Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Trying to remove scope mount

I'm trying to remove a scope mount, but the bolts are too tight. I'm assuming they have loctite. I don't have a heat gun here. Any suggestions?

If they used red loctite, you may need an electric soldering iron. That way you can heat up the loctite on the mounting screws. Also, a mini impact driver works well.

The heat bsa mentioned first. DAP can help if the tool is slipping on the head.

If that doesn't work or the head is, or ends up, stripped, a left handed drill bit can be effective....just take care if you use it. Also realize the the screw head is going to end up "screwed up" after using the left handed drill bit. If I'm at the point of using a left handed drill bit the head is already stripped.

I only use blue locktite. I degrease everything before I install bases. I hunt in the rain a lot. The degreased screws often rust and end up being tough to remove. I've had to follow the steps listed above several times. May not be the best way but I know it works.

Not sure what your situation is but I would wait until
I could get some heat on it rather than mess up screws you may not have extra of.

Heat and as a final resort, left handed drill bits here. I also ‘shock’ the screw after heating it up and attempting to remove it. Make sure the gun is secured in a good gun vise, not hard to slip when one is torquing on a stuck screw.

Ryan852,

Earlier in the thread, a mini impact driver was mentioned. You can duplicate the impact tool's function by hitting the end of a screwdriver with a hammer while twisting at same time.

Not to talk down but I don't know if you know about what an impact tool does: it imparts a downward hit on the machine screw at the same time the twisting force is applied which helps the thread's surface area between the roots and crests to separate ever so slightly lessening the thread's friction on the surfaces thereby allowing the screw to rotate.

I agree that heat will help loosen the loctite if it is present. After heating employ the impact method .

Impact drivers can break bits. They can just shatter.

Use only quality bits, a cheap bit can cause rounding.

I would definitely start with the soldering iron.

Use a soldering iron. Allow the tip to get hot and then hold the tip on each screw for at least two min. It won't hurt a thing and can save you a lot of money vs stripped screw heads or broken screws.

Good post. I think it is wise to go in steps, but heat is the definite necessity here. You are not going to hurt the rifle by heating the screw up. The reason I use a soldering iron is because it focuses the heat in one spot. A small spot, if you will. Also those thinking they are going to save those screws, need to re-think that. A person doing this should have many screws available. The screws are the last thing I care about. I'm more worried about the rifle and then the bases. I like the fact you mention using a screw driver or bit driver before going to the impact driver. Sometimes that is all that is needed and then you are not putting the extra force on the threads, as you would with the impact driver. However, I've seen the impact driver work when a screw driver being tapped, would not. Good to try different methods. This can also include a mini torch and then at a very last resort, drilling the head so you can remove the bases and attack the base of the screw still in the receiver. That is the last resort, but sometimes a necessary evil. You can still save the mounts, but of course the screws are gone at that point. As a the final last resort, it requires you to center drill the screw and use a screw extractor to remove the screw and save the threads in the receiver. All can easily be done with patience. A person that is not confident in doing that kind of job, needs to take it to someone that can.

OP if you don't have a soldering iron, you can use a throwaway Allen wrench or screwdriver, get it red hot with a torch, and then hold it in the screw. Repeat until the screw gets hot.

Thanks for the informations

Heat works amazingly well for loctite

Yes, it does.

You may want to post this question down in the Gunsmith forum. See if you may get a little more help.

Take care.

Before you do any damage....please stop. Once the screws are screwed up...you'll be screwed.

There's a Model 70 here now with this issue. If the owner hadn't let some ham handed, gap toothed, corn field commando hillbilly destroy the screws, it would have taken me all of 10 minutes to remove them. But now that it's screwed up, he brings it over here. Now it has to go on the mill, get 4 screws removed and the threads restored. Believe me, the cost is going to be more than an elcheapo heat gun would have been.

Take $19.99 to Harbor Freight and pick up an industrial heat gun. Heat the bases and screws up. If a locking compound was used, you'll then be able to remove the screws without damaging anything. Use a proper fitting tool on the screws.

If you have any questions on doing this...and before the screw heads get all messed up... a good 'smith or talented tinkerer could help you out. If you're close to me, bring it over and I'll do it gratis. -Al

I have used an impact tool that you hit with a hammer to turn frozen fasteners at work often. It will either loosen the fastener or shear the head off. I would consider it a last resort.

Someone like you may have better luck taking your stuff in to a gunsmith.

I have used the Allen wrench in the screw with a propane torch trained on the wtench it will get the screw hot
Let it cool a little then use a different wrench to turn it out.