Thread: Loose Mounts

Been shooting for a mate who’s shoulder is knackered, using South African military 308 FMJ swopped projectiles to a hornady softpoint to see if it would improve accuracy. For ages this rifle has shot badly, then almost ok. Watched often in degust as he would be banging the cheap scope, hopefully to get the turrets to move.
This rifle is a K98 action with a 26 inch completely redone match chamber barrel shortened from a F class all done by one of the best gun smiths NZ has ever seen Harvey W.
After shooting an almost reasonable group then adjusting the turrets it went back to a lovely 3 half inch group

So brought it home to put a scope on it I trust, off with the old scope off, I noticed the weaver mounts slopping around both front and back. OK game up.
What my mate had done was put these weaver mounts on, the screws holes were blind, screws to long, heaps of slope in the recess of the screwhead, he thought he had tighten them down cause the screws pulled up tight.
So simple of a mistake and a long time to find out what the hell was going on.
Other clues were he shot a brilliant group with one of my rifles.

Yup.

classic..and good reason for locktite or somesuch between bases and action....

Was mounting rings on a recently purchased rifle (on here), noticed the front Weaver base was loose, on attempting to tighten found only one retaining screw, the other was "secured" by a stud which had been filled around with glue. Always wonder why it would have been too hard to obtain another screw.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

classic..and good reason for locktite or somesuch between bases and action....

Won't help if the screws are too long in the front base. The front screw of the front base is usually the issue, as it tends to bottom on the barrel shank. Although, I have seen one front screw drilled right through into the chamber. Yes that's right... The other screws if they are too long usually are instantly noticeable as they foul the bolt and it won't work.

You won't believe how many times I've run into this issue, nip the screw off to the right length clean the threads up and the problem is solved. Everything needs to be mechanically 'right' for Loctite to help any, all it does it help prevent correctly torqued fasteners from backing out or loosening. The other dumb bubba job I've run into is drilling the rear screw for the front base, and bubba gets the drill half way on the front edge of the recoil lug which causes either the drill to break, or kicks the whole over which causes the tap to break, or failing that if bubba is especially lucky the screw goes in on the piss and fouls the ring! Probably doesn't improve the lug bearing surface either.

Yip I cleaned up all surfaces, bedded the mounts with Devcon, shortened the screws and blue lock tight to finish.

Mounts ah!!!
Put the crosshairs on a stags shoulder one time, only to smash the spine half way along the backbone. Then just couldn't get the rifle to group. Turned out what I thought was a "scratch" in the blueing was in fact a hairline crack in the mount.
Doesn't take much and if your otherwise accurate rig is doing something silly, common sense should be a good teacher.

Nearly got caught like that.
Got my 243 back (along with my others after leaving them with a friend when I was in oz for 10 years).
He had resighted it in for some other ammo I had.
Took a deer close to 200 with it
I had someone do some loads for me and went to head out one day and thought I heard the scope rattle.
That's odd I says to myself.
Double checked and yip after taking the scope off found both bases loose.
Didnt get out that day
Sont know how my mate sighted it in or hit anything