Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Scope Mount Removal

Bought a rifle and want to remove the scope. Model 70 Winchester. Got the front ring off with a bit of work but literally twisted an Allen wrench on the rear ring.and it won't budge. Front ring screws did not have locktite on them and can't see any on the rear screw either. Just tight. I have it soaking in Kroil right now. Anybody have any tricks?

You might want to tell us what make mounts that they are!

It is actually the ring. 3/32" Allen screw.

May have to carefully drill it down through where the Allen key used to go with a 1/8” drill. Go slowly and the head will pop off when you break through which will relieve the pressure on the other side and likely allow it to screw out easily. Once the scope is out of the way the threaded shank should be proud enough to grab with pliers and back out.

At the least you’ve already ruined the screw, worst case you mess up the ring. Not a huge loss in either case.

Ya, I've drilled one before. Just hate to ruin the original rings hat came with the rifle. I have the original box with end label for it.

Just this morning I used my drill press to remove a stubborn and burred up slotted base screw. With a properly sized screw bit chucked in it, I used the quill to provide firm downward pressure while hand turning the chuck. You might be able to use a torx bit in the rounded allen key recess if you have access to a drill press.

Try heating with a high watt soldering iron.

Exactly.

What MikeS said, tap a torx bit into the buggered Allen hole and it might bite enough to come out, and the tapping itself will lend to breaking it free. If it still won't budge and the torx bit has a good purchase on the hole, try tapping on the end of your driver while you put loosening pressure on the driver handle.

Then, if none of that works, drill the head off. Use a small enough bit as already suggested and the only thing ruined will be the screw.

Edit to add: Mr Allen is in the same category as the nitwit who invented Phillips drive screws, and the nitwit who invented women's bras.

A Torx 15 bit will bite into the walls of a rounded 3/32" hex head screw such that you can remove them almost every time.

It works better it you can put it into a vise on your mill or drill press to insure correct alignment and get the added benefit of straight downward pressure from the quill when you turn the chuck by hand.

I HATE hex head screws and always replace them with Torx head screws if it is possible to do so.

I have read that Henry Ford is responsible for the proliferation of Phillips head screws when he decided to standardized them in lieu of Robertson/square head screws. Robertson wouldn't license the manufacturing rights to Ford in fear that Ford would "screw" him on the deal, so Ford went with Phillips.

I'm kind of surprised that the improved Pozidrive design hasn't come close to replacing the Phillips design since it is much less likely to torque out and damage the screw head.

Usually socket head cap screws, brand name Allen are a higher tensile strength than hex heads. Have to watch out for the China or Japan stuff though.

All I can say is I curse whoever it was when I'm trying to drive phillips deck screws when I can't get fully behind the impact. I've hung off trusses with my arms outstretched in the sketchiest of sketchy places driving torx head deck screws in bracing and never missed a beat. I loath a phillips drive deck screw.

Anything Allen 1/4" shank or bigger is just fine. It's those itsy bitsy ones we mount scopes with that SUCK.

The last time I had something like that I put an electric soldiering iron on the screw. Heated the heck out of it, put a driver in it, tap the driver a few times, and then twisted it out. The secret was the heat localized to the screw. Put a drop of penatrating oil on it. Heat, Tap, Twist.

I think it is the local high heat. The oil gets drawn ino. Good luck!