Pawildman

You have to remove the screw before you set the barreled action down in the bedding compound, just the same as you would remove the action screws from any other gun. Rugers are indeed a little more difficult to work with than Rems, Win. and standard Mauser actions, but once you have done one or two, you will get the hang of it. The front screw length (the one that screws into the recoil lug) is 1.180" in overall length on the long tang 77's I've done. The action beds solidly on the flat behind the recoil lug and the rear tang area. Clearance is best achieved, I've found, by using a Dremel tool on the hardened bedding at the sides, in front of, and beneath the lug after the barreled action is removed.
I place the glassing material in the prepared stock and gently set the barreled action into postion. I then install the front and rear action screws with trigger guard and floorplate assy boss with the floorplate removed and tighten until I feel light resistance. This is when the front screw goes into position in the lug. Yeah, it's a little messy, and you sure best have plenty of release agent on the guard screws and in their receiving holes in the action, but it works and works well.