Need suggestions to remove 116 year old screw.

[bosterr]

I removed the tang sight from my Great Uncle Clem's Winchester '94 30-30 so I can put it on my Great Grandfather's Winchester '94 32-40 which I shoot a lot. The rear tang screw came out just fine. It's the large one that threads into the bottom tang and has a pretty large head and slot. The front screw is the problem. Apparently this gun was drilled and tapped back when it was built for a tang site. However it's pretty small, the head is about 1/8 inch in diameter and has a pretty thin slot. I have a screwdrive bit that fits perfectly, but the screw won't budge. I really don't want to bugger up an old screw, I want to put the screws back in the other rifle. I don't know enough about complete disassembly, and remove the stock to soak the screw from the underside. Other than "take it to a gunsmith" are there any suggestions?

[RickinTN]

If you have the rear tang screw out the stock is ready to come off. Pull it gently in line with the upper and lower tang. Soaking the screw from the top and bottom with Kroil is what I would do. Give it a day or so and gently try your screwdriver.
Good Luck,
Rick

[BCgunworks]

I would start with soaking the screw in oil.

If that doesn't work a little heat may help. You will need to take the stock off for that.

Also tapping the screw driver as you try and turn it can help.

[bosterr]

Rick, thanks for your quick reply. When I saw 2 other screw heads in the bottom tang along with the lever disconnect stud and what looks like it could be the rounded thread end of another screw, I thought there might be a lot of other stuff in there to worry about. It sounds like you've done this before, so I'll attempt to take the stock off tomorrow. Bob

[Bullshop Junior]

I wouldn't use heat. Too much and you can mess up the bluing. I would pull the stock, and then soak the screw with Kroil or MMO for a few hours or so.

[Outpost75]

ATF and acetone mixed 50-50 by volume actually works better than Kroil or Liquid Wrench, but it raises hell with stock finishes, so just apply a drop with an eye dropper and wipe any spillage off the wood immediately.

[bosterr]

I don't have any Kroil, but I do have acetone and ATF. I'll try that first. Thanks!

[bob208]

lyman is making those sights again. why not get a new one and have a tag sight on both rifles?

[bosterr]

bob208, thanks for the suggestion. I already have the vintage lyman tang sight off the 30-30 and don't really have plans to shoot it. I had Tom at Accurate Molds make me an excellent mold for the 32-40 and it's exceptionally accurate. The screws weren't that tight on the 30-30, it's the front tang screw on the 32-40 that's giving me trouble. Bob

[MtGun44]

50-50 ATF and acetone. Soak for several days. Spend the time and effort to either
find a real gunsmith blade that exactly fits the slot, or grind one to an exact fit with
precisely parallel sides, no angle. Then the gun needs to go into a padded vise or
workmate to hold it dead solid. Smack the screwdriver with a hammer a few times
to help loosen it, then use a wrench on the screwdriver and put your body weight
into it to hold it into place. It should give up.

Bill

[DRNurse1]

@ MtGun44: The advice to have an exact fitting tool for these old fasteners is spot on. Thanks for that timely reminder.

I like the Kroil replacement recipe, too

[Lead Fred]

Kroil and an impact driver has removed every rusted screw Ive ever come across. I bought my impact driver in the 70s, so its removed a lot of stuck screws. Make sure you have the proper fitting bit for the screw head.

and they cost a bunch too

http://www.harborfreight.com/7-piece...set-93481.html

[35 Whelen]

+1 on this:



I recently was cleaning up a 1901 Colt Bisley and couldn't get the ejector rod housing screw to budge from its place of 112 years. After literally running a really sharp screwdriver bit into the palm of my hand, I remembered the little impact driver. A proper fitting screwdriver tip and a few light whacks later, and the screw was out.

35W

[AkMike]

Make sure that if you decide to use the impact drivers that you fit the bit to the screw! I'd fit a good screwdriver to it then cut off the handle and chuck the shank up in a drill press. With the wood removed and tang in a press vice, give it firm pressure down on the screw and hand turn the chuck to back it out.

[Wots]

Or as MtGunn44 has suggested but put that vise under a drill press, chuck up the proper fitting blade. Lower the spindle and hand turn the chuck.

[scb]

To apply heat.
Find a steel rod about the same diameter as the screw head.
Heat the end of the rod red hot with a torch.
Place the end of the rod on the screw head and leave it there until it turns black.
Immediately attempt to remove screw.
May require repeated attempts.

The problem with an impact driver on this particular screw is that the screw head is fairly thin and you very well may only end up splitting the screw head in half.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Removal of stuck screws should proceed in incremental levels of seriousness.

1. Screwdriver.
2. Kroil and screw driver.
3. Kroil, Screwdriver, and Crescent Wrench to turn screw driver.
4. Heat, with Kroil, and screwdriver.
5. Kroil with Impact Driver after heat is applied
6. Last but not least,,,,Drill it out. If you don't know exactly what you are doing here then find someone who does cuz this is about the easiest way to screw something up badly that there is.

The reason I didn't use the impact driver sooner is because they are easy to tools to ruin finishes with. You have to hold them just right and then hit them smartly with a hammer, and the potential is there to screw up and hit something else. They are more appropriate for working on Motorcycles and the like.

When you heat stuff like this the hot tip is a "Crackpipe Torch," (one of the small butane torches) they have a nice pointed flame which is easy to direct onto a spot. You don't have to heat the parts up very much to get the screw to release, maybe to 200-250F(same with Red Loctite) which won't hurt the blue or change any heat treat that might be present.

You only change heat treating when you exceed about 450 F and the part turns blue. Now it is soft unless it is Hi Speed Steel or above like a tool bit or drill bit.

A really good set of screwdrivers like Brownell's kit is going to take care of 99% of the screw removal you will ever have to do.

The other techniques are for the remaining 1%.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi,
Hey Randy! When I asked my friendly ACE Hardware man for a "crack pipe torch" he gave me a funny look!

Something to remember about rust is that it needs water to form and when you apply heat you are getting rid of the water and creating space for the screw so it turns! After heating supplying a lube just makes it slicker,when force is supplied,hopefully by a proper fitting tool. Also like has been suggested the better you can secure the object the better it is! Can we say a GOOD bench vise!

[KCSO]

The old standby is to put the tang into the vise of a drill press after heating and kroiling and then use the press to push down on the screwdriver as you turn the drive with a handle or a wrench. I have a special driver made up with a t handle just for these situations. By pressing down you don't ruin the slot and you can put maximum pressure on the screw.

[seaboltm]

+1 on the impact driver. However, I would try the other methods first.