Building a Remmy 300 Win Mag, standard or oversized rail screws?

[Maestro Pistolero]

It's almost time to order a rail for this 300 Win Mag build:

New 700 LA SPS stripped and sent to Krieger for truing, 5R 24" Stainless barrel, threaded, APA 'Little Bastard' brake
Manners T3 with Surgeon DBM and AICS mags.
Badger Rail (probably)

The question is whether to go with the oversized scope rail screws or use the standard screws. How important is it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[insight3b]

It becomes more important if you are mounting a heavy tactical style optic on it. If the scope weighs more than 24 ounces it is always a good idea to go with the bigger 8X40 screws especially when mounted to a .300WM

 

[Maestro Pistolero]

It will likely be a Nightforce ATACR.

 

[nn8734]

I use a Remington mars rail on my .300 and it works great. It wears a Nightforce 5.5-22 x 56 NSX and has plenty of room for night optics. Prior to attaching the MARS I had a badger 30 Moa rail and it seemed to hold up just fine.

 

[Dollman]

I run the stock screws with blue Locktite on my Remington 700, 300 WM target rifle. Built it about 4 years ago and changed out 2 shot out barrels. I use the McCanns +20 moa picatinny scope rail with Badger rings and a Premier Retilce 5-25X55. The scope weghs about 39 oz's.

Also, I still using the original Remington extractor with no troubles.

 

[swampbuck]

After that much invested sure why not. I wouldn't cut any corners after coming this far.

 

[Maestro Pistolero]

After that much invested sure why not. I wouldn't cut any corners after coming this far.

This makes sense. I certainly don't want to waste money on a useless mod, but it will have a pretty effective brake, if that helps. It would be ridiculous to go this far and have the rail move. Krieger doesn't do that work. What should it cost to true and recut the screw threads? I imagine introducing any stress to the rail with less than perfectly aligned holes would be a bad thing.

 

[swampbuck]

About $10 a hole.

 

[billyburl2]

The brake just might make things worse on the screws, as recoil will go "both" ways, when the brake catches the recoil. I with the those saying might as well do it.

 

[oneshotkyle]

After that much invested sure why not. I wouldn't cut any corners after coming this far.

i just went through the same thought on my 338 edge build. when you are spending that much time and money trying to make a rifle as accurate as possible why not. i don't believe that 8-40 screws are needed for anything due to recoil. although i believe it is important to make those holes as straight as the reciever machine work you have performed. anything factory will be mass produced and we all now how some shit slips by. just my .02

 

[Maestro Pistolero]

Great replies. Okay, here's a question: If the point is to make the holes as straight as possible (and I assume their location as correct as possible) then shouldn't I also verify the location of the holes on The rail itself? Or do I just buy a badger or EGW, and trust that they are correct, mating the receiver holes to the rail?

Not to overthink it (too late!) but what about buying rails with standard size holes so there is room to relocate those holes (and counter bores) slightly as necessary to make them more perfect?

i just went through the same thought on my 338 edge build. when you are spending that much time and money trying to make a rifle as accurate as possible why not. i don't believe that 8-40 screws are needed for anything due to recoil. although i believe it is important to make those holes as straight as the reciever machine work you have performed. anything factory will be mass produced and we all now how some shit slips by. just my .02