Remington 700 scope bases screws help

[PriestEG]

Picked up my Rem 700P a few weeks ago and finally getting around to getting my Leupold bases, rings and scope set up on it. my question is this..
In the base set package from Leupold, there are 4 screws (2 short and 2 long). Does anyone know the appropriate location for the short and long screws? Inside the package, there is no information as to this..

I have tried putting them in (loosely) to see if i could determine the correct location for them and was unable.. so anyone with the info please share. seeing as how Leupold is now closed and I cant reach anyone on tech support, thought I would try for the information here

TIA

 

[giovani]

The rear base is thicker on a 700 , this would lead me to believe long in rear.

 

[netsecurity]

I think the long screw goes in back. It won't fit in the shallow holes anyways.

 

[42769vette]

Long in the rear, If you put the long ones on the barrel side the action will not close

 

[PriestEG]

OK heading to the basement to retry this. Be back for an update shortly

 

[PriestEG]

Well it seems as if the post about the locations are CORRECT, except that the rear most screw does not want to full seat against the base(approximately 1/8" to high) visually inspection shows no reason as to why. should i try to run a tap down into?? i really really don't want to break one of these itty bitty screws in a brand new rifle receiver..

 

[giovani]

A burr in the thread is possible, make sure you have the correct tap, someone on here knows what tap that is but I don't.

 

[42769vette]

The 700 uses 6/48 screws, Im not sure if thats what I would try or not.

Do both screws look ok?

did you try swapping the 2 rear base screws around?

 

[PriestEG]

The 700 uses 6/48 screws, Im not sure if thats what I would try or not.

Do both screws look ok?

did you try swapping the 2 rear base screws around?

both screws looked fine before I started the process-no burs, smooth consistent threads..

took them out and the screw going into the rear most position had most of the black paint/coating missing from the tip of the screw...

 

[42769vette]

both screws looked fine before I started the process-no burs, smooth consistent threads..

took them out and the screw going into the rear most position had most of the black paint/coating missing from the tip of the screw...

That could be from bottoming out, or a burr in the threads. If you tap the hole do it by hand.

I'm wondering if you cant just shorten the base screw and give it a good coat of locktite (wich you should do anyways). Id much rather mess up a base screw than a action.

 

[PriestEG]

That could be from bottoming out, or a burr in the threads. If you tap the hole do it by hand.

I'm wondering if you cant just shorten the base screw and give it a good coat of locktite (wich you should do anyways). Id much rather mess up a base screw than a action.

i dont think its from bottoming out as the hole goes all the why thru the receiver and i can see light thru it. took the base off, cleaned out the holes and then switched the screw from front hole to rear. The rear hole, with either screw is not allowing the screw to fully seat. This leads me believe that the hole is not tapped completely or not properly.. Thoughts?

 

[42769vette]

i dont think its from bottoming out as the hole goes all the why thru the receiver and i can see light thru it. took the base off, cleaned out the holes and then switched the screw from front hole to rear. The rear hole, with either screw is not allowing the screw to fully seat. This leads me believe that the hole is not tapped completely or not properly.. Thoughts?

It sounds like tapping or returning to remington is your only options. Go slow, and dont force anything, stay as straight as possibable, Buy a good tap. It should clean up easily, but some of the 5 dollar taps break of like a 5 dollar tap.

 

[PriestEG]

It sounds like tapping or returning to remington is your only options. Go slow, and dont force anything, stay as straight as possibable, Buy a good tap. It should clean up easily, but some of the 5 dollar taps break of like a 5 dollar tap.

yea i may call Remington tomorrow and see what they say about this. i wounder if i could use a a screw like the small ones that go in the front, and put it in the rear location. would the extra 1/8" of threads make much of a difference?

tapping it myself will probably be my last resort as I am in no hurry to get this done.. slow is smooth, smooth is fast!

 

[PriestEG]

and now the screw on the that was in the rear seems to have a damaged thread from the loose trial fit. so I will also be calling Leupold tomorrow to see if they have another screw they can drop in an envelope tomorrow

 

[Dave Doehrman]

I put a NightForce direct mount on my 700 and had the same situation, two short and 2 long screws and no directions on their locations. I kept doing trial fits to check out the results.

The nice thing about the 700 is that if you put the screws in the wrong locations, you will know it right away. If they are too long in front, they will lock the bolt in the closed position or prevent you from closing the bolt. Too long in the rear and you can't open the bolt all the way or it will be locked closed.

Once I found the correct combination, I got so excited that I applied blue locktite and torqued them down without writing down the correct combination. I think ( thinking makes my head hurt) I had a short screw in the forward hole, a long screw in the second hole from the muzzle, a short screw in the 3rd position from the muzzle and another long one in the back.

I made a mental note to write this down if I ever had to remove the base.

Your situation sounds like a tap or sending it back to Remington would be the best. I would buy a good quality tap (not Harbor Freight specials) and run it through by hand. Take it easy, quarter turn in and back it out to clear the tap. Another quarter tun in and back it out again. Use some light oil on the tap and just take it easy. Drilling out a broken tap without screwing up the surrounding material is harder than Chinese calculus.

 

[PriestEG]

well i spoke to Remington customer service and they said that sadly, it is a common problem. If they know it is such a common problem, why is it still occurring on such a popular rifle line??? At least they will be paying for it to be shipped back to them, and then returned -properly tapped this time.

update to follow

 

[42769vette]

well i spoke to Remington customer service and they said that sadly, it is a common problem. If they know it is such a common problem, why is it still occurring on such a popular rifle line??? At least they will be paying for it to be shipped back to them, and then returned -properly tapped this time.

update to follow

As long as they are willing to make it right, you cant ask for more.

 

[PriestEG]

As long as they are willing to make it right, you cant ask for more.

i can agree with this, but the fact that it happened and with a firearm from such a respected company makes me some what frustrated.i wonder if any other INGOers have had a similar problem with a new rifle.
now to play more of the waiting game.

 

[SERparacord]

I tend to want a rifle I buy to not have to be sent back right off.

 

[42769vette]

I tend to want a rifle I buy to not have to be sent back right off.

I absolutly agree, but the absolute fact of the matter is anything man made can have issues. To me what seperates the top tier companies from the bottom tier companys is how they deal with the issues when they pop up.

But I do agree that the best warranty in the world is the one you never need