Savage Scope Mount Bolt PROBLEM

[Boba Debt]

I received my EGW scope mount today and wanted to shoot my Model 10 FCP this weekend BUT as soon as I start one of the bolts it feels really tight.

Does anyone know if this is normal?

Does anyone know what the thread count is supposed to be?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[pdog06]

Look in the hole and make sure there isnt any old dried locktite in the threads. If so you may have to clean the threads up.

It definately shouldnt be tight. It may not thread in with bare fingers just because they are virgin screws, but dont force it.

Do your old ones screw in OK?

[pdog06]

wait a minute. Which bolt feels tight when you put it in. Just wanna make sure it isnt the from one and you're bottoming out against the barrel. Some bases have one screw that is shorter than the others so that dont happen.

[Boba Debt]

This is a brand new gun and a brand new scope mount

[Boba Debt]

None of the screws will go in more then one thread before they get tight

[Boba Debt]

Shouldn't EGW be smart enough to put the right screws in with the mount?

[pdog06]

I believe the standard screw holes are 6-48 thread.

[pdog06]

Shouldn't EGW be smart enough to put the right screws in with the mount?

Sure they are smart enough, but accidents do happen. I've never had an issue with their products.

Do you have another scope base screw you can try to see if it fits better? Maybe a spare or one off another gun?

[BillPa]

I believe the standard screw holes are 6-40 thread. Sure you didnt get a base with 8-40 screws in it?

I'm pretty sure on the thread size, but find out for sure before you re-tap them or anything.

They're 6-48s.

Bill

[pdog06]

Thanks Bill. I just came back to edit it and you beat me to it.

[Boba Debt]

I measured my bolts and they were 6-48s so I just forced one in. It was tight all the way but screwed down.

It didn't seem like these were going to stop turning so I just stopped when they were tight.

[EFBell]

Watch that first one (over the barrel). They are often too long and bottom out before tightening against the base. Thats usuall the one I put in first so I'm sure it draws down tight.

[clayton]

This sounds very much like the wrong threads on the screws.

[Boba Debt]

Well they fit my 6-48 thread gage. I had no way to check the rifle though.

[axaviere]

hope this helps. i went thru several allen head screws before i bought a tap. savage does nothing to protect the threads when they coat the model 10s


if you have a model 10 you may have this stuff in the holes...

here it is before. notice the holes are dark, the threads are loaded with the coating they use on the rifle

[img width=600 height=400]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4387744217_0c15bbed65_b.jpg[/img]

so i run the tap thru and as you can see, there is quite a bit of schmootz in there. very few if any metal flakes came thru

[img width=600 height=400]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4387747743_ce6c540a7a_b.jpg[/img]

plenty of stuff still on the tap after taking it out.

[img width=600 height=400]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2774/4388507550_ab7b12daf6_b.jpg[/img]

notice the threads are now bright and shiney, all cleaned up

[img width=600 height=400]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2763/4388531512_3df8312e1a_b.jpg[/img]

i dont worry so much about a certain torque setting going in. the nice thing about all that gunk in the threads is you never needed loctite. now i may use purple on it

[ellobo]

[quote=Boba Debt ]
Well they fit my 6-48 thread gage. I had no way to check the rifle though.


[/quote

Go to the hardware store and get a 6-48 tap, they are cheap enough. There are different classes of fit (tolerances) in taps and hardware stores stock the loosest fit. Run the tap into the holes 1/4 turn at a time then back them off and turn in again, repeat that until your tap is through (except on the one over the barrel) to clean them out. Having one around to clean out loctite and crud when installing or changing mounts is handy to have. Blueing salts get in the holes and hardens when they dry off. Usualy has a white powdery look.

El Lobo

[bodywerks]

Shouldn't EGW be smart enough to put the right screws in with the mount?

Have you tried to just thread the screws in without the base? The reason I ask is because I had the same problem yesterday with my fcp-k and EGW 20moa base. Turned out the holes didn't line up well at all, and it doesn't look like it's the EGW that is off, but rather the holes in the bolt carrier itself!?!?!? When I took the base back off and just screwed the screws into each hole they don't form a straight line, so it seems obvious to me.
Anyway, all I had to do was enlarge the two forward holes in the EGW base to a #21(5/32"). Then you have to get each screw started before attempting to tighten them down - takes a little finessing and sometimes turning the screw counter-clockwise to find the start of the threads can help a bit. Then snug the most aft bolt and most forward bolt, then torque them down then tighten the two inner bolts. Once I did this the base was securely mounted and straight.

[axaviere]

buy a tap. clean out the holes. problem solved. its the coating from the barrel and action. you wont find a 6/48 in your hardware store either. i got mine off ebay. $6 delivered. dont mess with half assing it. i tried just running the screws in and out over and over. buy some torx head scope base screws. i heard from a few people that EGW was sending them out instead of hex heads now. if not brownells or ken ferrell sells them

[Boba Debt]

So I guess the reciever is harder then the bolts?

I hope so. I'll remove the scope mount, get a tap and clean out the holes. then I'll replace the screws and hope my gun isn;t damaged.

Why did Savage select such a fine thread size?

At the very least a 6-32 would have been just as good and not as likly to get damaged.

[axaviere]

hard to say which is harder, but since you have the barrel mounted you will need a bottoming tap to clean the front two holes. if you think a 6-48 is hard to find, a bottoming 6-48 is going to be fun. go slow, and get a tap handle. but a set and use the handle then return them if you have to. just watch how it goes in. you may get some of the gunk out by running the screws in and out. i did that and it was easier. until the screws had to come out, then i stripped out the heads on a few.

Tap. Torx. Ta-daa!

[EFBell]

fine threads are stronger thats why fine threads exist and are used.

[sharpshooter]

6-48 scope mount screws are the firearms industry standard. Not many hardware stores will have them, let alone know what they are for. They can be had at Brownells and many tool distibutors. Don't buy a cheap one, you'll get your moneys worth and alot more headaches.
There is no "coating" on the receiver, they are black parkerized. The reason the holes are gimped up is because the receivers are shot peened before finishing to give the matte look. Shot peening is similar to sand blasting, only they use steel shot instead of abrasive media. It has a tendancy to deform threads.

[axaviere]

well i would still have to say its a coating of some sort. it came out of the threads on my tap. the threads were black before and shiney silver when i got done. but i am only familiar with the model 10FCP. i didnt think parkerizing was as textured as this, but that could be the shot peening. but there was some sort of something on the threads in my rifle

before

[img width=600 height=400]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4387744217_0c15bbed65_b.jpg[/img]

during

[img width=600 height=400]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4038/4387747743_ce6c540a7a_b.jpg[/img]

after

[img width=600 height=400]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2763/4388531512_3df8312e1a_b.jpg[/img]

it came with nothing in the holes to keep them clean. after i ran the tap thru them i could put the new base screws in with my fingers.

[EGW1]

The screws come out of Connecticut
They are made from 4037
6-48 Rolled thread cold headed bolt 3/32 allen wrench.
We heat treated locally 39 to 41 Rc. Same as a US made socket head cap screw or grade 8 bolt. The last run was 1/4 million screws.

6-48 as stated is the industry standard for Rifle mounts. Std spread is often .862 from center to center. Dates back to Unertal blocks, maybe even before that.

We have run into this even in our own shop. We borrowed a rifle for a photo shot of the mount on a Savage and we could not install the mount without re tapping the holes. As with this gentleman it mostly removed gunk and a smig of metal.

Sorry to hear the guy that had to open up his holes to get the mount on his rifle.

Brownells, Ebay and MSC carry 6-48 taps, probalby Midway also. Of course if your on here good chance one of your buddies is a gunsmith and would have one for sure.

Thank you for your support. We have been fortunate to sell Many Many Savage mounts Most popular is the 20 moa SA for us.

We do offer the older Flat back mounts also if you are in need. The short medium and long action flat back.
have the print on the new Savage EDGE for a mount. It is Unique and no other Savage that we know of matches the bolt pattern.

If you get stuck, feel free to email if you need to check a bolt pattern or if you have a screw strip out and need a replacment.

best regards
geo

www.egwguns.com

[axaviere]

i had no problem with the mount and went from a 0 moa to 20 moa and both were well finished. when i first got my mount i called and got screws. my first thought was my wrench then screws then i looked closer and the threads had this stuff on it. $7, a week and a positive ebay rating later, i had my tap. glad to hear EGW is making steel. i also like the longer mounts that you offer now. keep it up. oh and i heard there were torx heads in some mounts now. great idea. i like that better than hex, im sure im not the only one