Gunsmithing Broke an action screw today.

[glock24]

I don't have a torque wrench, but that is going to change now.

The front action screw on my Remington 700 broke in half today. Should I be surprised, or is this common if they are over tightened?

Since I don't have a torque wrench, I simply take a normal length 5/32" Allen wrench and tighten the screws until I start to feel flex in the wrench handle. In other words, I can feel the action bottom out in the bedding, and then the wrench handle starts to bend and flex if I continue to turn. At that point I stop.

Lastly, any comments on how to remove the broken piece in the action? It broke off flush with the bottom of the receiver, so I can't grab it with Vice Grips. I'm going to try and left-handed drill. Any other ideas?

 

[Outsydlooknin75]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

before trying to drill it ... see if you can take a punch and work it out with a punch and hammer.

 

[257speed]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

If you have a dremel cut-off wheel, you can cut a small slot and then use a screwdriver to turn it out. It should come out fairly easy, unless the threads are damaged, in which case then you might try using a punch and hammer to turn it out.

 

[glock24]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

Good ideas.

Thanks guys.

 

[Thorax]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

Take a pair of small jumper wires and a 12VDC car battery.
Ground the rifle, or jump to the - post.
Take the + jumper wire and hook to a small screw or bolt (smaller diameter than the action bolt that broke).
Touch the screw/bolt connected to the + wire to the broken end of the umm...broken off bolt, use pliers or tweezers to hold it as you are WELDING a new extension onto it and it will get HOT quick.
It only takes 2-3 seconds of contact ...NO MORE.

Let cool, back out action bolt with new bolt head

Simple, takes a few seconds and there is ZERO chance of a drill bit slipping.

Yer welcomes and stuff .

 

[USMCj]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 257speed</div><div class="ubbcode-body">If you have a dremel cut-off wheel, you can cut a small slot and then use a screwdriver to turn it out. It should come out fairly easy, unless the threads are damaged, in which case then you might try using a punch and hammer to turn it out. </div></div>

This!^^^

in other words, you are turning the broken off peice into a flat head screw.

 

[glock24]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Thorax</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Take a pair of small jumper wires and a 12VDC car battery.
Ground the rifle, or jump to the - post.
Take the + jumper wire and hook to a small screw or bolt (smaller diameter than the action bolt that broke).
Touch the screw/bolt connected to the + wire to the broken end of the umm...broken off bolt, use pliers or tweezers to hold it as you are WELDING a new extension onto it and it will get HOT quick.
It only takes 2-3 seconds of contact ...NO MORE.

Let cool, back out action bolt with new bolt head

Simple, takes a few seconds and there is ZERO chance of a drill bit slipping.

Yer welcomes and stuff . </div></div>

Damn! Now that's some crazy science right there.

I don't know if I have the balls for that one, but very interesting solution nonetheless.

 

[Don Black]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

"Damn! Now that's some crazy science right there."

Not really. It's known as percussion pin welding, utilizing a forge welding principal.

 

[xs hedspace]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

You better use some hefty wires, like #4 or 6 AWG, or the wires will go up in smoke! And wear eye protection!!

 

[Thorax]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

That is exactly what you don't want to do (use heavy wires).
A 10 or 12 awg will be sufficient, a 14 might work but will get hot too quickly and probably melt down the insulation.

The wires will not get hot immediately, it takes a few seconds for that to happen.
The initial heat will be generated at the welding contact point, and the points where the wires connect to either the battery or the screw and receiver.
By the time the parts are welded together the wires will just be starting to get hot.....it is your tell tale sign that the welding is complete and to yank the wires off.

It's really something that you need to get a feel for and will probably screw up the first few times...so find a chunk of steel and a few sheet metal screws and practise a couple times.

 

[deanq]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

You can turn it in either direction. The hole is a thru hole.

 

[KTDLS7]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

I suggest exteme caution using the "welding" method.

Since there is current flow across the threads between the action and broken fastener, there is a possibility of welding the broken stud to the action.

Dont't slip - you don't want to weld the extension to the action.

I've used the "punch", drill/EZ-out, and "cut screw slot" methods with great success.

Good Luck

 

[gamma]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

I hold the world record for sorting this problem. I regularly get DIY gunsmiths that arrive up to me usually with broken scope screws. Heres what I do. I drill a very samall hole into the broken screw in my milling machine and without moving anything take a torx head and push it into the drilled hole then turn the spindle by hand and just watch the little bastard as it makes its way out. Never fails.

 

[Garvey]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: mikki</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I hold the world record for sorting this problem. I regularly get DIY gunsmiths that arrive up to me usually with broken scope screws. Heres what I do. I drill a very samall hole into the broken screw in my milling machine and without moving anything take a torx head and push it into the drilled hole then turn the spindle by hand and just watch the little bastard as it makes its way out. Never fails. </div></div>

I've done that, it works great! But most folks don't have a milling machine. A hand drill, a center punch, a torx head, a vise, and a hammer might work if you're steady enough.

 

[257speed]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

The welding method sounds cool, but car batteries, grounds, wires??? Sounds like a quick way to piss your pants and forget your name for a few minutes hahaah

 

[steelcomp]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

Jason, your first idea of the left handed drill would be the easiest, and most likely to succeed. If the threads aren't dmamged, you might just be ablbe to spin it out with your finger, or just pick at it with a scribe, counter clockwise. Otherwise, carefully centerpunch the screw and use a small left hand drill either in a vise on a drill press, or even carefully with a cordless hand drill. Tape the area around the screw in case of incidental slips, and take your time. I just can't imagint it taking very much load at all to unscrew the broken piece.
KIS

 

[specopsbrooklyn]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

get a small nut the size to fit over the broken bolt hold in place withe pliers and tig or mig weld it to the droken bolt it works

 

[Meuse]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

How 'bout this:

1. Mix up some 5-minute epoxy (found at hardware store).
2. Take a small bolt and epoxy it to the broken action screw.
3. Hold it in place until set.
4. Once the epoxy hardens, back the broken action screw out.

Just make sure you only use a little bit of epoxy and limit it to the center of the broken action screw. To be safe - you could put a little Johnson's wax on the surrounding area. Just don't get it on the spot the screw is bonding to.

No reason to go 'welding' anything.

 

[Keith Johns]

Re: Broke an action screw today.

I was told.... Remington actions screws are NOT made to tighten down to 65inch pounds. They will stretch and break.

Aftermarket screws, like I think GAP uses, will easily handle the 65lbs but, the action threads are not made to.

So either way, 65inch pounds might be too much. I use 50, and the screws dont turn after 50. They get to about 50, and stay until my torque wrench breaks at 65. So I ask myself, why go past 50.