[onespeedbiker]

I just bought a Skinner peep sight for my 1895CBC. All that is needed is to remove the screw plugs on the top of the action and attach the sight base. I decided I wanted the sight as close to my eye as possible so I was going to use the rear screws. The front screw unscrewed easily, as a matter of fact it almost seemed too loose. Then I went to the rear plug and it wouldn't budge! The same thing happened to me when I switched out the scope base on a Savage AXIS (the other two plugs were also loose, but I was not going to let this plug defeat me from using the rear position). I was using a gunsmithing screw driver that exactly fit the slot of the plug. I applied a good amount of force to the driver and manged to shear off half the head. I have a reverse drill/easyout just for such an occasion. I (reverse) drilled the center of the plug and then used the easyout... which stripped out (with the savage the reverse drill bit was enough to removed the plug). I then partially drilled out the plug, with the thought of tapping in a small flat head screw driver and unscrewing the remainder of the plug; it snapped the shaft. I finally used a 7/64 drill (undersized by .0106 of the tap drill size #31). This cleared out the threads and I attached the Skinner sight without any other issues. Anyway, it amazes me how a simple project can turn ridiculous.

 

[navajo]

It happens to the best of us...
Glad you was able to get it sorted.

 

[maki00]

Yep. I hate when a simple project turns into an ordeal.

Glad to hear you were able to sort it out in the end. Now, it's time to do some shooting. :biggrin:

 

[Mark Risch]

How many times in my life, has a ten minute project turned into a living hell..... or an hour project taken days.

 

[RiverRat1060]

If it’s not one thing, it’s your mother.

 

[45Bill]

Just reading your post brings back the feeling of frustration I get when that happens to me. Good luck and hang in there.

 

[luisyamaha]

Onespeed... I try to not let things get that far along before trying heat. A small torch, or even a soldering iron applied to the recalcitrant screw sometimes helps quite a bit. The trick is to do it BEFORE you strip anything off. It doesn't take a lot of torque to break off 6- or 8- screws. They are pretty small. Remember heat the next time!

P.S. Congrats on your ability to drill them out. That is difficult.

Luisyamaha

 

[Golphin]

Never fails when I look at a job and my first thought is that should not be to hard. Or that should not take long. Those are always the one's that cause the most problems.

 

[onespeedbiker]

Onespeed... I try to not let things get that far along before trying heat. A small torch, or even a soldering iron applied to the recalcitrant screw sometimes helps quite a bit. The trick is to do it BEFORE you strip anything off. It doesn't take a lot of torque to break off 6- or 8- screws. They are pretty small. Remember heat the next time!

P.S. Congrats on your ability to drill them out. That is difficult.

Luisyamaha

Yes, that is the reason I waited to use the 7/16 drill, as if the hole was not centered, it would have completely messed up the threads, which is why I spent a lot of time carefully centering the hole with a Dremel tool. Fortunately everything went great. What is even stranger is the hole is through and through, so there is no way it can be tightened..

 

[mehavey]

Next time, hold the screwdriver firmly in the slot with a steady twist on it ... and repeatedly tap/hit/smack the screwdriver w/ a hammer while twisting.

Instant impact driver -- never fails

 

[Uncle Grinch]

Gee... I thought that was how you are supposed to remove the screws, it’s probably in the instruction sheet or the addendum to it.
At least that’s how it always works for me.

 

[electricmo]

I removed most of the screws on my Uberti 1873 and replaced a lot of them with hardened screws. The propane torch was my best friend.

 

[onespeedbiker]

delete

 

[Maineiac]

We all know how it feels and sympathize with all small projects gone wrong. I had a screw in an older 336 that just would not come out. I used Kroil, 50/50 mix of Acetone and Transmission fluid, and nothing seemed to work. I cleaned the tip on my solder gun and gave that a try. Heated the head of the screw and let it cool back down. The screw came right out.

Kind of reminds me how to take stuck / rusted water pump stud or broken bolt out of an engine block: Heat it up the stud cherry red and immediately throw some cold water on it. The rust in the threads seems to "shatter" and the bolt is easily removed, sometimes by hand.