Gunsmithing Looking for advice on 700 recoil lug...

[ShooterwithNoName]

I just got a new "to me" McMillan stock that I'm getting ready to build on. I'm shopping recoil lugs, it will be on a blueprinted 700 action, NSS Criterion Remage 308 barrel, 20-22" length all in Chrome Moly.

I was looking through recoil lugs and have a question I hoped you guys that have built more rifles than I could maybe give some advice?

I'm trying to make this rifle as tough as possible. Something I'll be using quite a bit and getting bumped around in the woods. I always liked the idea of the MK13 style recoil lug. I found a company that makes one really similar, Crabtree is the company and this is the recoil lug:

Does this type of lug add strength significant enough to matter? Or am I just as well to use pillars, an oversize lug and glass bed? If I went with this lug I would still use a rear pillar and glass bed the action. Just curious, I want the rifle to be as tough as possible. A field rifle more so than a full on match rifle.

Thanks...

 

[Danny1788]

Never seen that before, stock would have to be inletted for that setup. Would it make a difference? No idea, a good quality .250” tapered lug would be just fine though.

 

[Easy_E]

You would think a fiberglass stock with a chassis would be better unless your trying to cut weight .

 

[ajwcotton]

That thing is way more trouble than it's worth. Doesnt improve accuracy, pain in the ass to bed and can cause accuracy issues if not done correctly. Stick to a nice .250 or .312 lug and you will be fine.

 

[Supersubes]

What he said ^

 

[Steel head]

What he said ^

X2

There’s probably a good reason no one uses that system anymore.

Those lugs are more for clone builds.

 

[skipjack]

That looks like a headache in the making. Like everyone else said just go with a over sized lug.

 

[1moaoff]

No need for that lug vs standard.
Also if receiver is blue printed you need to verify threads on receiver. There is no "STANDARD"

 

[LRI]

I just got a new "to me" McMillan stock that I'm getting ready to build on. I'm shopping recoil lugs, it will be on a blueprinted 700 action, NSS Criterion Remage 308 barrel, 20-22" length all in Chrome Moly.

I was looking through recoil lugs and have a question I hoped you guys that have built more rifles than I could maybe give some advice?

I'm trying to make this rifle as tough as possible. Something I'll be using quite a bit and getting bumped around in the woods. I always liked the idea of the MK13 style recoil lug. I found a company that makes one really similar, Crabtree is the company and this is the recoil lug:
View attachment 7272575

Does this type of lug add strength significant enough to matter? Or am I just as well to use pillars, an oversize lug and glass bed? If I went with this lug I would still use a rear pillar and glass bed the action. Just curious, I want the rifle to be as tough as possible. A field rifle more so than a full on match rifle.

Thanks...

I've been on this site since around 2007. I've seen hundreds of recoil lugs that looked as though someone robbed a tombstone from a graveyard. What I've never seen is a photo of a lug that has failed or a rifle that has conclusively improved its performance after installing one. A 1/4" thick recoil lug the size of an M700 is more than adequate for 99.9% of the rifles owned and shot by people today.

Engineers do exist and a lot of them are very smart people. If your shoulder/body can manage the "thump" then I have to think that a slab of heat-treated steel can too.

EDIT:

Tikka has become a well-pursued product these days. The recoil management setup they have pails in comparison to most of the popular actions made here in the US. Has there ever been a post on a forum anywhere about one failing? I make a conversion lug for it only because I had a mob of people beating down my door asking for it. Well sell them but in truth all it does is complicate a very simple/elegant product.

 

[ShooterwithNoName]

Good deal, that seems to be the general consensus on them. Simplicity most likely wins out here. I appreciate all the replies. I was just kind luxurious about it.

So I just ordered Mcmillan pillars for it and plan to bed it following their method:

Pillar Bedding Article – Part III - McMillan Stocks

When pillar bedding gained acceptance, there was little argument about how to do it right. It seemed almost everyone in the competitive arena used similar techniques.

mcmillanusa.com

I appreciate the advice guys, my original plan was to use a NSS .250" lug. This is the first stock I've had that didn't have pre-installed pillars or a block. I'm doing a little research on whether to bed the pillars first or pillars, action and bottom metal all at once.

 

[ShooterwithNoName]

Since I'm already on the topic of bedding, I have one more question...

Since I'm going to be running a Remage barrel nut, I'm assuming that won't be bedding the first couple inches of the barrel due to the barrel nut?

I am guessing trying to bed that barrel nut would prove difficult if not impossible. Unless I go with a smooth barrel nut? I would like to be able to pull the action and then the barrel if need be.

So bedding the Remage means only bedding to the recoil lug?

 

[Supersubes]

From the recoil lug back to the tang, yes.

 

[ShooterwithNoName]

Good deal, thanks Supersubes...

 

[Wannashootit]

Yup.
A "solution" in search of a problem that doesn't exist for most applications.
I could see this (just as I could a cross-bolt) for an extremely heavy recoiling rifle, like a big-bore, big game rifle where it's beneficial to add some reinforcement beyond a typical lug setup.