Building a rifle in 223 on a Remington 700. I am making a walnut stock with blind ADL type magazine. I have fashioned a new short trigger guard from an old Mauser. Question on the Small Front action screw just in front of trigger guard. Should I screw this into the action using hole in front of trigger as per the factory ADLs, or should I just use a blind nut in the stock? The main action screws will be pillar bedded.

And front screw will be in a steel escutcheon. Its going to be circular but how big - 0.5mm bigger than screw head, or width of trigger guard base. Or should I fashion one from a cartridge case??

Ideas please ladies and gents.

I'd just use the existing third screw into the action like factory. A 1917 Enfield TG modified looks super too. You don't have to do any shaping of the bow. That's what Remington used as a basis for their rifle's TG shape.

https://www.libertytreecollect...d.asp?idproduct=4720

I also use the 1917 trigger guards, but I leave the middle screw out, and just wood screw. How big to make the front escutcheon? Doesn't matter; and yes, you can use a cartridge head for coolness. .5mm bigger? You know we are in the US don't you and have no real idea how big that is. Originals are 5/8ths; .625.

Thanks Gents, over here we talk about mm, inches and ball hairs for fine measurement!

If you made the trigger guard, then the front hole may not have the same spacing as the R700 part? I would just screw it into the stock. I modified a long action R700 like this, but my goal was to increase the internal magazine length so I removed that front guard screw. With a 223 there should be lots of extra room.

How heavy is the barrel going to be? It's not like the 223 has lots of recoil so the pillar and recoil lug setup is probably not very critical.