Advice on Removing Scope Base Screws

NorthernCX

NorthernCX

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Hey all, hope someone can help me here.

Got a brand-new factory rifle with a one-piece Picatinny rail. Have a new one on the way so I decided to remove it. Only one of the three screws came loose- the other three are stuck, I'm guessing with factory Loc-Tite, and the Allen heads have stripped out.

They were 3/32 Allen, I did try using heat on them (held a hair dryer on it for 20 mins or so- couldn't touch the metal bare-handed), still no dice. The mount is still there, and I didn't twist the heads off- they're just rounded out.

What's my best chance of freeing these up?
 
Unless you have a set of easy outs, you'll have to carefully drill the heads off of the screws. Select a drill bit that is about the same size of the rounded out hex head, and carefully drill them until they separate from the threaded portion of the screw. Once done, you'll have studs sticking up, and should have enough there to grab with a small set of vice grips, and turn them out. Go slow and steady, and you shouldn't have any problems.

R.
 
Don't use easy outs they are a recipe for disaster.The drill method is also a last ditch effort.Get yourself a expendable allen key that is the correct size.
You need some serious heat a propane torch not some girlie hair dryer.You need to get the end of the allen key smokin hot and insert it into the damaged screw and wait till it cools somewhat and do this half a dozen times until you feel that it has had adequate seat soak.Now do it one last time heat the key put it in for about 1 min remove it and take a birthday candle and quench the hot screw.Let it cool down to the touch this will allow the wax to wick in. Now then find a torque bit that is a tight fit in the screw it may have to be tapped in as it could be an interference and this becomes your easyout.Now as things are cooled of put your driver on the bit and back it out easy as pie. You will have a smile on your face.The key is making sure you have had a couple of good heat soaks before the final shot. I have removed 100s of screws like this from 3/32" to 3/4" Obviously the bigger the bolt the larger the heat supply like a welding torch on the fastener and some serious heat application and weld a nut on the broken bolt but this will do what you need on that tiny screw. My2¢

R
 
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Easy outs are not that bad, depending on the style you get. You need to get the square style, instead of the helical. Pound the square one in, use a little direct heat, don't over heat the action or you will change the tempering, weakening the action.
This style of extractor
220px-ScrewExtractors-square.jpg
 
Drill the heads off , quickest and easiest way to do it . 99% of the time. It's not the threads that are seized but the friction between the steel screw and more often then not aluminum scope rail . One the rail is off quite often the remaining screw portion will turn out by hand


30 seconds with a drill or a bunch of time f**king around with torches and /or easy outs
 
ultimate_monkey said:
Drill the heads off , quickest and easiest way to do it . 99% of the time. It's not the threads that are seized but the friction between the steel screw and more often then not aluminum scope rail . One the rail is off quite often the remaining screw portion will turn out by hand


30 seconds with a drill or a bunch of time f**king around with torches and /or easy outs
Click to expand...


This...

R.
 
ultimate_monkey said:
Drill the heads off , quickest and easiest way to do it . 99% of the time. It's not the threads that are seized but the friction between the steel screw and more often then not aluminum scope rail . One the rail is off quite often the remaining screw portion will turn out by hand


30 seconds with a drill or a bunch of time f**king around with torches and /or easy outs
Click to expand...

Not an option. Took a look at the one screw that did come out, and it's a countersunk head- the countersink looks like it meets up at the action, so if I drill the heads off there's no or not enough meat there to get a grip on with anything. Looks like a 1/16 drill, an EZ-Out, and a small butane or propane torch. I need 200C to break the Loc-Tite; I don't want to overheat the action. The base, at this point, I could almost care less. It is aluminum, and a new one is on the way.

Thanks for all the info, though, guys. It really is appreciated.
 
I would still try to drill and break the head off and file or grind a slot in the protruding stub to use a screwdriver in... Heat that protruding stub... I have found this to work better than ultra small easy outs. When that hard easy out breaks off you really have a time removing it... I gave up on easy outs and 6 x 48 screws back about 1970...
 
Heat it up already be be done with it.Stop punishing yourself.Listen to the posts.Break a drill bit in there you are close to being hooped drilled off center yikes .Break an easy out in there more than hooped in most instances.If heat doesn't work choose carefully your next move or its a paperweight for sure.I know some of the other methods have been successful bin there done that have been around fabricating welding and other metal working areas.An edm machine a good gunsmith are all proven options.But not knowing your skill level,quality of tools and experience this could bite you in the ass.Don't want to sound like ragging on you but choose wisely. My 2¢

R
 
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What I have found to work and it does work.

A screwdriver bit that you can pound into the screw, I have used torq or robertson, between these two you will find something that will be slightly larger than the hole you have, bang them in with a hammer then use your 1/4" socket on a ratchet and back the screw out.The pounding of the bit loosens the screw and the base.I tried this when removing an aluminum base and not wanting to heat as well as knowing there will be nothing to be able to grip to remove the remaining threads/screw.

It works every time and only wrecks the already wrecked screws.
 
Don't drill yet. Use a punch that will go through the hex and rap - hard on the bottom of the hex recess. This is to crack it loose and relieve tension on the machine screws. Then use a flat punch large enough to peen the top of the hex down - many lighter raps - now the hex hole is smaller - now clean up the end of the Allen key - maybe grind a sixteeth off and tap your Allen key int the hole which is now tight and take them out.
 
Success! A 1/16 drill bit into one, just deep enough for the smallest EZ-Out to get some purchase... a nice squeak and the screw let go and came out. On to the next one, either didn't drill deep enough or the EZ-out was weakened from the first screw and it broke. Moved up to a 1/8 drill, and the next size UP EZ-out. Worked like a charm, then the third.

Once they had enough purchase into the head, the added torque made them turn ridiculously easy. No damage to the action or the rail, thank heavens! If that hadn't worked, I was going to cut into the rail lengthwise, split it with a chisel and take it off, leaving the heads intact to have something to grab. If I'd drilled the heads off, there would NOT have been anything protruding from the action.

Lucky? Maybe. But I'll take it.
 
I have to add, also, that I made a mistake. Those fellows that said to drill the heads off, then pull the base were right.

Looking at it closer this morning, doing so WOULD have left me with a little more than 1/8" of stud sticking up out of the receiver. That would have worked too. I'm not afraid to admit my mistakes!

Thanks again for all the advice folks.
 
Take a punch the next time you encounter this, and before trying to back out the screws and give the head of the screw a sharp tap with a hammer on the end of the punch. This usually breaks the tension on the screw. The punch should be big enough to cover the screw without touching the sides of the base. Works every time for me.
 
ultimate_monkey said:
Drill the heads off , quickest and easiest way to do it . 99% of the time. It's not the threads that are seized but the friction between the steel screw and more often then not aluminum scope rail . One the rail is off quite often the remaining screw portion will turn out by hand


30 seconds with a drill or a bunch of time f**king around with torches and /or easy outs
Click to expand...

times 3 on that.

One other thing, easy outs that small and drilling a hole down into such small screws can easily mean a broken drill or easy out stuck in the hole or if your drill isn't perfectly centered, drilling out the threads. Then you will find out what trouble really is. When things are that small, they are almost impossible to fix once something is jammed solid into them.

Drill the heads of the screws off. Be careful not to drill to deep. Just enough for the head to come off.

Next, use a small Vice Grip and lock it's jaws on the screw stub. Carefully, turn the first screw out. Again, be careful. Stay straight in your head as well as your grip on the screw. Booze and drugs most definitely do not mix with this job. Not suggesting anything, just mentioning one of the main reasons this job gets screwed up and ends up costing $50-$100 to get a gunsmith to fix it.

If the screw starts to strip in the jaws of the Vice Grip, stop turning. You will only break off the stud if you insist on being ham fisted. Be gentle and you will succeed without making an expensive to fix mess.

If the screw stub doesn't want to turn, likely, as mentioned previously, someone at the factory used some form of Loc Tite. Not likely though. I have never seen factory installed base screws held in place with Loc Tite or any other screw glue.

Heat up the screw with a butane torch, from the side so you don't heat the receiver and discolor it. Let the screw get red hot and quickly apply the Vice Grip again and try turning it. Do not tap it with a hammer or anything else to try to break it loose. Those darn screws are very soft and obdurate into the receiver threads like they are welded in place. The heat should cause the screw to loosen up.

IMHO, once you have removed the heads, again as mentioned previously, taking the tension off it and releasing it from the metal to metal weld of two different hardness metals bound tight by setting the screw, the screws might even come out with finger pressure. This has been my experience in the past.

The only screws I have had any difficulty with are those installed by owners. Everything from cross threaded to Loc Tite, fingernail polish and even "tapped with a hammer" to tighten them.
 
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