Glued scopemount screws

Brassman66

Brassman66

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Victoria BC or up the Creek northeast of Prince Ge
Good morning,
I am trying to loosen a couple Scope Ring screws the Rings are mounted on the Scope. The Screws seem to been glued in. Scope Rings are Steel, Screws are slot Type. Any suggestions from those which dealt with this problem before.

I am thinking to put some bundled heat to it, any suggestions how to ?

Thanks
 
Brassman66 said:
Good morning,
I am trying to loosen a couple Scope Ring screws the Rings are mounted on the Scope. The Screws seem to been glued in. Scope Rings are Steel, Screws are slot Type. Any suggestions from those which dealt with this problem before.

I am thinking to put some bundled heat to it, any suggestions how to ?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Most likely some twit used Loktite on the ring screws. A soldering iron on the screws will defeat it usually and does not run the risk of heat getting in places you don't want it.
 
Also want to be using good, proper fitting screw drivers - not Canadian Tire household ones. You want the tip to be ground with parallel or slightly concave sides so screw driver goes all the way to bottom of the slot, snuggly, and then want that tip to be same width as the slot is wide - give you very best contact. "Normal" household screwdriver tips are tapered - as you apply more torque, they simply roll over the top edges of the slot and cam out - they are only touching at the very top edges of the screw slot.
 
Lightly TAP the screwdriver downwards with a small hammer while loosening the screws. Theadlocker should not be used on ring screws, when it is used generally it is the 'normal disassembly' type.

If the screws do not loosen relatively easy then drilling may be needed.
 
Turn the gun upside down and heat each screw one at a time with a Bic lighter then remove before it cools.I've done this before successfully.
 
If it is possible (as with split rings like Leupold) use smooth jawed Vise Grips and compress the two halves between the two screws taking compression pressure off the screws, they will turn more easily.
 
I just did a set of rings and bases yesterday that wouldnt come off cold. Small propane torch with a tip that produces a fine point of flame,about 3 seconds per screw and they spun right out. Heat is your friend..
 
Brassman66 said:
Where can I get a such fine point Flame Tip ?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Have seen a lot of trigger operated Butane torches sold in head shops and seedy(er) gas stations aimed at the dope smokers.

Pretty sure they use them to heat their pipes up for smoking resin and such, but they are cheap and pretty handy when you need a fair amount of heat in a close location.

FWIW, if you have a Missus around, nail polish remover is sometimes acetone based, sometimes not. Worth a try.
 
A fine tip torch - the little butane one that I have was sold as a Chef's torch - PICO brand - Model 8247-31 - for scorching / browning meringues and such, according to "she who knows all about that stuff..." Sits on my shelf at my work bench with a can of "Ronson" "Ultra Butane Fuel" - looks like a small version of an aerosol can.

Sign of the times, or perhaps reflection of our ages. I buy one litre jugs of acetone to mix with ATF to make penetrating juice - wife comes out and helps herself to the acetone for removing her nail polish. So no "real" "nail polish remover" to be found here...
 
Soldering iron if you have one. If you don't, propane torch to heat up a nail firmly set in some vise grips. Personally I would avoid putting direct flame on it unless you're not worried about the finish if you heat the area up too much.

cheers,
 
Northern Amateur said:
Soldering iron if you have one. If you don't, propane torch to heat up a nail firmly set in some vise grips. Personally I would avoid putting direct flame on it unless you're not worried about the finish if you heat the area up too much.

cheers,
Click to expand...

Nails should all come with safety warnings...WARNING..do not heat while holding in finger tips.
 
Brassman66 said:
Thank you all for your suggestions. I am still Eyeballing this problem hoping it does not turn into a nightmare.
Thanks again

Cheers
Click to expand...

Your telling me,
I had a Winchester Grand European (O/U 3006) brought to me with one of the rear top half screws snapped off, the threaded portion stuck in the bottom half of the ring and the head(slotted) stuck in the upper half of the ring.(custom Apel pivot extension rings)(UNOBTAINIUM)
You would wonder how the head side of the screw could be stuck as it was not threaded into the upper half of the ring.( I sure wondered)
I tried all non destructive methods I could think of to even get the head of the screw free, no luck.(soaking,heat,cold,punch and bench block)
Passed the job over to a gunsmith friend and he ended up having to use an end mill to remove the screw head and then use a press to push out the broken screw shaft.
The screw head and ring had set up a metal to metal bond of some sort.
He said getting the lower threaded portion out of the lower half was not nearly as difficult.
I replaced all the slotted screws with hex socket screws, which was a whole different problem, as they were a very odd metric size.( 3.5mm x .6 x8mm )
Hope you have an easier time.
 
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