torque wrench / screwdriver suggestions:

Kawarthapine

Member
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I'm looking to buy a torque wrench so I can consistently repeat settings when reinstalling receivers onto my Annie, CZ and Savage stocks.

I ideally want a range from at least 10 to 25 lbs.

I know of a couple of sources incl. Princess Auto and Sears, but have heard mixed reviews. I've also heard of Fat Boy and Gehmann but have now idea about compatibility of bits and quality.

Note: the Weaver torque wrench I bought from Le Baron sucks and does not go below 20lbs.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks!
 
You'll likely be looking for an inch-pounds torque wrench, as most of the foot-pounds units won't work reliably at low torque settings. Any torque wrench that has the area you're looking for in the middle of its range will work well. I use them all the time myself, and have three - one little one (inch-pounds), a medium (around 20-100 foot pounds) and a great big bruiser (40-200 foot pounds or more - a meter long!). For any light-torque application (I consider light torque to be under, say, 40 lbs-ft.) I use the inch-pound unit. It's the click-type, which I like the best, as you can both hear and feel when you've reached your torque setting. My current one is a Princess Auto unit, and works perfectly. I looked at Snap On (I have some Snap On tools), but the cost drove me away. IIRC, the low-range units were in the $200-$300 range. Canadian Tire has Mastercraft lifetime warranty models for about half that, and the PI ones are about half the price of Mastercraft. I like high quality tools, but for ones you don't use every day (like a torque wrench, unless you're a mechanic - then it makes sense to sped the extra $, because you make your living with them) a low-to-medium quality one will work just fine.

There will be those that disagree, and say anything less than the finest available isn't acceptable, but I liken that to saying that anything less than an Anschutz is worthless for plinking. To each his own...

As for screwdrivers, I HIGHLY recommend the Chapman Gun Screwdriver set, available at gun shops (comes in a padded, red vinyl-over-steel case). I've had mine for 40 years, have never broken a bit, and have never rounded out a screw head with it. It's paid for itself several times over, due to a complete lack of damage to the guns I've worked on (not to mention $1000 carburetors, etc.!). I have a lot of screwdrivers (I do a lot of mechanics, metal parts fabrication, machining, etc.), but when I have something really crucial to work on (eg. -stuff with screws made of unobtainium), I always use the Chapman set.
 
The only way you will get consistant accuracy is to buy high end. Mastercraft and the like you get what you pay for. Go Snap-On or Mac Tools. Expect to pay. My inch pound torque wrench was $700. You get what you pay for and it is a life time purchase with these two brands. I think if you spend thousands on guns like most of us a good torque wrench shouldnt be out of your range. A good wrench will be $250 and up. A torque wrench is a precision tool like a digital scale.
 
I had heard that the new Weaver product is a good unit. There were some used ones for sale by SuperBrad I think, may have been in the parts section of black rifles . He wants I think $175. I'm lucky my shooting partner has a Snap on. FS
 
Utica makes adjustable, torque limiting screwdrivers. I bought a new one on ebay, and I'm pretty happy with it. All, quality looking build. Built to be recalibrated if necessary and includes a certficate showing it was tested and met specs.
 
I got the wheeler scope install kit with the lapping bar and torque wrench which feels consistent. Has anyone ever measure these FAT wrench for precision and consistency.
A cheap alternative is to get the FAT wrench by wheeler.
 
If you plan on living more than 2 years, buy a Utica or a Proto 6106 on Ebay. Get a used one for under $100 and it will last for many, many years. New at $250+ they are a little expensive for low volume amateur work. My Proto cost me $70, it is "as new" and it will outlive me.

Cheap torque drivers are not worth the money!

I built a calibration bar out of scraps in my shop to test the torque wrench particularly for consistency (that is more important for us than absolute torque) and it is just fine.
 
I had heard that the new Weaver product is a good unit. There were some used ones for sale by SuperBrad I think, may have been in the parts section of black rifles . He wants I think $175. I'm lucky my shooting partner has a Snap on. FS

You can get the Weaver on Ebay for about $85 shipped.

I'm not sure it will read high enough to torque down action screws. (Does anybody know?)

The Wheeler is under $60 delivered and it reads up to 65 in/lbs.
 
User kaztronic on eBay is selling the Utica TS-35 (2 left at $59) and the Sturtevant CAL 36/4 (11 left at $40). Located in Canada, shipping is pretty cheap. Used, obviously, for these prices. I just bought Utica #3. No affiliation.
 
User kaztronic on eBay is selling the Utica TS-35 (2 left at $59) and the Sturtevant CAL 36/4 (11 left at $40). Located in Canada, shipping is pretty cheap. Used, obviously, for these prices. I just bought Utica #3. No affiliation.

nope only one of the ts 35 drivers left i just went and bought one lol my buddy has one of these and they are awsome for mounting scopes and such now i have my own thanks for the heads up
 
Wiha makes a beautiful torque wrench screwdriver that won't break the bank.

http://www.amazon.com/Wiha-28506-TorqueVario-S-Torque-Screwdriver/dp/B002QV0FCY

It goes from 10-50 in/lbs which is nice for tightening some higher poundage weight screws like the barrel screws on the cZ 455's. These are made in Germany. The internal adjustment threads are not linked to the exterior of the wrench like all the other brands. It does not have a cap or collar on the exterior for adjustment. For adjustment, you insert a proprietary driver that comes with it. This arrangement protects the fine threads from any damage if you happen to drop the thing on the floor and it also prevents tampering with your settings if you leave it on a shop floor amongst other employees. This wrench requires getting the proprietary driver inserts to go with it, i beleive I got 2 different ones for under 20$.

Wiha guarantees them for minimum 5000 applications and they come with calibration certificate that covers the full range of the settings. Mine has worked flawlessly for several years now.

BTW, I got mine for cheaper than the listing on that link so if your interested, take a look around the net a bit more for possibly a better deal.
 
User kaztronic on eBay is selling the Utica TS-35 (2 left at $59) and the Sturtevant CAL 36/4 (11 left at $40). Located in Canada, shipping is pretty cheap. Used, obviously, for these prices. I just bought Utica #3. No affiliation.

Is 36 in/lbs enough to torque action screws? What do they normally require?
 
Is 36 in/lbs enough to torque action screws? What do they normally require?

Normally rimfire actions are torqued in the 20-25 in/lb range, maybe up to 30 or so if its pillared and/or bedded. If the wrench is used for CF rifles, they can get up to 65 in/lbs or so in pillared bedded stocks.
 
Go to Cabelas Canada website, search for 'torque wrench' and you will come up with the Wheeler FAT wrench @ $69.99.

Friend of mine has one and finds it is very good; 27 /27 reviews all say good things about it. Range of this screwdriver style wrench is 10 in-lbs to 65 in-lbs: just right for rifle work + comes with a set of various drive bits.

I ordered one yesterday.
 
Back
Top Bottom