Help with Masterpiece Arms Rifle Trigger Upgrade

[MStrong69]

I am new to the precision rifle game and I just purchased a Masterpiece Arms BA Competition Rifle with a barrel contour of M24 26". I also had them Bed the Action. I am going to upgrade the trigger (Geissele S700) and would like some advise. I have previously added a Timney Trigger to a Remington 700, but this is my first grownup rifle and ...

I have read the manual posted at Masterpiece Arms about how to install the BA Competition Chassis into an action. I wish they had a video. So my questions are:

Is there any gotchas I need to be aware of?
What is the recommended torque on the night vision bridge, if any (I can't seem to find this on their site)?
Do I need to be concerned about the Mag Block Insert?

Thanks

MStrong69

 

[021411]

I am new to the precision rifle game and I just purchased a Masterpiece Arms BA Competition Rifle with a barrel contour of M24 26". I also had them Bed the Action. I am going to upgrade the trigger (Geissele S700) and would like some advise. I have previously added a Timney Trigger to a Remington 700, but this is my first grownup rifle and ...

I have read the manual posted at Masterpiece Arms about how to install the BA Competition Chassis into an action. I wish they had a video. So my questions are:

Is there any gotchas I need to be aware of?
What is the recommended torque on the night vision bridge, if any (I can't seem to find this on their site)?
Do I need to be concerned about the Mag Block Insert?

Thanks

MStrong69

You’ll like the Super 700. My buddy has one and it’s pretty damn nice.
Per my email from them back in 2017, the torque setting for the NV bridge is 4 INCH pounds. I put a mag block insert in mine and it hasn’t budged.

 

[Jimichanga]

You are overthinking it. There are plenty of vids on youtube to change out the trigger on a 700 clone. It will be easier than your remington 700 as you won't have to deal with the bolt release or spring. Just hand tighten the bridge and torque the chassis to the recommended value.

 

[Ripdog28]

Way overthinking. No gotchas, easy chassis to work with. Are you running Night Vision? if not, why worry. if you are, call them but 30in/lb is a typical value. I have found a snug hand tight on non essentials (Bipod, Stock parts) is just fine and does not loosen. Scope rings, action are the only essentials for TQ. Mag block is not needed unless you plan on shooting off the mag or shoot PRS where the mag gets pushed on often while shooting.

Also, your spending more money (Overthinking) than needed. Bedding an action on a chassis? I have never met anyone with an MPA who wished they did bed the action and everyone was sub 1/2" gun if they did their part.

 

[b6graham]

Way overthinking. No gotchas, easy chassis to work with. Are you running Night Vision? if not, why worry. if you are, call them but 30in/lb is a typical value. I have found a snug hand tight on non essentials (Bipod, Stock parts) is just fine and does not loosen. Scope rings, action are the only essentials for TQ. Mag block is not needed unless you plan on shooting off the mag or shoot PRS where the mag gets pushed on often while shooting.

Also, your spending more money (Overthinking) than needed. Bedding an action on a chassis? I have never met anyone with an MPA who wished they did bed the action and everyone was sub 1/2" gun if they did their part.

throwing out a generic 30 inch pounds is pretty fucking dumb

also...tons of people bed MPAs. MPA even does it themselves

 

[Ripdog28]

throwing out a generic 30 inch pounds is pretty fucking dumb

also...tons of people bed MPAs. MPA even does it themselves

Pretty fucking dumb? Tell us then, what is it suppose to be? or are you just talking smack? Seeing as scopes are much more fragile than a NV mount, yet no MFGR can agree on torque values but scope rings range from 15-25in/lb. Scope mounts range from 14-68 and many mounts are made from the same aluminum the chassis is (6061). yes I know 7075 is stronger but again, many rings are 6061. Then most actions call for 45-65, I would say that 30 on the bridge is a reasonable value to start. Is that to much? tell me it would strip the threads, please. MPA does not even put a value in the manual.

As for bedding, did I say no one does it? It is an added precaution carried over from stocks. un necessary for a chassis.

 

[b6graham]

Pretty fucking dumb? Tell us then, what is it suppose to be? or are you just talking smack? Seeing as scopes are much more fragile than a NV mount, yet no MFGR can agree on torque values but scope rings range from 15-25in/lb. Scope mounts range from 14-68 and many mounts are made from the same aluminum the chassis is (6061). yes I know 7075 is stronger but again, many rings are 6061. Then most actions call for 45-65, I would say that 30 on the bridge is a reasonable value to start. Is that to much? tell me it would strip the threads, please. MPA does not even put a value in the manual.

As for bedding, did I say no one does it? It is an added precaution carried over from stocks. un necessary for a chassis.

literally said above its 4 inch pounds. but its not something you'd even need to torque and no way it's anywhere near 30. theyre tiny ass screws and for 99% of people are nothing more than a place to put your hand on a barricade or it's just there cause the chassis looks silly without it

if bedding didnt help some people, they wouldnt do it. nothing wrong with the skim coat/bedding lug, as you said an added precaution

 

[Subwrx300]

Pretty fucking dumb? Tell us then, what is it suppose to be? or are you just talking smack? Seeing as scopes are much more fragile than a NV mount, yet no MFGR can agree on torque values but scope rings range from 15-25in/lb. Scope mounts range from 14-68 and many mounts are made from the same aluminum the chassis is (6061). yes I know 7075 is stronger but again, many rings are 6061. Then most actions call for 45-65, I would say that 30 on the bridge is a reasonable value to start. Is that to much? tell me it would strip the threads, please. MPA does not even put a value in the manual.

As for bedding, did I say no one does it? It is an added precaution carried over from stocks. un necessary for a chassis.

There is another thread on this topic (bedding chassis's) and one poster tested POI shift on unbedded MPA by hitting barrel near muzzle at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. This simulates banging barrel off an obstacle/barricade during a stage. The shift of impact relative to POA was very evident (he included photos). .5-2MOA depending on location struck. After bedding the issue went away and no POI shift with same test.

Tolerances are tolerances. Not all actions will mate flawlessly to recoil lug. If action can shift L/R/U/D at all (even .001 to .002) it will change POI. Bedding will only help prevent shifting in bad scenarios.

But to each their own...YMMV.

 

[Ripdog28]

There is another thread on this topic (bedding chassis's) and one poster tested POI shift on unbedded MPA by hitting barrel near muzzle at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock. This simulates banging barrel off an obstacle/barricade during a stage. The shift of impact relative to POA was very evident (he included photos). .5-2MOA depending on location struck. After bedding the issue went away and no POI shift with same test.

Tolerances are tolerances. Not all actions will mate flawlessly to recoil lug. If action can shift L/R/U/D at all (even .001 to .002) it will change POI. Bedding will only help prevent shifting in bad scenarios.

But to each their own...YMMV.

I find this odd. I do understand how bedding helps the action seat to a stock/chassis and hold them better, but seeing as the action is torqued to the barrel, and the rail/scope/action/barrel are attached independent of the chassis, a shift in POA/POI would need to be looked at better. The barrel hit could shift an action but the scope is independent of the chassis and would shift with the barrel/action unless it is loose or something else was going on.

I literally dropped by rifle from 4 feet up. Fell directly on the sunshade. Bent the sunshade to the point I can not unscrew it. I had a .2 POI shift from prior to the drop. Scope is holding true out to 890 yards so far. To have a .5-2MOA shift I suspect there is more to that test then stated.

Think of all the rifles in PRS that get banged around. hitting the ladder, tank trap, going into and out of an odd shooting structure, I have not heard of someone half through the stage say, Shit, 2 moa off. I suspect the guy hitting the barrel had more to it.

 

[Ripdog28]

literally said above its 4 inch pounds. but its not something you'd even need to torque and no way it's anywhere near 30. theyre tiny ass screws and for 99% of people are nothing more than a place to put your hand on a barricade or it's just there cause the chassis looks silly without it

if bedding didnt help some people, they wouldnt do it. nothing wrong with the skim coat/bedding lug, as you said an added precaution

I agree with you on a lot. As I said above hand tight was enough but hand tight for some can also be 30in/lb. Use a screw driver tq wrench vs a ratchet. Hand tight is very different between the two. Those screws are hardened and typically break the heads off around 57in/lb+. I to use it only for a hand place. If mounting a heavy ass NV/Thermal to it, I would torque it to 20-30in/lb, same as most scope mounts. call for to mount to the pic rail.

 

[Subwrx300]

I find this odd. I do understand how bedding helps the action seat to a stock/chassis and hold them better, but seeing as the action is torqued to the barrel, and the rail/scope/action/barrel are attached independent of the chassis, a shift in POA/POI would need to be looked at better. The barrel hit could shift an action but the scope is independent of the chassis and would shift with the barrel/action unless it is loose or something else was going on.

I literally dropped by rifle from 4 feet up. Fell directly on the sunshade. Bent the sunshade to the point I can not unscrew it. I had a .2 POI shift from prior to the drop. Scope is holding true out to 890 yards so far. To have a .5-2MOA shift I suspect there is more to that test then stated.

Its all in tolerances. Its possible that your action/barrel/action screws allow perfect side contact (no uneven contact on oneside or the other), lug is mated where it will not shift (no play behind lug) and your action screws are perfectly centered without shifting under load.

His may have action may have been slightly uneven in chassis, screws possibly shifting slightly when pressure applied, etc.

No two actions are exactly identical and while the vast majority are likely much more perfect than you or I could measure (sub .001 differences), there are bound to be a few that aren't. Just think of the different data points that have to be PERFECT to maintain an exact fit: Rear action screw to rear lug face distance, forward action screw to rear lug face, chassis diameter of action, vBlock walls exactly parallel, rear lug pocket surface exactly correct distance to front action screws (for your action/recoil lug), and the list goes on forever. Bedding a recoil lug pocket (even in a chassis) is a good way to remove one possible source of error under severe load.

But the shooter has to be good enough to recognize precision potential of system and when something shifts vs bad fundamentals. Bedding is definitely not as common with metal chassis as other materials but the reason behind bedding is still the same: remove any possible source of movement and stress on the system so that it can remain consistent over time.

And yes, scope base, rings and more could be reason for the shift; its impossible to know for sure. I have an action with an integral rail, but that doesn't mean the rings couldn't move slightly or scope bend (like you had happen).