Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Removing stuck scope base screws

Second question on my "new" .375 H&H:

While taking everything apart to refinish the metal, I found that the previous owner had gorilla tightened the scope base screws (I like them tight, but this is a bit much) AND had buggered up the heads in the process. I tried very quickly (and quit) to loosen them and only got one screw out. It did not have any Loc-Tite on the threads. I was afraid further efforts to work on the screws as they are would completely hog out what remains of the hex head.

Beyond penetrating oil (some is soaking in now) what should be my next steps to try to break these loose? Sorry for the basic question but I haven't had others that have been this much of an issue before.

Try heating the screw head with a soldering tip if you have enough head to bite with the driver...

If not, source a drill bit just a bit smaller than the screw head, vewy vewy carefully, and slowly, drill out the screw heads, then after the mount pops off the receiver, twist out the threaded stubs with vise grips...pretty simple actually.

Then, buy new screws....

Or, take it to a 'smith.

Put some valve grinding compound in on the allen wrench to add grip to the head

My gunsmith had to take the next bigger size Allen wrench and grind down each flat to make a tight fit. The screw came right out. Thanks...Bill.

brownells has a stripped head allen screw removal tool. after soaking for a few days in kroil you can try this. i would drill only as a last resort. good luck with it.

Drilling those allen headed screws out is as easy a pie. Just use a bit that is bigger than the points in the allen wrench and smaller than the diameter of the screw head. Drill it till the head pops off, Once the head is off and the base is removed the screw can be removed very easily, lotsa times with fingers alone

Just a thought but sometime if you try to tighten them a little first it will break them loose so that you can loosen them. miles

BINGO!

I've also used a Torx bit that is slightly larger and lightly tap it into the hex head, then twist it out. Also, but I would be very careful, an impact driver (hand held, not a power tool) using that Torx bit can work as well.

I used this item on mine and it worked like a charm.

http://www.4grabit.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1

If the head is stripped out it's pointless to try to tighten anything first, probably just as pointless as heating it like I suggested earlier.

Save the agravation and just drill it, they make boat loads of screws every day.....

Might try cutting off the leg of the correct allen wrench, clamping the straight allen in vicegrips, then tapping on the allen with a hammer while slowley adding pressure.
Don't ask how I know this works.
Virgil B.

*Forgot to add the obvious, clamp the barreled action in a vice.

This works often enough that it is worth trying. I would recommend AGAINST drilling it out UNLESS you have a drill press or a mill.

Follow up - I ended up using a combination of a couple techniques to get these off. First I drilled down a ways to get a nice platform for the Torx bit. Then I was able to tap in a larger Torx bit and turn these out. My original attempt at this failed so by drilling and then going up a size I was able to get this to work well. It's now been refinished and is drying. Just need to get some new screws now but that should be easy.

I'm no gunsmith, but have picked up 3-4 guns over the years where I had to drill out scope base screws. First time I was a little nervous but I have not found it to be hard at all.