Overtorqued Sporter Screw

[petey]

I was checking out my buddy's Vanguard Sporter and noticed it had a loose stock.  It seems he really overtorqued the rear screw on his rifle.  He says now when he torques the screw correctly, the bolt won't open because the stock presses against it.  It's a long action (,30-06) and I watched him put 3 shots of my handloads under an inch. 
It got me thinking and I'm confused.  He's looking to fix it after hunting season but I'm curious how you would go about doing that.  I'm guessing the threads overtorqued and compressed the wood that holds the screw? 
What next?  How do you fix this.  It's not wobbly loose, but you can move the forend without much pressure.  Yes, it shoots, but I'd be worried.  Should I be?

[eford]

I think the problem with the compressed wood can be fixed with pillar bedding the stock. I have an older 22-250 Vanguard Deluxe that needs pillar bedding due to some compression. 

I would try and get it fixed before the season starts, if possible, because with a lose receiver it would cause accuracy to drop, maybe to the point that a hit doesn't mean a kill-----only a wound. It is odd that the rifle shoots under a 1" group with loose screws. Perhaps blue LokTite on the screws to hold them in place will work if he has to use the rifle during deer season. Maybe he'll only have short distance shots.

[dubyam]

It definitely needs to be addressed if the forearm is moveable, I think. There are really three ways to fix this, listed from easiest to hardest:

1. Shorten the screw. I suspect what the bolt is hitting is the tip of the screw when he tries to slide it back out of the action.

2. Place some spacers/shims between the trigger guard and the stock, where that dear screw goes through. This will effectively do the same as shortening the screw, by keeping it from interfering with the bolt.

3. Pillar bed the rifle. This is really the best fix and will give the best long term results. Itself not terribly expensive nor terribly hard to DIY if he is at all handy. It will provide a stable platform pretty much forever and eliminate the compression problem altogether.

[petey]

Thanks for the info.  In truth, I have one that has the same problem.  Had my torque wrench set wrong and cranked a screw down.  I was going to suggest the spacer under the trigger guard but I wasnt sure if it was more than a temporary fix. 
I guess I'll have to start researching how to bed stocks.  Found some decent how to videos on youtube.  I may have to get a few more rifles to practice on!

Thank you guys!

[224KING]

I have done Danno's shim trick on several rifles.Thin washers work well.

[zonie]

Pillar bed the stock and be done with it.