Dave M. said
I took the two barrel band screws off one of my 94’s. I removed the mag tube and forearm wood, just to clean the rifle.

I got everything back together just fine. Except for the screw in the forearm band. I can’t get it to line up.

Any tricks of the trade you might be willing to share?

Thanks.

  

You most likely do not have the milled horizontal groove (for the transverse band screw) in the magazine tube perfectly realigned with the corresponding groove on the bottom of the barrel. 

Use a slightly smaller diameter straight shank drift pin/punch pushed all the way through both sides of the band screw hole to gently finesse the magazine tube so that it is perfectly aligned fore to aft and rotationally.

Bert

Dave M. said
Bert,

The front band screw is out. I can move the mag tube with my fingers, while trying to install the screw.

It’s almost like the rear barrel band is sprung a little. But it slid right off the wood.

I’ll keep playing with it. I’ve found if you walk away and come back later, sometimes things just fall into place.

Thanks, Dave

  

It still would not hurt to try what I suggested.  If the magazine tube is pushed too far to rear, or not far enough to the rear, the band screw may not line up perfectly as it should causing it to just miss the threaded hole on the right hand side of the band.  Also, I forget to mention… if you have the band reversed (backwards on the stock and barrel), they very frequently will not line up properly.  The screw needs to enter the barrel band from the left side with the barrel pointed down-range.

Bert

Dave M. said
Bert,

I finally got it. Boy what a pain. Don’t know if I want to do that again.

  

Glad to hear it.  Not all of them are as difficult as your gun was.  Some of them slip right back into place with little or no effort.