Reply With QuoteMake sure the screws are the right size and don't be afraid to use a little blue loctite.
My first post, and I really don't know much about forums either so any advice is appreciated.
i have a Savage 338 BA 110 Stealth with a Larue base, 50 BMG attached to the picitany rail and a Night Force Atacr FI 5-25-56 optic mounted.
For some reason the picitany rail keeps coming loose, when i first found it I disembled my mount from the rail and found the two hex head screws to be very loose, I searched online to find torch values but could not locate any, so i tightened them by hand to be safe to not over tighten them. After 5 or 6 rounds it came loose again. I stopped running the Lapua until i can fix this issue, has anyone else experienced this and what do you all think i should do to fix it. I thought about the obvious and put some thread lock on the screws, but when i first found the issue i noticed that Savage did not use any thread lock so i haven't used it either, worried i might loose my factory warranty. I have placed two service requests online through Savage with no return communications to date.
Any help would be appreciated.
Make sure the screws are the right size and don't be afraid to use a little blue loctite.
Twarren is correct. Use some blue loctite. Don't quote me on this. About 20 lbs of torque is pretty standard for scope base screws.Originally Posted by twarren
To add to the above post. Not only make sure the screws are the right size, but make sure the screws are the right length and not bottoming out on the barrel in the very furthest forward hole over the barrel. Then a little blue locktite and set to proper torque (20-25 inch-pounds).
Something I learned from Jeff Huber at Nightforce - It is pretty difficult to exceed 25 inch pounds with scope mounting screws if you hold the L wrench on the short leg. Once it starts to get a bit uncomfortable applying torque, you are there. Holding by the long side you can easily exceed 25 inch pounds. Is the Picatinnny rail made of steel? If it isn't steel or titanium, replace it with a steel base. An aluminum base is not something you should be using on a 338 Lapua in my opinion. Savage ships 338 Lapuas with Aluminum bases and they have caused all kinds of problems for some folks, including myself. I NEVER use an aluminum base on a heavy recoiling rifle unless I have no choice and then I go with double wide rings like the Burris XTR Signatures.
I like steel base and rings if at all possible. As said, blue loctite (242) will not hurt a thing. I don't degrease per se, but will clean screw threads real well with a tissue and action screw holes out real well with a q-tip that has the cotton portion removed enough I can twirl it in the screw holes until it is clean. I use Warne steel bases and they recommend 25 inch/lbs with blue loctite. Loctite will decrease friction and supposedly be higher than 25 inch/lbs rather than a dry screw torque value. I have been paranoid about stripping, but never have, but I have dialed back my torque to 20 inch/lbs when installing my bases now.
Thanks everyone for the reply's, i figured that i would need to end up getting a better base i just don't want to get the wrong one, every tool has its specific likes and dislikes. I have used Warne in the past with good results.
any other suggestions from the Savage team on a upgraded base for my 338LP.
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