Scope base loose

[Flingarrows]

I have a New England Tracker II that my son used for many years. We ended up trading some stuff a while back, and I have it again.

I was hunting with it and had a nice buck at 40 yards, but couldnt find him in the scope. After he walked, a started checking everything again, and the base was loose.

I had a gunsmith tap and mount it about 15 years ago. I thought that maybe the screws stripped or broke, but when I took it apart yesterday and cleaned everything up - it looks like one screws was gone ( or likely never put in, as it is slightly off ), and 2 were loose. There were remnants of red loc-tite and epoxy on the threads.

Anyway. I am looking to get this back together, hopefully for another 15 years.

The screws look to be 6-48, and maybe 1/4" long. My thought was to was to find new screws in the right size, and re-epoxy it. I am starting to rethink this and maybe have a gunsmith look at it?

I will attach some pictures from my phone in a minute:

 

[Flingarrows]

This is when I took it apart

This shows the 3rd hold, that was drilled incorrectly, I believe.

The threads look shiny, but that is because I tried to clean the thread with a 6-32 die - and stopped when it didnt fit

 

[TJ Kackowski]

Yikes! What a mess.

If this were my shotgun, I'd start fresh. Clean all the old crud off the barrel, freshen up the threads, and put on a new picatinny style rail with new screws. Not sure why you would want to use epoxy AND red Locktite ... unless the rail didn't match the contour of the barrel and the epoxy was a filler. If this were the case, I'd be looking for a rail that better matched my barrel or blending the rail to match the barrel.

If you aren't capable or willing to do any of this work, yes, hire a gunsmith.

Whatever you do, please let us know how it turns out.

 

[natdscott]

Epoxy bedding of rings and bases is relatively common in precision rifle circles.

That being said, so are #8 & #10 screws, and one can occasionally find bases drilled and pinned.

The epoxy bedding we do, though, is there to take up any slack in the machined surfaces. It's NOT used as an adhesive.

Here, it looks like it was used as the latter.

I'd bed that bi***, ream and retap those holes for #8 screws, and install a couple dowel pins. The loctite is fine, but quality fasteners correctly torqued into tight threads is the key to holding the rail down...installed correctly, the dowel pins do the work of absorbing recoil.

 

[Flingarrows]

Yikes! What a mess.

If this were my shotgun, I'd start fresh. Clean all the old crud off the barrel, freshen up the threads, and put on a new picatinny style rail with new screws. Not sure why you would want to use epoxy AND red Locktite ... unless the rail didn't match the contour of the barrel and the epoxy was a filler. If this were the case, I'd be looking for a rail that better matched my barrel or blending the rail to match the barrel.

If you aren't capable or willing to do any of this work, yes, hire a gunsmith.

Whatever you do, please let us know how it turns out.

Thanks TJ, will do. I am open to a new rail if that is the best route

 

[Flingarrows]

Epoxy bedding of rings and bases is relatively common in precision rifle circles.

That being said, so are #8 & #10 screws, and one can occasionally find bases drilled and pinned.

The epoxy bedding we do, though, is there to take up any slack in the machined surfaces. It's NOT used as an adhesive.

Here, it looks like it was used as the latter.

I'd bed that bi***, ream and retap those holes for #8 screws, and install a couple dowel pins. The loctite is fine, but quality fasteners correctly torqued into tight threads is the key to holding the rail down...installed correctly, the dowel pins do the work of absorbing recoil.

Natdscott,

Are you a gunsmith? If yes, where are you located?

 

[Creedmoor]

Epoxy bedding of rings and bases is relatively common in precision rifle circles.

That being said, so are #8 & #10 screws, and one can occasionally find bases drilled and pinned.

The epoxy bedding we do, though, is there to take up any slack in the machined surfaces. It's NOT used as an adhesive.

Here, it looks like it was used as the latter.

I'd bed that bi***, ream and retap those holes for #8 screws, and install a couple dowel pins. The loctite is fine, but quality fasteners correctly torqued into tight threads is the key to holding the rail down...installed correctly, the dowel pins do the work of absorbing recoil.

This right here, except I don't use epoxy, I use Locktite 638 Retaining Compound between the bases and the action. Its designed for between two pieces of metal to fill gaps and it can take a load if necessary.

 

[Flingarrows]

From the replies, I think it best to let someone who does this often look at this and redo it correctly.

I am looking for recommendations for a place to take this. I am in Greenwood, but will make a reasonable drive

 

[natdscott]

From the replies, I think it best to let someone who does this often look at this and redo it correctly.

I am looking for recommendations for a place to take this. I am in Greenwood, but will make a reasonable drive

Call Alan at Diamond Collision in Avon.

 

[42769vette]

I'd bed that bi***, ream and retap those holes for #8 screws, and install a couple dowel pins. The loctite is fine, but quality fasteners correctly torqued into tight threads is the key to holding the rail down...installed correctly, the dowel pins do the work of absorbing recoil.

exactly the route id take

 

[Flingarrows]

Call Alan at Diamond Collision in Avon.

Taking it in to Alan tomorrow

 

[Flingarrows]

Allen did an awesome job - remounted with 3 screws

 

[natdscott]

Nice!!

Undoubtedly better-than-new.

 

[Flingarrows]

Nice!!

Undoubtedly better-than-new.

For sure!