Just a rant

[starmac]

It is not a big deal, but I have never bought a dedicated set of screwdrivers for guns, and need to mount a sight on my 94 that I bought from a member here.
I didn't have the correct screwdriver and knew sportsmans had always carried a couple of sets of them. All they had yesterday was a lymans all in one type deal so I bought it. I even carried it around and went back and replaced it on the shelf once, but in the end brought it home and opened it. It was made in taiwan, had seven bits, but not the one I need for the sight screws. So now I have a taiwanese piece of junk (probably) that didn't even fit.

[WILCO]

Check out Brownells.

[starmac]

There is a couple more local places I will check first. I generally only mail order if I can't find it locally.
What is a good brand of screw drivers?

[Mooseman]

Look at these Mac,Its the style I use !
http://www.forsterproducts.com/store.asp?pid=24836

[Junior1942]

You're unlikely to find hollow ground screwdrivers or bits locally.

[starmac]

Junior we have a couple of local combo hardware/gunstores that are pretty big on firearm and reloading supplies. I know they did carry gunsmith screwdriver kits, scope mounting tools, trapping supplies, etc, I will just have to check and see if they still do. Hardware stores here can be quite a bit different than those in the lower 48.

[montana_charlie]

I have always preferred the Chapman products ...

[starmac]

Thanks Mooseman, I believe the forster #1 is what I need for this. In this lyman set the smallest one is marked 2-3 and they are all marked with 2 numbers, like they may be compromising on the sizes.

[starmac]

MC, pricewise the chapman deluxe set is pretty cheap, do you know where they are made?

[Mooseman]

If you have multiple guns...pistols,rifles and shotguns, I suggest you buy the set which averages 8.00 per driver and you have 90% of all screws covered for disassembling/reassembling your guns without buggering up screws, especially the small scope mount screws and pistol screws you may encounter.
Buggered screws piss me off when guns come in for repair and some bonehead used a wood screw driver on his gun screws and ruined the slots and heads.[smilie=b:

The average cost of replacing a buggered screw is 10.00...the screw cost, shipping, and extra time involved...

[starmac]

Yea, If I have to order them, I don't see any logic in ordering just the one I have to have. lol
I could just bring it buy your place and pay you to mount it for me. lol I may want it before I get down there though.
I did get as close as Glennallen a few times last summer though.

[David2011]

The local hardware store or big box home improvements stores often have a set of bits in a rubber-like plastic holder. Seems like a set is around $8.00. I know that doesn't sound spendy enough to be good but I've never damaged a gun screw with them. They have straight blades, Phillips, Torx and Allen bits in the collection. I find them to be pretty hard and the straight blade bits seem to have parallel sides. Like this, onlyI've seen better prices: http://www.sears.com/skil-89033-33-piece-screwdriver-bit-set/p-SPM6544320602?prdNo=7&blockNo=32&blockType=G32

Ace hardware sells individually packaged bits that look to be hollow ground and seem to be of good quality as well.

My bits include Chapman, Brownell's and Grace, but I generally carry the set in the plastic holder in my IPSC or range bag and when I go hunting. They can save the day in an emergency. If one needs to be re-shaped, it beats grinding on an expensive screwdriver!

Here's a bigger set at Ace that looks very serviceable. http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1291529

David

[runfiverun]

i have the same set rich shows, it doesn't have a small enough bit in it to adjust the slider in winchesters rear sight.
but airc it has the one to take out the screws on an angle eject's frame,and from a marlins top frame too.

[Mooseman]

Lamar,
For those screws I use Gunsmith "Jewelers" screwdrivers...

Rich

[fatnhappy]

I have always preferred the Chapman products ...

ditto

[montana_charlie]

MC, pricewise the chapman deluxe set is pretty cheap, do you know where they are made?
I'l tell you something that will give you a hint.

You probably have some idea of how long the old Lyman 45 lube-sizer has been around ... right?
The rachet wrench that shipped with that Lyman tool was, and still is, being made by Chapman.

If you Google 'Chapman' you will find this ...
http://www.chapmanmfg.com/

CM

[smokeywolf]

Like montana charlie, I've always had good luck with Chapman tools. However, I only use those on the motion picture cameras and machinery that I build and service. Chapman does make a gunsmithing driver set, which I think I've seen on Amazon. On guns I use a set which consists of gunsmithing hollow ground drivers of various brands that I inherited from my father and never use on anything but the guns.
You're very wise to settle for nothing but the right tool for the job.

smokeywolf

[waksupi]

Screwdrivers are meant to be ground to fit.

[starmac]

Ok I just got back from the hardware store. They had two sets a 16 piece I think made by Bsquare and the one I bought was an 89 piece set made by wheeler engineering, probably not the quality as those mentioned, but hopefully good enough.

This is what I wound up with, but at the alaska price of 94.99 instead of 62.99. lol

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/439523/wheeler-engineering-89-piece-professional-plus-gunsmithing-screwdriver-set

[Starvnhuntr]

i have the same wheeler set, it takes care of about 95% of the tasks i need it for. the bench grinder and dremel tool make the ones that don't fit work. it's always nice to have a bunch of drivers around to grind. i buy drivers that are fairly good quality at harber freight and they are cheap enough to grind to fit any purpose.

[montana_charlie]

This is what I wound up with, but at the alaska price of 94.99 instead of 62.99. lol
The Midway site has a very useful zoom feature that gives a good, close look at that Wheeler set. It looks like a collection of bits.
CM

[starmac]

Yes there are several specialty bits that I will probably never use.

[shotman4]

brownell has reg set and european set it covers all. They sell singles too

[montana_charlie]

Yes there are several specialty bits that I will probably never use.
Sorry, I got distracted and left out part of my comment.
I meant to say that it looks like a very useful combination of bits.

Incidentally, my Chapman set says 'Gun and Instrument Screwdriver Set' on the lid of the leather-covered steel case.
I don't even know how long it has been since Chapman stopped using that kind of container, but I had a conversation with a young lady at the plant a few years ago. I was looking for information about one of the tools in the kit, and she was 'certain' that my kit couldn't be a Chapman product because she had never heard of the jeweler's screwdriver I was asking about, and 'they never made steel cases'.

Ah, young people. They 'know it all' until they get about 45 years old. Then they start noticing all of the things they don't know, after all. By the time we reach 65, we're are getting close to knowing it all, again.

[starmac]

LOL THis has specialty bits for guns I never plan to own, but who knows about that. If it didn't have an id chart I would never know what some of them are for. lol

[10x]

Ditto on the Chapman screwdriver sets.
Couple that with a set of hollow ground jewelers screwdrivers and you have everything covered.

BTW: when tightening and loosening small screws and bolts I place the bit in the slot, place a bit of torque on the bit and give the end of the handle or shaft a rap with a small hammer.
This method will sometimes take out screws that would otherwise twist off or have the head break.
Rather than torque a lot of pressure on a screw I will tighten it snug, place a bit of pressure on it and give the shaft or handle of the screwdriver a rap with a small hammer. This will tighter a screw to the point where it will not back out but can be easily removed. Screws have to fit snugly for this to work well. Screws that are loose in the thread get blue loctite on installation and a bit of heat with a soldering tip on removal. I still use the hammer tap to when loosening a screw.

One caution on the chapman bits. The bit will fail before the screw head fails so have extras. I have never had a Chapman bit chew up a screw head. You know you are applying too much pressure when the bit fails - one advantage of this is never having a broken screw stuck in a hole while using these bits to tighten scope and sight mounts.

[mud lake]

Ditto on the Chapman screwdriver sets.
Couple that with a set of hollow ground jewelers screwdrivers and you have everything covered.

BTW: when tightening and loosening small screws and bolts I place the bit in the slot, place a bit of torque on the bit and give the end of the handle or shaft a rap with a small hammer.
This method will sometimes take out screws that would otherwise twist off or have the head break.
Rather than torque a lot of pressure on a screw I will tighten it snug, place a bit of pressure on it and give the shaft or handle of the screwdriver a rap with a small hammer. This will tighter a screw to the point where it will not back out but can be easily removed. Screws have to fit snugly for this to work well. Screws that are loose in the thread get blue loctite on installation and a bit of heat with a soldering tip on removal. I still use the hammer tap to when loosening a screw.

One caution on the chapman bits. The bit will fail before the screw head fails so have extras. I have never had a Chapman bit chew up a screw head. You know you are applying too much pressure when the bit fails - one advantage of this is never having a broken screw stuck in a hole while using these bits to tighten scope and sight mounts.

Yepper, I have had Chapman bits fail repeatedly but I chalked it up to their steel hardness, (or lack of it?). Individual bits are only available by mail order and like most Alaskans I hate to pay more for postage than the order. Eventually I will have a big enuf order to justify the postage and handling costs but until then I am extremely careful in torqueing down on a stuck screw.

[starmac]

The wheeler set I bought has duplicates in the smaller and most popular sizes, so that should help in that dept. No more than I use them they should last me a long time if I do my part.