Screwdriver bit sets

[Bazoo]

I have a winchester branded screwdriver bit set. Bout 10 bucks is what I gave. The driver bits actually fit well for most of the gun screws I have.

At a yardsale yesterday I picked up another kit, DAC brand, for 1.00. It appears all made by the same company, but had different bits. Some a little thicker and some a little thinner.

Before my house burnt I had a pachmayr set, same as the top two, as far as bit assortment (as in one row of flat tips and one row of others) and quality it appears by the same manufacturer.

I'd love a brownells set but dang they ain't cheap. Is there anything in between in quality? Or should I just buy several different sets and modify the bits as needed?

[TheGunsmith]

I have a wheeler set. Definitely not the best or the worst but decent.


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[samari46]

Chapman also sells screw driver type bit sets. B-square also. I keep a Chapman in my range box. I shudder when someone whips out a regular screwdriver to make sight adjustments or fiddle with the action or scope screws. Frank

[Bazoo]

Thanks for the replies. I knew wheeler and chapman but not bsquare.

When out and need be, I've used my leatherman. It sufficed but I had to be very careful to keep from damaging the screw. Fact is, most of the used guns I've bought have had screws that were damaged to some degree or another.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

There are lots of these sets on the market now days, but not all of them are specifically designed for gunsmithing. An ordinary screwdriver/bit is ground so that the sides of the tip are parallel, rather than wedge shaped like an ordinary carpenter or mechanic's screwdriver. This allows the bit to enter the screw's slot farther, hopefully clear to the bottom of the slot, and provides a much better purchase on the screw for turning as the entire sides of the bit are in contact with the entire sides of the slot. The conventional wedge shaped screwdriver tip puts all of the turning pressure on the top part of the wedge, and widened slots and buggered screws are often the result. It's a fairly easy task to grind an ordinary screwdriver to a parallel sided profile with a bench grinder or even a sharp file, and before the bit sets became so common your old time gunsmiths used to buy handfuls of cheap ordinary screwdrivers that were on sale and grind them to fit screws as needed. Now there seems to be a competition on how many bits can come in a plastic boxed set, with quantity and price being the attractions. But a close examination of the bits in these bargain, mostly imported sets, will reveal that their profile is of the mechanic type and not suitable for gun work. They also can be ground to a parallel profile, but the little bits are hard to grind and hard to hang onto when grinding.

So, examine the bits closely before buying, and it is best to buy a 25 bit set that has a gunsmithing supply brand name like those mentioned above in earlier posts, than a 100 bit set for the same price made in China.

DG

[alamogunr]

The best decision I ever made about gun accessories was buying the Brownell's set. I haven't used every bit in the set and it can take a few extra seconds to make sure that you pick a bit the fits exactly, but it is well worth the time and the money.

The box has a few extra positions to use as you find other bits are needed.

[Green Frog]

Both my Wheeler and Chapman set, much as I like them, don’t hold up quite as well to hard stress as the old Brownell set. I’ve broken tips on both W & C, including one of the honking big tips I broke from the W set on a shotgun draw bolt. I can’t say it happens often, but I’ve never broken a tip from my B set. I still use all of them but Brownell is best... more expensive, but best. Just my experience, YMMV.

Froggie

[pietro]

The best decision I ever made about gun accessories was buying the Brownell's set.

I haven't used every bit in the set and it can take a few extra seconds to make sure that you pick a bit the fits exactly, but it is well worth the time and the money.

The box has a few extra positions to use as you find other bits are needed.

+1

I've long discovered that buying lower quality tools can over the years lead to extras - unneeded replacement cost, extra work (if not poorer work), and some frustration.

Yes, the better quality tools cost more, but are actually more economical in the long run.

On point, I bought a Williams Gun Sight Co sight pusher over 40 years ago, and it has saved me untold damages to sight blades/ramps & barrels, that alone would have cost me more than I spent on the sight pusher.


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[Bazoo]

Thanks for those replies.

I do know the difference between regular and gunsmithing bits, and have modified a few as needed. What The man in Green describes is what I'm after, bits with slight differences for an exact fit.

I'd love a brownells set, but I'm not sure where to start and I can't swallow the cost of a set yet.

[M-Tecs]

Size and fit are most people look at when purchasing bits. Of equal importance is the material and heat treat. Some are very good and some are junk. Generally you get what you pay for. This is based on years of depaneling aircraft for maintenance.

[alamogunr]

Thanks for those replies.

I do know the difference between regular and gunsmithing bits, and have modified a few as needed. What The man in Green describes is what I'm after, bits with slight differences for an exact fit.

I'd love a brownells set, but I'm not sure where to start and I can't swallow the cost of a set yet.

I haven't looked at Brownell's screwdrivers lately, but as I recall they had basic sets and "fill-in" sets available as well as sets specific to particular firearms.

I understand where you are coming from. I couldn't afford a lot of things until both sons had finished their educations and I had provided for our retirement. I still give a lot of thought to everything I would like to buy and make sure that it is money well spent.

[firebyprolong]

I tend to buy the pach sets and grind them as needed, I've had very good luck with them. they don't last like the brownells bits but I don't feel bad just trashing a bit and grabbing a fresh one. I also have one of the chapman sets that lives in my range box, they are definitely worth buying.

[metricmonkeywrench]

One lesson on the Brownell's bit sets, make sure you keep a copy (or several where you can find them) of the original purchase receipt. I busted one of my "lifetime" bits trying to remove a stubborn screw from a mould. The set was purchased by a friend to get a break in the shipping years before. As we did not have the original receipt they would not even discuss "lifetime replacement". Apparently this was put in place by 'Corporate" a couple of years ago.

[PTCSmith]

One lesson on the Brownell's bit sets, make sure you keep a copy (or several where you can find them) of the original purchase receipt. I busted one of my "lifetime" bits trying to remove a stubborn screw from a mould. The set was purchased by a friend to get a break in the shipping years before. As we did not have the original receipt they would not even discuss "lifetime replacement". Apparently this was put in place by 'Corporate" a couple of years ago.

I wait until I have an order to make and then call in the order rather than doing it on the internet. I tell the order taker that I need replacements for bits no. 210-2 and 240-3 or whatever, and they throw them in the order for free. Never any questions asked and they don't ask me to send in the broken bits. Now I admit that I get a dealer discount as a licensed gunsmith, but I can't see why they would treat me different from any other customer. I have replaced bits this way within the past few weeks, by the way.

[country gent]

Ive used forester, brownels, chapmans and some others. I also keep some cheap ones on hand when I want to fit a screwdriver to a screw. ANother handy thing is a shank for the inserts with out a handle. This can convert a drill press into a screw jack helping to free stuck stubborn screws. I have an old flat belt drill press that spindle isn't spring loaded and small in size. but it works great for this. Clamp the part down align screw in slot put chuck in chuck hole and some down pressure. Turn and like this you can back out stuck frozen stubborn screws. This little old drill press has freed more screws than I care to think about.

Sometimes fitting the bit is the only option and to use a good top end screwdriver for a one time job and then grinding back is a lot of waste on the good driver. I modified one big hardware store driver for stock bolts putting 2 3/4" round bosses on the shank. this helps align the slot to get it in to the stock bolts much easier.

[Clark]

I have so many screw driver bit sets, they are all over the place.

But for some apps I take a rusty old garage sale screwdriver and cut it to fit. Last week I was building a $45 hunting rifle. It is a 300 Sav Arisaka. The old take off scope is a 1992 Leupold vari x IIc 3x9x40 that I am calling $0 cost. But just to bore sight, the old coin based screwdriver is .085" x 0.5" with a 0.6" radius.

[Blazenet]

Brownells sets are a little pricey, but worth it. Had a set for over 25 years with no issues

[DrDucati]

Buy nice or buy twice. I like the Brownells.

[dverna]

The best decision I ever made about gun accessories was buying the Brownell's set. I haven't used every bit in the set and it can take a few extra seconds to make sure that you pick a bit the fits exactly, but it is well worth the time and the money.

The box has a few extra positions to use as you find other bits are needed.

Agree. Not cheap but never an issue.

I have a Wheeler set I carry to the range for sight adjustment and emergencies.

[Wolfer]

I have the B-Square set. I don’t care much for it and wouldn’t buy again.