Gunsmithing What type of non maring screws to use?

[Magicman]

I have been using a fixture made from DOM tubing to hold and true short pistol and rifle barrels in the four jaw for cutting and threading. Until recently have not had a problem until I mounted a Buckmark 4 incher. After taping the barrel I mounted as usual and upon removal found that there were dents in the barrel where the brass screw heads were touching. The screws I made by drilling and threading socket head 3/8 bolts and screwing #10x 32 brass screws into the ends. Either the screws are to hard or the Buckmark barrel are soft. I found some nylon screws at the Hommie Despot to replace the brass ones though they are not very durable. What is the best way to eliminate this. I appologise if this has been asked before, I did try a search. Thanks Dave.

 

[seanh]

you can get nylon or brass tipped screws. Or make a jig out of aluminum to hold the barrel

Edit- The above may be moot after re-reading what you've done. Can you show a pic of the fixture you made? Maybe that can be modified.

I'd take a couple pieces of aluminum bar stock, machine the surface flat, put a few screws in it to hold the parts together then bore the proper diameter hole for the barrel...clamp the barrel between the two pieces of aluminum. With this setup, there wouldn't be any screws touching the barrel.

 

[monteboy84]

Brass-tipped screws from McMaster Carr would be the way to go. The threads are steel so they'll hold up well to torque, but the tip is brass so it won't mar the barrel.

-matt