Removing broken 6-40 sight screw...How do I do it?

[corbinace]

I have an old decrepit Remington 514 that I just drug out of the back of the safe. It has many issues but one of them is a broken off screw in one of the two holes for the rear sight.

I believe this screw is a 6-40. It has been filed down flat and flush with the barrel, to include a bit of the barrel. Any suggestions as to how I should remove this tiny screw?

I did not break it so I do not know if it is tight or if the other screw fell out and this one was just cammed off at the head.

Has anyone used these?

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/general-gunsmith-tools/broken-tap-screw-extractors/micrograbit-screw-extractor-prod6838.aspx

Thank you for your time, Tim.

[country gent]

A small prick punch may remove it Get a starting mark on the edge with a 4-6 ounce ball peen hammer. Angle punch and lightly tap punch in the direction to remove the screw. Once it starts turning you can ussually just hold the punch in the ding and turn it out. I have used this techniuque at work and on guns for years to remove broken screws and bolts. It works quick and easy as long as screw isnt bottomed out or locktite used. Sometimes a small chiesel can be ground on a drill blank and a slot cut for a screw driver but this tends to expand the screw tighter into the threads also.

[M-Tecs]

Chances are that it is 6-48 and not 6-40. The extractor will work well. The problem is drilling a hole in the center of a #6 screw. Left hand spiral drill bits work well for this also.

[pietro]

.

I always drill screws to the tip with a bit that's a tad smaller in diameter than the screw's minor thread diameter, then pick the screw's threads out of the barrel or receiver threads.


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[44man]

A tiny dental burr in a a Moto Tool will cut a slot. Screws are hard but a pin punch might make it move. If filed it was soft so poke it with a punch. To drill down the center is beyond what most can do.

[RogerDat]

Not on anything firearm related but what I have done is drill the screw down the "center" but not with a bit large enough to reach the threads. Don't trust I'll get dead center enough to drill to the minor thread dimension. This can allow a punch or chisel to better unscrew it since there will be some room for side to relax toward the center. Have to say a few times doing this I have ended up collapsing the remaining ring of the screw into the center to work it out. Might be a little abusive for a delicate situation.

[Blue2]

I have dealt with three of these this week. What I do is set the gun in a drill press or milling machine and using a small center cutting endmill I machine a small flat area on the broken off screw. You cannot align a drill to drill into the center , if the screw head is either jagged or rounded. Then using a small center drill start the hole followed by the correct size drill to allow the use of an 'easy-out' broken screw extractor. Yeah I know ---this is great if you happen to have all the tools.But you won't make any scratches or more issues if you do it this way. And if the screw happens to have been lock-tited in place I use a soldering gun and place the hot tip onto the broken screw to heat it up and "kill" the loc-tite.

[corbinace]

Well, thank you gentlemen, one and all.

I already did somewhat as Blue suggested with the end mill. I did this with a file though and this gives a nice outline of the screw center and a flat surface to work with. Today, I did try the pecking method with no success. It is less than .060" to the center of the screw and not much moment to work with. I will go to the industrial store tomorrow and get a center drill and some new extractors that are not ruined like all of mine are. I'll get a left hand bit as well, who knows it may hook up and spin right out.

Smoothing the surface adjacent the screw with the file was not a concern, with all of the rust on the rest of the gun. Besides it will be covered with a sight.

With all of the hints, I feel confident I will be able to get this little bugger tomorrow:happy dance:.

[44man]

To get loc-Tite or epoxy loose I use a brass or copper rod the size of the screw, heat red hot and hold on the screw.

[DCP]

I have use an air engraver and electric engraver.

http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-290-01-Stroke-Engraver-Template/dp/B0000302YN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452558466&sr=8-1&keywords=electric+engraver+tool

[RogerDat]

Glad that aspect of getting a flat surface to work on came up. I forgot to mention that part which is critical. You just can't drill straight into a jagged or domed surface. Have used a dremel a few times with a cone grinding stone to get a "center" dip to work from.

Note on easy-outs they break if the tip bottoms out, at least that is what I have found. Have to have a fit that is tight enough that the tip of the easy-out does not hit bottom of drilled hole.

[doc1876]

I love my left hand twist bits, just for this reason.

[kysunfish]

Left hand bits are very good stuff. The part about taking a piece of hot brazing rod to the head is very good advice. I have taken a electric screwdriver or drill and chucked a stiff piece of a hat pin up so that it has a little wobble and turned a bunch of them out. It helps when the point is sharp and hard. Once it finds an edge it keeps bumping it to turn. Cross threaded stuff is where the going gets tough

[44man]

Left hand drills are hard to find. I played the devil to find one for my mold vise. Harder for small drills. You still need to get centered no matter what or you can ruin threads.
Then scope screw and base screws are hardened and can eat a bit.
I have broken taps in holes and a dental burr will cut a tap. Nothing worse then a 6-48 tap breaking in a gun. A broken screw is child's play.

[Geezer in NH]

I love my left hand twist bits, just for this reason.
Bingo!!!!!