what torque for action screws.

[wal0001]

Putting my new rifle barrel with action back in a modified factory stock. This is a hunting rifle, but added some strength to the stock. I am a little confused about how tight to get the action screws. I have seen 35lbs front - 30 back up to 60 front 50 back.

Is there a factory setting for these or a standard..

Thanks in advance.

[Robinhood]

It depends on if it is plastic, wood, bedded and or pillared. if there are no pillars the screw head can work into the wood or ? and loosen or relax the tension.

[m12lrs]

You need a wheeler fat boy torque screwdriver. Torque is in in/lbs not.ft/lbs

I would start with 35 in/lbs. Back screw less than front.screw. that.torque.can have.a.profound.effect on the.accuracy of the rifle. Here is a.good link explaining it.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/savage-action-screw-torque-tuning/

[RC20]

I just read an article by a guy who messed with it. Mostly as long as snug he found no differences.

35 inch lbs front and rear.

I have shot some good groups with a complexly loose rear one and some not so bad from ones when I had not checked it.

My take is sans unusual, its not worth messing with but that's just an opinion for a in between shooter.

[redman]

Just a thought: maybe there is some truth to be able to tune your shots with action screw torque. Something I have tried but it didn't seem to matter but when I was doing it, it was a very limited experiment. Something I might try again using the techniques in the above article.

My take on the torque settings for action screws is that A- you want them tight enough to hold your action from jumping around in the stock or moving at all. Personally 35 to 60 inch pounds is where I'd want mine. Currently I have mine at 50 inch lbs.

Then B- you want to consistently put your rifle back together the same every time to rule out inconsistencies. So if your rifle was sited in at 40 inch lbs of torque on the screws you need to have it that way after every time you take it apart.

[stomp442]

I like a good aluminum pillar and glass bedding job with both action screws at the same torque to ensure there is no binding or flex going on. 35-40 inch pounds is generally where I like mine. I find bedding the action and ensuring the tang and barrel is floated helps groups more than any action screw torque setting but thats just my experience.

[Zero333]

35 to 40 in-lbs is where most of my savages shine.

[Zero333]

I just read an article by a guy who messed with it. Mostly as long as snug he found no differences.

35 inch lbs front and rear.

I have shot some good groups with a complexly loose rear one and some not so bad from ones when I had not checked it.

My take is sans unusual, its not worth messing with but that's just an opinion for a in between shooter.


I read the same article in Rifle Shooter. The writer used a Savage mod 16 in 308win.

I found it interesting how in the pictures of the groups the one with 40in-lbs was the smallest and most consistent looking (nice 3 shot triangle).

[RC20]

Ahh, forgot which one, thank you.

For a real bench rest completion shooter it looks to be important, if the best I am going to do is 3/8 then not a factor.

[m12lrs]

Ahh, forgot which one, thank you.

For a real bench rest completion shooter it looks to be important, if the best I am going to do is 3/8 then not a factor.

Consistent 3/8 inch groups at 100 yrds is some mighty fine shooting

Very few shooters accomplish it

[Zero333]

Consistent 3/8 inch groups at 100 yrds is some mighty fine shooting

Very few shooters accomplish it

It's not uncommon the get a 3/8moa group once in a while with a aftermarket barrel and handloads. For some more often than others.

[JW]

I come up whith this a few years ago, I think it was from the savage website FAQ

What is the torque spec for my action screws?
Accustock models - 40 inch pounds (including wedge screw)
Centerfire w/ synthetic stock - 30-35 inch pounds
Centerfire w/ wood stock - 30-35 inch pounds
Centerfire w/ laminate stock - 30-35 inch pounds
Rimfire w/ any stock - 15 inch pounds

[GhostRed7]

I asked Boyd's a few days ago and they said 25-35# (presuming inch-pounds) for the Axis on their laminate stock.

[keeki]

Seat the recoil lug, tighten front screw about 20 in lbs, then just snug the rear, go back and tighten the front to 35-40"lbs, tighten the rear to about 10" lbs and start shooting it, as you shoot groups, tighten the rear more or less, whichever seems to give you better accuracy. That's how I've always done it anywho

[Texas10]

Seat the recoil lug, tighten front screw about 20 in lbs, then just snug the rear, go back and tighten the front to 35-40"lbs, tighten the rear to about 10" lbs and start shooting it, as you shoot groups, tighten the rear more or less, whichever seems to give you better accuracy. That's how I've always done it anywho

Exactly....

You'd think that with steel pillars and epoxy bedding in a wood laminate stock would be enough to keep the action solid, but in all three of my model 12's and my buddy's model 11, torque tuning makes a significant difference in group size. But don't forget to properly seat the recoil lug before torquing.

All mine are torqued to 45 in lb front, and around 25 in lb rear. The rear screw seems to be the critical one, and mine seems to loosen up often. So I bring a torque wrench with me and torque the screws before each shooting session. Marking the screw head with a Sharpie helps keep track of loosening, and a label affixed to the stock with torque value for that particular action helps to eliminate going through the set up process repeatedly.

[RC20]

Consistent 3/8 inch groups at 100 yrds is some mighty fine shooting

Very few shooters accomplish it

That's the truth, been working at it for 4 or 5 years now. I am getting better. Got a 3/8 and a 1/4 back in close order the last shooting session

I won't say how many pushed 1 inch though.

[RC20]

I asked Boyd's a few days ago and they said 25-35# (presuming inch-pounds) for the Axis on their laminate stock.

It had not occurred to me to ask them, well done!