best way to remove broken screw

[brushrunabout]

Was testing the fit of the 50cal flint Calela Hawken (Invest arms)and should have been more gentle with the rear but plate screw. Pilot hole not deep enough and screw snaped at neck 90% way in. Should I just do a couple drills on one side to extract screw then fill with epoxy or something when I have the but plate fit finished? Luckily all the other parts will need little inletting. lock seems to work well also. Other weird thing was the rail at bottom of barrel is like 2 inches too long at rear. I can just cut it and file down but weird it is almost 2 inches too long for barrel to fit into stock. Its gonna be fun.

 

[brushrunabout]

Other question. Is it normal for the set trigger to "go limp" after the final trigger pulled? Not sure if a spring fell out that is supposed to keep that first set trigger under some resistance after lock goes.

 

[Zonie]

This sounds like a building question so I'm moving it to the Gun Builders Bench.

Yes, you can remove a little wood at the surface if it's needed to get a good grip on the remaining piece of the screw. I would recommend using vice grip needle nose style pliers to grab the end of it.

Don't know about the extra long underlug on the barrel. Just make real sure it is wrong before you cut it off. It's hard to put metal back on later.

Usually the forward trigger has a spring that keeps it forward and to make it engage the rear set trigger blade.

The rear set trigger sometimes will seem loose if it is not set because the spring that drives it may have bottomed out on a stop or stop screw.
Do not try adjusting the stop screw (if their is one) until you try the complete gun. If it works alright, leave the rear triggers spring alone.

 

[toz]

Before drilling additional holes into the stock I would try this: Set the stock upright, butt end up. Put a couple of drops of oil on the end of the embedded screw and let stand. You're trying to lubricate the sides of the screw to aid in extraction. Buy a Screw Extractor kit from Sears, Home Depot, Lowes, a decent hardware store - they're short money. Use a centering punch or an awl or even a nail to punch a dimple into the end of the sheared off screw. The screw embedded in the stock is probably a #8 or #10 and should have sufficient diameter for you then to drill a small diameter hole right down the middle of it's length. The Screw Extractor is like a drill bit, but with a conical working end and reverse fluting. Screw the Extractor into the hole you drilled into the embedded screw by turning the Extractor counter-clockwise. When the Extractor bottoms out keep turning in a counter-clockwise direction and you should see the embedded screw start to back out of the stock. Hope this helps - Bill

 

[hotsparks]

Been there/done that.....I ended up digging in the scrap box and found a piece of 3/8" OD steel tubing. I filed "theeth" into one end and chucked it in my Makita...not having a center point, it's a bit dicey to get started but one you do it drills easy and you can break off the suspended chunk of wood, with the broken screw inside..the advantage is you have a ready made hole for a dowel.
John

 

[Rogue River]

I drill a small hole on each side of screw and pick out broken screw. Then I drill 1/2" hole and plug with dowel and drill new screw hole!

 

[brushrunabout]

Thanks, I think I will try to 2 side drills and dowel. Lots of wood around it and covered but the oil drops will go first to help. never thought of dowel but great idea.

Regluar wood glue for dowel to stock?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Stophel]

I have a 1/4" diameter round in-gouge. I broke a buttplate screw off once, and took the ingouge and just began circling around the screw, cutting in around it. By golly, it worked, I finally got in far enough, and wiggled and pulled the screw out. Of course, I had to plug the hole and redo it.

 

[bigsam]

if you have a dremel tool cut a slot in the end of the broken screw so a screwdriver will fit in the slot and remove the broken screw with a screwdriver.ive done this a lot of times and it might save you from having to remove any wood.

 

[mazo kid]

Once you have your broken screw removed and the hole plugged with a glued-in piece of dowel, remember to scrape a piece of beeswax or soap along the screw threads before trying to install it. This will make it much easier to install. Good luck! Emery

 

[Rogue River]

Gorilla glue or Elmers wood glue!

 

[rafterob]

You don't have the under-rib positioned backwards do you?

 

[Pork Chop]

I have to agree with the Dremel tool idea. Works like a charm!