Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing A 'last resort' tip...

Was it a hex head or phillips or flat blade?

Redneck:





Now, instead of trying to line up a screwdriver with the slot, I can use a socket and socket wrench to remove the bolt.

Factories should do that, anyway. There is no telling how many stocks have been cracked because the screwdriver blade was between the screw head and the stock, instead of in the slot.

When the screwdriver was turned when in this position, the side of the stock cracked out.

If you did not already know about this, I hope you can use this little tip in your business.

Redneck:

There is another way, if you ever run into the problem again.

I had a Rem. 870 that I wanted to remove the stock, and the screw was so tight that I messed up the screw head and never got it loose.

Not having an impact screw driver, or even thinking about one, I found a drill bit about the same diameter as the screw head.

I turned a rod from a piece of aluminum, so that it would fit into the stock hole. I drilled a hole through the rod, the same size as the drill bit, and large enough for the rod to fit over the screw head.

I drilled the head off the screw and pulled the stock off of the receiver, leaving the head less through bolt in place.

The stock bolt on my stock was not being held by the wood, as was yours, but because of being extremely tight in the receiver.

Using a small pipe wrench, I was able to get the headless screw out. Of course, I had to replace the screw, but I replaced it with a hex head bolt. I purchased a hex head bolt about 10 inches in length, (don't remember exactly) and turned it down and threaded it.

Now, instead of trying to line up a screwdriver with the slot, I can use a socket and socket wrench to remove the bolt.

Factories should do that, anyway. There is no telling how many stocks have been cracked because the screwdriver blade was between the screw head and the stock, instead of in the slot.

When the screwdriver was turned when in this position, the side of the stock cracked out.

If you did not already know about this, I hope you can use this little tip in your business.

If you can reverse your drill press a left hand drill bit will
take a screw out sc fast it will scare you.

Customer brought in a problem; Browning A-5 to be cleaned, but he tried and could not remove the buttstock retaining screw and warned me he already broke several thin bits in the attempt.

Long story short, every trick I knew to try got me nowhere. I was afraid a previous owner might have used red locktite on the threads. Couldn't apply heat due to proximity of the wood. I was stuck. Customer said to go ahead and cut off the stock and obtain a new one. I warned him any new one would not match, color-wise.. He was ok with it.


New stock showed up, color was WAY OFF (like night/day and nothing one can do basically). But before I started cutting off the original stock (which was in excellent condition BTW) I thought I'd try one 'last resort' tool - an impact driver.

Only used it a couple times before over the last 15 years but I don't recall trying it on a firearm. One bit was the correct width, but too thick. I modified it enough to fit exactly into the screw's groove in the head, propped up the top tang on a wood block to prevent any damage and gave-er-hell.. It took 4-5 good whacks, but I finally saw movement!!! It was SO TIGHT that I had to use the impact driver for one full revolution of that screw before I could finally use a screwdriver to remove it fully..

Dang - that was ONE TOUGH NUT to get to move, and it did NOT have locktite on it - just extremely tight in the stock's thru-hole. I reamed that out just a tad before re-installation and used a new screw after the original looked like crap after that work..

Bottom line - I saved the customer over $200 and retained his original stock to match the fore-arm..

For a Friday - it's goin' well.