Fellow nutters, I need your help ID'ing a screw...

The Kurgan said:
Hi all; they secure a metal plate that houses the firing pin assembly on a European break action shotgun.

I wanted to thank everybody for their help and comments. This forum can be a great place!

After measuring several times, I believe the screw I need is:

M3x0.5x7mm flat head (countersunk).
After calling around several places, and alot of Internet research, I found a place that carries them in both 6mm and 8mm lengths here in Hamilton (R.E Glover Ltd.). 7mm is rare and basically unobtainable. I will see if 6mm works or I will cut down the 8mm screws with my dremel. 8mm may also be fine.

I will post back the results.
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one mm is 39 thou so it's not much to shorten an 8mm length.

If possible I would get it in Torx... tougher wrench to strip. Hex strips quite easily.
 
The Kurgan said:
After calling around several places, and alot of Internet research, I found a place that carries them in both 6mm and 8mm lengths here in Hamilton (R.E Glover Ltd.). 7mm is rare and basically unobtainable. I will see if 6mm works or I will cut down the 8mm screws with my dremel. 8mm may also be fine....
Click to expand...

Ironic that Canada "went metric" years ago but often finding metric fasteners is like finding unicorn droppings, and $$$ if you do find them. Until the pandemic hit I could get a wide assortment of fasteners at Hardware Sales in Bellingham WA, where my gf lives- the only "real" hardware store I know of. Example: I was looking for what I thought was a 7/8 LH nut. The guy asked, "Fine or coarse thread?", and pointed to a bin about 2' away. (Turned out I needed metric, and that they didn't have, but still.) They might even have the one you're looking for, although it would be Phillips drive. If I were able to get there I'd pick up a couple and mail 'em to you. Alas....
 
At one time Canadian Tire had quite an assortment of odd bawl fasteners in bins.
Home Depot has a selection, but don't know iff'in they get this finesse.
 
kamlooky said:
At one time Canadian Tire had quite an assortment of odd bawl fasteners in bins.
Home Depot has a selection, but don't know iff'in they get this finesse.
Click to expand...
I forgot about CT. I was surprised to find that my local CT had some 6mm x 10mm screws which I wanted to replace the hex bolts on the Nilight LED lamps I put on my excavator & tractor. Lowe's also had them. Prices were typically high, but at least they had them. HD is hit and miss and the prices there are sometimes ludicrous. I wanted some 1/4-20 x 1" FH bolts for something and their price was $1.07 each (!!!) Got better ones (Torx head, too) at the local Lordco for much less.
 
I'd follow the suggestion to hit up a Bike Shop as the first most likely place that will have a couple of those that they will sell individually. Like as not they will have a bunch of screws in a boxed selection in bulk. They are good places to hit up for individual bearing balls as used for detents on safeties and the like too.

For a while the CTires and Home Depot's had a wall of bulk nuts bolts and screws, but they usually got turned in to a right poo show by folks dumping unwanted items back in the wrong drawers, so those faded off the scene.

Any Nut and Bolt supplier will be able to match it up, but like as not will only sell a box qty.

Lengths of the countersunk screws are measured from the flat of the head, screws with round heads are measured from the underside flat.

Might wish to add the countersink angle to your search pattern too. Wood screws are usually 82 degrees, sometimes 90 degrees, as are some machine screws, aircraft screws tend to be 100 degrees heads, and some 110 and 120 degree heads are out there. Y'know, if you want the screw to actually fit...
 
Gentlemen; meet my little friend(s)!!!!! ...

20201223_132411.jpg
Screenshot_20201223-133019.jpg

Thanks to all for your help, it is very appreciated. After a whole lot of measuring of this tiny little screw (not easy to do when you're half blind like me), I determined these were metric after all! M3x0.5x8mm

Only one place in the freak'in province that I could find them (and I was on the phone all morning), and it happened to be in my backyard... a Christmas miracle. PM me if you need a few. I was charged $5 for 30 !!

R.A. Glover ... they have EVERYTHING. Awesome, friendly people.

ps. Forget about Chinese Tire, Homy Despot and Lowes--nada. Sometimes the little guys have what you need!!
 

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The Kurgan said:
Gentlemen; meet my little friend(s)!!!!! ...

View attachment 445215
View attachment 445226

Thanks to all for your help, it is very appreciated. After a whole lot of measuring of this tiny little screw (not easy to do when you're half blind like me), I determined these were metric after all! M3x0.5x8mm

Only one place in the freak'in province that I could find them (and I was on the phone all morning), and it happened to be in my backyard... a Christmas miracle. PM me if you need a few. I was charged $5 for 30 !!

R.A. Glover ... they have EVERYTHING. Awesome, friendly people.

ps. Forget about Chinese Tire, Homy Despot and Lowes--nada. Sometimes the little guys have what you need!!
Click to expand...

99.9% that the screw is the same as I mentioned above and most bike shops would have them. If you we in my town I'd just give them to you.
 
Hi Donny; yes, the Trex stores carry the screw, but are they not aluminum? Thanks for your help earlier, it helped to confirm my own measurements.
 
The good news is that I got the correct screws only a 15 minute drive away--and they took the time to inspect my example screw to ensure correct sizing. It turns out I needed an 8mm not a 7mm. What I paid for 30 black coated steel screws, I could have bought one (1) zinc coated screw from Trex. Lol
 
My suggestion for smaller metric screws is a well stocked hobby shop that has remote controlled planes or cars. They usually have all sorts of nuts, screws, capscrews in a variety of sizes in small amounts at good prices. 1.5, 1.75, 2, 3, 4, 5 mm etc are quite common at my local place.
 
The Kurgan said:
Gentlemen; meet my little friend(s)!!!!! ...

View attachment 445215
View attachment 445226

Thanks to all for your help, it is very appreciated. After a whole lot of measuring of this tiny little screw (not easy to do when you're half blind like me), I determined these were metric after all! M3x0.5x8mm

Only one place in the freak'in province that I could find them (and I was on the phone all morning), and it happened to be in my backyard... a Christmas miracle. PM me if you need a few. I was charged $5 for 30 !!

R.A. Glover ... they have EVERYTHING. Awesome, friendly people.

ps. Forget about Chinese Tire, Homy Despot and Lowes--nada. Sometimes the little guys have what you need!!
Click to expand...

C.T. in town has the cabinet yet with all these metric screws and nuts, that size sound like something I have.
 
farshot said:
My suggestion for smaller metric screws is a well stocked hobby shop that has remote controlled planes or cars. They usually have all sorts of nuts, screws, capscrews in a variety of sizes in small amounts at good prices. 1.5, 1.75, 2, 3, 4, 5 mm etc are quite common at my local place.
Click to expand...

That was going to be my suggestion as well, there all sorts of oddball metric screws in RC cars. If not in the bulk section, check the model specific stuff, traxxas models are all metric and use surprisingly high quality hardware, plus everything is available in a little baggy of 5 or 10 screws.
Kristian
 
kamlooky said:
Heck, jest tawt 'bout one dem old sewing mahsheenzs.
Coudl be awl yew need fur ahhh lifetime.
Click to expand...

Not a great idea Looky.

I have taken a couple apart.

Almost all the screws in them are specials, of one sort or another, either oddball shapes, oddball sizes, or oddball thread pitches.

First off, they want you coming to THEM for parts. Secondly, it's as cheap and easy for them to design a special screw and make thousands of them, as it is to make standard screws.
 
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