Best way to remove stuck screws??

[S&WM&P40]

I picked up two new rifles for my 5 and 6 year old girls last month, one is a Rossi 22/20GA and the other is a Mossberg&Sons model 40 22LR/short/22 etc.. I decided to refinish the the stock and re-blue the barrel on the model 40. The rifle was made in 1932 and from the looks of it hasn't been worked on much at all from the time it was made. I have the whole Walnut stock sanded down< I left the inside alone as it's all cut to accept the barrel,chamber and trigger and I didn't want to mess it up with sanding. I have the pink stain all mixed up and I'm picking it and the bluing kit up this week. I can not get the front sight screw to move so I can't remove the sight, I tried little heat on it and it did nothing. What other ways can I get it off without stripping the screw?

 

[Kalamity023]

Try a good quality penetrating lubricant like PB blast or something like that

 

[missoak]

There's a hand tool called an impact screwdriver. Has worked for me many times.
I'm sure Sears has them. Bought mine years ago for getting screws out of a motorcycle, but it will work for guns too.

 

[S&WM&P40]

I have a an impact screw driver(a cheap one from auto zone.) I picked it up to remove brake drum screws and the darn thing didn't work worth a damn, Not sure if that's because it was the cheaper auto zone brand or not. I also have a can of PB blaster that I picked up for the same job, but I have yet to use it on the barrel as I was fearful that it may damage the older metal? Plus the smell of the damn stuff makes me want to throw up, LOL. I'll give the PB blaster a try, maybe stick the end of the barrel in a bottle with a little PB plaster and let it soak over night. Then I'll try it again and give it a little heat with the propane heat gun.

 

[Rocketgeezer]

A bit of heat from a small propane torch seems like it would work best, PB Blast is ok, but a impact driver is a little tricky to use and could cause more damage, especialy on a small sight screw,

 

[defender829]

Seems to me the most likely way to remove the screw is with an impact driver.
A subtle move you MUST make while using an impact driver is this: Try to turn the impact tool in the direction you want the screw to move, while you tap on it. This 'tells' the impact driver which direction to spin! You shouldn't have to turn it hard, just enough to set the direction.
Secure the gun barrel, put firm downward pressure on the driver, try to turn the screw CCW, and give the driver a sharp rap with a small, lightweight hammer. All this after soaking with penetrating oil.
Good luck!

 

[Almost_Blameless]

question....is the screw a slotted drive or an allen-head? question 2....is the screw head a cap screw or a flat head, or a round top button head?

The barrel is usually toughened (but not hardened) steel, but the screws are generally semi-hardened or case-hardened in modern weapons....yours being older, it's all questionable.

The idea of using an impact driver is NOT too good when you have small (#6~#8~#10) screws...if you bust the screw off flush to the barrel, it becomes a mill job to dive mill the screw out and re-tap the hole.

Having no idea about these variables...I'd soak it real well with penetrating oil, and try an even force on the screw maintained for a while..... if that doesn't work, brute force will probably break the screw, so, try a reasonably priced gun smith....

If your lucky and break the screw head off at the top of the screw shank, you may be able to grab the shank and turn it, but, you need to have the right tool or you could still break the shank...

can you post a picture of the end of the barrel and sight?

 

[Walleyechaser]

An old trick we used to use is Tap magic. It is used for lubricating taps but it does work to remove stuck screws. I have also used the impact screwdriver but it does require holding the part so it does not move

 

[S&WM&P40]

question....is the screw a slotted drive or an allen-head? question 2....is the screw head a cap screw or a flat head, or a round top button head?

The barrel is usually toughened (but not hardened) steel, but the screws are generally semi-hardened or case-hardened in modern weapons....yours being older, it's all questionable.

The idea of using an impact driver is NOT too good when you have small (#6~#8~#10) screws...if you bust the screw off flush to the barrel, it becomes a mill job to dive mill the screw out and re-tap the hole.

Having no idea about these variables...I'd soak it real well with penetrating oil, and try an even force on the screw maintained for a while..... if that doesn't work, brute force will probably break the screw, so, try a reasonably priced gun smith....

If your lucky and break the screw head off at the top of the screw shank, you may be able to grab the shank and turn it, but, you need to have the right tool or you could still break the shank...

can you post a picture of the end of the barrel and sight?

It's a flat head flush mounted screw, looks like it screws into the ramp sight and then down into some kind of wedge that sticks out the sides of the sight. I'll post a photo or two if I can. I'll try soaking it and then heating it right after, then try unscrewing it again.

 

[S&WM&P40]

An old trick we used to use is Tap magic. It is used for lubricating taps but it does work to remove stuck screws. I have also used the impact screwdriver but it does require holding the part so it does not move

I'll look around and see if I can find that stuff at my local gun shops and or the local smith.

 

[1911 Headbanger]

One word from someone who's done Gunsmithing for many years. KROIL. You can get it at many hardware stores or order it through Brownells. Saturate the stuck screws overnight with Kroil. Next day, put a screw driver in the slot and tap lightly with a small hammer a few times. This will help loosen them and allow the Kroil to penetrate any areas not reached. Last but not least, apply heat with a torch, or a solder gun, directly to the screw. If it is a heat sensitive area, use an old screw driver, in the slot, and heat the shaft of the screw driver, near the screw. Do not over heat the metal on the gun, just enough heat to melt or loosen any rust, lock-tite or whatever is locking the screw in place. I also hold pressure on the screw by trying to twist it out with the screwdiver and tapp lightly on the top of the driver at the same time.

Last but not least, Kroil is excellent for use as a bore cleaner. Lightly wet a patch with Kroil and clean your bore as usual. Be sure to wpie out the bore well with dry patches. Remember, it's a penetrating oil and can loosen screws in the action/mechanism if allowed to drain into the area.

 

[alternety]

I second Kroil. There is also a Sili-Kroil which has some silicone in it. It really, in my opinion, smells bad. But it works on things that nothing else fixed. Note: soak part of soak and heat, may leave flammable residue.

 

[S&WM&P40]

One word from someone who's done Gunsmithing for many years. KROIL. You can get it at many hardware stores or order it through Brownells. Saturate the stuck screws overnight with Kroil. Next day, put a screw driver in the slot and tap lightly with a small hammer a few times. This will help loosen them and allow the Kroil to penetrate any areas not reached. Last but not least, apply heat with a torch, or a solder gun, directly to the screw. If it is a heat sensitive area, use an old screw driver, in the slot, and heat the shaft of the screw driver, near the screw. Do not over heat the metal on the gun, just enough heat to melt or loosen any rust, lock-tite or whatever is locking the screw in place. I also hold pressure on the screw by trying to twist it out with the screwdiver and tapp lightly on the top of the driver at the same time.

Last but not least, Kroil is excellent for use as a bore cleaner. Lightly wet a patch with Kroil and clean your bore as usual. Be sure to wpie out the bore well with dry patches. Remember, it's a penetrating oil and can loosen screws in the action/mechanism if allowed to drain into the area.

Thanks I'll try that, right now I'm just working around that area with the sand paper. I sanded the sight ramp and the sight, i"ll try that tonight.