action. This is easy to inspect by checking the mag box for proper play. You want a small amount of slop in the box, but if it locks down and acts as a fulcrum on the barreled action, you are too tight. Proper bedding and pillars can overcome most of these issues and you could then consistently go up to higher torque settings without fear of crushing the stock and/or binding the action.

GVA

quote:

Originally posted by GaryVA:
Remington has it in writing posted on their web-site tech section (per my question) that they recommend no more than 10 inch pounds for their wood and laminate stocks!! This is the result of sloppy fit and the tendancy to bind the action if you torque much higher.
GVA

When I work on one of my laminated stocks, the perceived softness say, "Pillar bed me!"

I am using 3/8" steel tubing with .300" ID
The cross sectional area of the tube is
A = [.375/2]^2 - [.300/2]^2 = .0127 sq in

The action screws in a Mauser are .215" minor diameter on the threads
A = [.215/2]^2 = .0116 sq in


What does it all mean?

The screw will probably break before the tube [pillar] will crush.