Broken sling stud

Zen_Seeker

Zen_Seeker

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I managed to break the front sling swivel stud on my O/U grouse gun. It sheared off just bellow the welded barrel nut. This stud holds the foregrip in place, which can now be removed. It was tightly in place and broke when I was unscrewing it to clean the barrel.

My problem is that I have nothing to either grab or weld to so I can remove the rest of the bolt. The stud is about 1/8" in diameter so it's beyond my ability to weld a washer and nut to remove, and I haven't seen an easy-out this small. I might be able to drill it and re-tap it but that is a last option at the moment.

If it was 1/4" or larger i would be fine but the 1/8" size, and break below the top of the nut, makes this a problem for me.

Anyone here deal with this before? TIA

Edit: Fix with full steps an be found here; On post 18 https://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php/1514614-Broken-sling-stud?p=13455413&viewfull=1#post13455413
 
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Might be a dumb idea... but I certainly don't know what else I'd do.... can you keep piling up a small weld on the end of the screw, until it's high enough to get ahold of it with something ? Worst case scenario, you hit the threads with the weld, and you have to drill it out... which is a good possibility anyway
 
A Dremel tool, a set of fine carbide burrs ($28 at Lee Valley), a magnifying glass and patience.

You use the burr to carve a new flat-head slot into the threaded shaft of the screw, and then turn it out. With the tension gone the screws come out very easily (sometimes even the cutting vibration causes them to start slowly turning)

I've taken small screws out of stupidly expensive parts with this technique. It's dead-reliable, as long as you go slow, and there is no heating, no hammering, no sparks etc.

Expect to go through at least one burr on every screw. Don't push it once they get dull, switch to a sharp one.

Also, masking the thing before you start is usually quicker than trying to clean out all the little metal flakes afterwards.
 
steve-o1979 said:
Might be a dumb idea... but I certainly don't know what else I'd do.... can you keep piling up a small weld on the end of the screw, until it's high enough to get ahold of it with something ? Worst case scenario, you hit the threads with the weld, and you have to drill it out... which is a good possibility anyway
Click to expand...
I'm not that good at welding, to small a surface. Have a buddy that's a plumber who might be...but he's not in the best of health.

Rayleigh_Scattering said:
A Dremel tool, a set of fine carbide burrs ($28 at Lee Valley), a magnifying glass and patience.

You use the burr to carve a new flat-head slot into the threaded shaft of the screw, and then turn it out. With the tension gone the screws come out very easily (sometimes even the cutting vibration causes them to start slowly turning)

I've taken small screws out of stupidly expensive parts with this technique. It's dead-reliable, as long as you go slow, and there is no heating, no hammering, no sparks etc.

Also, expect to go through at least one burr on every screw. Don't push it once they get dull, switch to a sharp one.
Click to expand...
Not sure what a burr is but I've done this before on larger bolts or ones that are above the head of the nut. If I use a small cutting disk on this bolt I'll end up cutting the nut welded to the barrel. (Might be worth a try before drilling out and re-tapping though.)

I'm assuming the stud bolt is pretty soft considering how easy I was able to break it by hand so that might help with the cutting or drilling. Liking the dremel idea so far, thanks.
 
I wonder if the end of the threads didn't bottom out causing it to be somewhat stiff to take out?
Drilling to the end of the stud or dremelling as mentioned would be a sure way of easing off the tension.
I am a firm believer in a bit of heat and thread lubricant.
Get the liquid between the inner and outer threads always makes for easier busted studs.

And payshints.............lottsa payshints.
 
Looked up "Burr", found out it's what I thought where reams. Using one slowly has me more than halfway to the bottom. Still can't unscrew it with a flathead screwdriver but at this rate I'll just keep going until I get to the end and clean the hole. Patients are not what I'm known for...but I'm trying. ;)

At this point I think the worst I'll be left with is a retapped hole and new screw and I'll put in a new front sling stud further up the forearm.

Thanks again for the advice. I'm sure the dremel was the better way to go. Not enough control with the drill.
 
Google these, Alden 4507P Grabit® Micro Broken Bolt Extractor 4 Piece Kit, I have a set that similar and they work great. Just be careful you don't break it off in the hole cause then you've got a bigger problem
 
Zen_Seeker said:
Looked up "Burr", found out it's what I thought where reams. Using one slowly has me more than halfway to the bottom. Still can't unscrew it with a flathead screwdriver but at this rate I'll just keep going until I get to the end and clean the hole. Patients are not what I'm known for...but I'm trying. ;)

At this point I think the worst I'll be left with is a retapped hole and new screw and I'll put in a new front sling stud further up the forearm.

Thanks again for the advice. I'm sure the dremel was the better way to go. Not enough control with the drill.
Click to expand...

Here's the ones I was talking about:

78j0702g1a.jpg


I see they've gone up to $37. Love that exchange rate!

If you had a -really- steady hand, you'd end up with something that looks like a slotted set screw (except that the threads wouldn't be slotted, of course)

000440175_HIG.jpg


Once the slot is deep enough you insert a skinny flat head bit and see if she'll turn. If not, then you can always work the hole bigger and pick away the bolt turn by turn.

Good luck on your repair.
 
As requested here is another pic. This is the point I'm at now. I was able to use one of the burrs in my dremel accessory kit to make a slot in the top of the broken bolt/stud. However being so small, and/or the material so soft, pieces just broke off or bent. After the third attempt I just started to break off the sides and kept going deeper to clean out the hole for a re-thread. Only problem now is that I can't tell if I'm at the bottom or not. Eyes aren't what they used to be and not enough feedback to tell if I'm still grinding out softer material. I think I have a bit further to go going by how deep the burr goes in. Hard to say as I never saw the stud out of the rifle so I have nothing to go by other than the size of the nut.


HpgXjzt

Pic link: http://imgur.com/HpgXjzt


If anyone knows the standard sling stud size that would help. I don't have any handy and I haven't checked my tap set yet to see what size holes I can thread.

I did look over the sling stud head that broke off and it almost looks like it had an air bubble? The metal is different color and smooth in a small circular creator beside the twisted break point.

Pic link: http://imgur.com/FXE31kq
FXE31kq


Once I find a new stud and match the thread size I'll take some more pics and post them.
 
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Rayleigh_Scattering said:
Here's the ones I was talking about:

000440175_HIG.jpg


Once the slot is deep enough you insert a skinny flat head bit and see if she'll turn. If not, then you can always work the hole bigger and pick away the bolt turn by turn.

Good luck on your repair.
Click to expand...
I've done this before on raised breaks where I can use a hacksaw to make a new slot or a dremel cutting disk. Usually works fine. In this case the sides of the stud just kept breaking off or spreading out. So I just removed all the material stopping when I felt a change in hardness.

Here is the burr I used to make the slot, it goes to a fine point. I just wish it looked this large in reality!

Pic Link: http://imgur.com/O2MwlmI
O2MwlmI.jpg
 
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gks said:
Hi go and get a screw extractor kit, ''Canadian Tire, Home Depot, etc.
Click to expand...
Way past that point and it's been my experience they fail as often as they work. For a 1/8" stud I'd need to drill a hole in the middle about 1/16". If the extractor broke I'd be even worse off.

guntech said:
Most sling studs are 10-32 unless a factory decides to do something different.
Click to expand...
Thanks, only one store around me had a sling swivel kit in stock. It's the Allen Swivel Set, with mounting hardware. The bolt seems to fit into my m5x8 die when I screw it in by hand, but that is a ballpark fitting at the moment. I'm just about to see if I can find out the true sizes online now. Then I can match the proper tap and make the right size drill hole.

Haven't had to do this on something so small in 20 years but if I recall correctly you only get one shot at it so it better be right the first time.
 
If that's a blind hole a regular tap will likely not work. I think a bottoming tap is required. I could be off base here and someone will likely correct me.
 
diemaco said:
If that's a blind hole a regular tap will likely not work. I think a bottoming tap is required. I could be off base here and someone will likely correct me.
Click to expand...
I was able to tap it deep enough, if only just. The nut brazed to the barrel is long enough that I could screw the tap in pretty deep. Only thing left to do is measure the length of the stud I need and cut off the rest. I'll grind it for a better fit if needed.

I'll post the pics and steps later. Just glad it's almost fixed with out too much pain.
 
Here are the steps I followed from break to fix. (Link to all photos on one page; https://imgur.com/a/MsHn3 )

While unscrewing the front swivel stud to remove the forend it snapped just below the barrel nut;
Pic link: http://imgur.com/0XzjJ5Z
0XzjJ5Z.jpg

Pic link: http://imgur.com/oVk6RYJ
oVk6RYJ.jpg


Using a dremel and pointed burr I tried to make a slot so I could unscrew the remaining stud bolt but it just continued to break off so I removed all the bolt.
Pic link: http://imgur.com/KNNex2E
KNNex2E.jpg

Pic link: http://imgur.com/pPYYh7p
pPYYh7p.jpg


I then switched to a round burr to clean and smooth out the bottom marking the depth I wanted with a marker/sharpy.
Pic link: http://imgur.com/qHiI7Bi
qHiI7Bi.jpg

Pic link: http://imgur.com/d3zwp4J
d3zwp4J.jpg


The old stud bolt was 6-32 and the new stud was 10-32 so I matched it to the correct tap to thread the hole. (The hole was already at the right size to start tapping.)
Pic link: http://imgur.com/55itDbo
55itDbo.jpg

Pic link: http://imgur.com/3YyHl8z
3YyHl8z.jpg


At this point I'm testing the threads and marking the depth of the hole so I can measure where to cut the stud. (I used an electrical wire stripper/cuter to cut the stud down as it has the right sizes built into the tool.)
Pic link: http://imgur.com/KTuwN28
KTuwN28.jpg


This was the only sling swivel kit I could find in my area but it did the job well enough. (Allen Swivel Set #14420.)
Pic link: http://imgur.com/bPK8edP
bPK8edP.jpg


Here is the finished repair.
Pic link: http://imgur.com/UGHXFut
UGHXFut.jpg


I later removed the rear swivel stud to match the new front one. Unfortunately is was smaller and lose in the buttstock hole so I used JB Weld epoxy to fill the hole, after taping around it. I then put epoxy on the new bolt threads and pushed it into the hole slowly, wiping off any epoxy that can out with a toothpick until it was in tight. Then I used a large strong elastic band, like the ones used for cancer awareness bracelets, to hold the new swivel stud in place for 24 hours. (I first put a bit of oil on the stud threads before wiping and putting epoxy on them so it can still screw in or out.)

Everything is tight and strong now and I'm back in business.

Hope this helps someone else.
Zen
 
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