Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Removing Scope bases

I picked up a mid 1980's bolt action rifle with scope and Redfield mounts. I am having trouble getting the base screws to break loose. I am afraid that I am stripping out the allen head. What should I try?

Have you heated the screws with a soldering iron to soften any locking compound that whoever installed the bases may have used?

If you strip a hex head screw you can usually use a Torx drive to break them loose.

I have not tried heating them. I will give that a try tomorrow.

Thanks

Don't even think about trying to get them loose until you've put some heat on the screws. It's a work in futility not to mention messing up the screws to the point of having to drill them out. Use bits that fit a screw driver not a regular L shaped wrench. Tap lightly with a hammer on your driver while trying to turn them. powdr

A couple drops of Kroil is the voodo you need.

This prior to heat.

Kroil may negate the need for heat.

Heat and penetrating oil are good bets.

You can also try inserting your screwdriver (allen,torx, ect) into the screw head, and give the driver a couple raps on the top, this downward force shouldn't damage anything and can help break loose any loctite or rust that is in the threads. Also after the raps, try tightening the screw ever so slightly, before loosening.

I use this process on all my pocket knifes that have been loctited together

Thanks for the suggestions. I have ordered some Kroil and a good hex bit kit.
Will try again once I receive the items

Hand Impact driver. They work wonders.


Link

By the time I get the rifle, the socket heads are rounded so bad even the Torx trick won't work. I put a #31 bit in the drill press and drill into the socket. The socket keeps the drill centered. When the bit reaches the body of the screw, the socket just pops off and releases the scope base. That leaves enough of the screw exposed to grab with small vise grips.

Okay a report back. I applied the Kroil and waited. I also bought some quality hex heads with a driver. I stripped the head out on the first screw that I tried. The second one came right out. The head stripped on the third and fourth screws. I used a torx bit that I somewhat gently tapped into the head and I was able to remove all three remaining screws.Thanks for the help!
Sorry for the bad picture. The smell of the Kroil was not liked so I had to move to a corner.

Good deal kandpand...love it when a plan comes together. powdr

Cool. It's always a good feeling when you feel those screws turn loose.

I think also a soldering iron considering someone may have used red lock tite. I also like Kroil. A friend told me that automatic transmission fluid and acetone mixed 50/50 is the best penetrating oil period - though I have not needed anything ‘better’ than Kroil.