Ruger RSM Recoil System

[geoff rath]

Maintain recommended bedding screw pressures and they won't fail.

 

[Rafiki]

I have not seen where a RSM in any caliber......416 or Lott included that has had a recoil related stock failure. Perhaps there is some genius in the design that I (we) are unable to see. It looks strange, I agree. Anyone heard of this gun failing from recoil and needing bedding/bolts etc. ?.........FWB

Mine cracked in the web between the trigger and magazine hence the second crossbolt. I posted an image of this somewhere.

 

[Rafiki]

Maintain recommended bedding screw pressures and they won't fail.

That reminds me, I know the torque for the receiver screws but have not found the torque specs for the barrel screw or the lug screw; any idea?

 

[ACM]

That reminds me, I know the torque for the receiver screws but have not found the torque specs for the barrel screw or the lug screw; any idea?

I too would be interested in this info for all action & barrell screws. I believe last time I did 40-45in/lbs on action & 35in/lbs on barrel. Starting with the screw behind action & moving forward towards muzzle. Here is a pic of the bedding on my RSM.

 

[Captain Munro]

I too would be interested in this info for all action & barrell screws. I believe last time I did 40-45in/lbs on action & 35in/lbs on barrel. Starting with the screw behind action & moving forward towards muzzle. Here is a pic of the bedding on my RSM.View attachment 569194

I am having my RSM bedded, hopefully just like that.

 

[Rafiki]

Here is a pic of the bedding on my RSM.View attachment 569194

Very nice. Could you please explain what you had done? I see a second cross-bolt, that had to be tricky sneaking it in that skinny web forward of the trigger.

I also notice that there is only one fore-end screw hole, the one that holds down the barrel. What did you do with the recoil lug; is it buried or did you get rid of it in favor of just bedding the rifle. I don't see any trace of that contraption.

 

[Rafiki]

ACM: Oooops, I somehow mixed up your CZ in the pic, no 2nd cross-blot on your RSM

 

[ACM]

Very nice. Could you please explain what you had done? I see a second cross-bolt, that had to be tricky sneaking it in that skinny web forward of the trigger.

I also notice that there is only one fore-end screw hole, the one that holds down the barrel. What did you do with the recoil lug; is it buried or did you get rid of it in favor of just bedding the rifle. I don't see any trace of that contraption.

@Rafiki I wish I could honestly answer your question. I trusted the smith & never asked how he did it. The work was done years ago & I never separated the stock from the barrel until about 6months ago. Not sure if the recoil system is under the bedding or removed. I will say, the other forend screw does thread in and torque down to something.
On a 375 H&H I would not hesitate one bit removing the recoil contraption in favor of a good pillar & glass bedding (if it’s what you desire). That would give you (4) total screws holding down the barrel/action plus the bedding job keeping things from moving. It would be very strong. If I remember correctly the under barrel rib is angled too which would work against recoil.
The way mine looks, I would say the recoil contraption was probably removed.

 

[Rafiki]

It turns out that my RSM weighs 10.5lbs according to the official bathroom scale. The recoil lug contraption weighs .267lbs according to my wife's kitchen scale, hardly enough to make much difference if I were to remove it.

 

[flatwater bill]

I just took (re-took) one of my Ruger RSM rifles apart.......and as @Rafiki mentions, that "tit" is curious. Why is it not bigger? (A question we have all asked that from time to time I suppose) and more robust? If there is genius in this recoil system, it is beyond me. But the giant cartridges like the Rigby and the slightly less giant Lott, leave very little in the web space between the magazine well and the trigger group. I'm having the 416 bedded........thanks for thread.................FWB

 

[Rafiki]

This recoil lug thing is really starting to bug me. That contraption is over 1/4lb. As everyone says, almost without exception, the rifle is too heavy and that is certainly true. Will a 1/4lb (basically a single stick of butter) make a noticeable difference? It would be easy enough to determine if I had the rifle here but I took it back to the 'smith.

I really don't think that the contraption does much of anything. A recoil lug is meant to distribute energy to protect against stock cracking. It has no purpose that I know of for improving the accuracy of the rifle, if it does I've never heard that. In the RSM's case that barrel is so massive plus being tied down to the fore-end I really doubt that removing the thing would be detrimental to the accuracy of the rifle.

Here's what keeps me going in circles. If I just take the thing out I would have to do something that would also add some weight back in. The RSMS action sits on top of that tongue fixed to the lug. If I were to simply remove the contraption it would leave a gap that may mess up some alignment; giant speculation there. Then there is the hole in the fore-end where the now unneeded lug screw is, what to do with that.

I have already pillar bedded the fore and aft action screws and added a second crossbolt behind the magazine well, given that the barrel is also tied to the fore-end I can't see why there would be a need for anything else.

This is the kind of crap that keeps me up at night.

 

[ACM]

I would consider cutting the ear off of the recoil system so it would still sandwich between action & bedding. Then ditch the rest of it.
Fill the (forend) hole with bedding compound, coat the screw with releasing agent, then screw it into the forend. That way the screw is still in place for aesthetics, but serves no purpose.