Stripped a bolt... any tips on how to get this rail off?

rays2c

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just stripped one of the bolts on the magpul rails. any suggestions or tips on how to get it out?

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cheers
 
maybe you can file a flat head screwdriver in to it. Soldering iron for heat? I’m sure others will have more input. It’s been done before. Good luck and let us know how it goes
 
There are a lot of things you could do, including heat and cool, penetrating oil, tapping, easy out, etc, but there is nothing wrong with a trip to the gun smith. They will have it off in a second. Educational to watch the pros do it.
 
I drill the head off then grab stud with lines pliers and within tension it comes out easy.
Drill bit used is the next fractional size up from screw head Diameter.

Heads up, the rail is destroyed doing this.

Yiur screw heads are in the slots on the rail, you can use a hack saw blade and cut a slot for a screw driver.

Either way you should be able to get it on your own.

A gunsmith is generally not viable, People just assume there's a gun Smith 15 minutes away from everyone
 
OP - what you are fighting with appears to have Allan head socket? Sometimes you can get lucky by tapping in a TORX driver that can grab enough to back that out? Sometimes does not work depending on size of that screw head and the TORX drivers that you have access to, at the moment. If someone decided to use Red Loctite on those screw threads, you will have to apply heat to the threads to make that loctite stuff melt and go liquid.
 
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Try a metric or standard allan key, what ever is closest but slightly larger or a torx but that almost fits and as you hammer it in it should break the screw free
 
OP - what you are fighting with appears to have Allan head socket? Sometimes you can get lucky by tapping in a TORX driver that can grab enough to back that out? Sometimes does not work depending on size of that screw head and the TORX drivers that you have access to, at the moment. If someone decided to use Red Loctite on those screw threads, you will have to apply heat to the threads to make that loctite stuff melt and go liquid.

Try a metric or standard allan key, what ever is closest but slightly larger or a torx but that almost fits and as you hammer it in it should break the screw free

Pound a larger size torx in it.
This. Sometimes a Torx will fit into a rounded off hex just enough to get it out. Maybe hit it with a bit of heat or penetrating oil just to give it a better shot of backing out.
 
Thanks for all the tips. I just spent some time jamming a bunch of different allen keys, screw drivers, and torx keys to no avail. lol. I swear its perfectly round now.
 
They make all kinds of extractors now.
Did you strip it tightening or trying to get it off?
Because sometime going the other way it grabs.
Locktite is another question.
 
Thanks for all the tips. I just spent some time jamming a bunch of different allen keys, screw drivers, and torx keys to no avail. lol. I swear its perfectly round now.
Drill the heads off, rail will pop off and studs will unscrew very easy.

When I hear, jam, smack and pound I thank God I'm selective in which advice to take
 
OVERSIZE Torx, drive the bit into the hole, this will create something for the Torx bit to bite into. Jam nothing, drive it. Just pick a size that looks right.

Then tap on the wrench handle with a hammer while unscrewing.
 
Thanks for all the tips. I just spent some time jamming a bunch of different allen keys, screw drivers, and torx keys to no avail. lol. I swear its perfectly round now.
Before you bug ger something up, follow Guntech's advice, which was repeated by FatCatsDad.

Anything else is just foolish, especially if those screws have Loctite or something similar on them.
 
GOOD GOD !!! ... .OP, DO NOT do any of the things suggested by all the hacks in this thread.

Go and buy yourself a set of screw extractors (the correct tool for the job). $15 on Amazon, next day delivery.

Drill the heads off, rail will pop off and studs will unscrew very easy.

When I hear, jam, smack and pound I thank God I'm selective in which advice to take
I feel the same about advice to take a drill to remove a very small bolt, especially when that advice includes a note that its gonna destroy one of the parts involved.
 
GOOD GOD !!! ... .OP, DO NOT do any of the things suggested by all the hacks in this thread.

Go and buy yourself a set of screw extractors (the correct tool for the job). $15 on Amazon, next day delivery.


I feel the same about advice to take a drill to remove a very small bolt, especially when that advice includes a note that its gonna destroy one of the parts involved.
Your calling a tried and tru method a hack and GUNTECH, a respected gunsmith a hack.

Do you know how a screw extractor works ?
I don't think you do.

The rail will likely suffer damage at the hands of someone who's never done it before like the OP, as he likely won't have a good assortment if drill bits or a drill press or a way to clamp the work properly.

Based on the fact he is stumped about removing the screw, it's a good guess he has no tools or experience.
 
Before you bug ger something up, follow Guntech's advice, which was repeated by FatCatsDad.

Anything else is just foolish, especially if those screws have Loctite or something similar on them.
if you read the thread I suggested drilling the heads off in post #4 , guntech repeated what I suggested in post #9, I then repeated it again in post #14 as it is the best way to accomplish this small task.
 
Go back to guntech's post, #9.
The drill bit cuts the head of the screw off the threaded shank. The screw head is removed, and the base is removed detached without damage. The remains of the screw can then be turned out of the receiver. All torque has been released.
If you are not confident doing it yourself, take to someone with experience.
 
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