300 mag barrel

[Pofoo]

Looking at my post 64 Winchester mdl 70 300 Win mag, made about 1968, in prep for elk hunting this winter.
It has original iron sights and I added a scope. I've decided to remove the sights and strictly use the scope. I originally kept them for back up in case of scope trouble, but now I'll just remove them.
The question is about the screw holes in the barrel. They are about 1/8" deep. I thought I would just fill them in with rtv silicone to keep moisture and crud out and I was just wondering about if not having a screw in the holes would make the barrel weaker/dangerous. I don't believe not having the screws in place would make it likely to burst as they didn't bottom out anyway.
Any thought about this?

[kcstott]

It won't hurt anything to leave them empty but I would recommend installing filler screws or plug screw available from brownell's to keep crud and moisture out and rust from occurring

[Pofoo]

I have looked at Brownell's and decided to use some rtv that I had that was made to flow into and around windshield rubber seals. Flows nice and worked well.
As a side note, I guess this sheds some light on questions that come up periodically about the safety of guns with surface pitting (mostly old military arms).
Thanks for easing my mind.

[kcstott]

I have looked at Brownell's and decided to use some rtv that I had that was made to flow into and around windshield rubber seals. Flows nice and worked well.
As a side note, I guess this sheds some light on questions that come up periodically about the safety of guns with surface pitting (mostly old military arms).
Thanks for easing my mind.

well surface pitting is a different situation.

Holes drilling into barrels must maintain a minimum wall thickness and the minimum changes due to pressure and location on barrel. scope mounting holes drilled in the front bridge need more wall thickness then the front sight screw at the muzzle.

Pitting is not controlled so the same consideration needs to be taken. To much shallow pitting is just as bad as a little deep pitting.