Broken brass screws on a TC Hawken

[Pork Chop]

The patchbox screws on my used TC hawken spontaneously lost their heads. I contacted TC and got some replacements (which are oval head rather than flat btw) and promptly put it all away. Well today I dug out the Dremel tool and found the cut off wheels. I slotted the heads of the remains (one above the wood and one below the surface of the wood) and out they screwed with no problems! The only issue is the screw driver that slipped as tightening the one screw slightly buggering up the head. :cursing:

Oh well, it has my mark now!

 

[Norskie]

You're lucky. The 'Maker's Mark' on my stuff usually includes some of my blood.

 

[Pork Chop]

I tend to "feed" my cars when I work on them. I have plenty of scars from that... I try not to ham fist firearms...

 

[LRB]

This is one of the reasons that brass screws were never used on the old guns. Always steel, or iron.

 

The only issue is the screw driver that slipped as tightening the one screw slightly buggering up the head. :cursing:

Oh well, it has my mark now!

PC, if it's a badly buggered head and is unsightly you might be able to fix it. I've never worked with brass screws before but it seems to me that if you pound it out to a flat screw like the originals, you can then cut a new slot. To do this take a piece of steel slightly thinner that the length of the screw, drill a hole just big enough for the screw to go through then countersink it to the diameter of the CS in the patch box. Insert the screw and pound it out. Tap it out of the "swage" from the bottom (that's why you want the steel plate just thinner than the length of the screw), put the screw in the vice and cut a slot. Like I said, I've never worked with brass screws but have done this with steel ones often and it has always worked out fine. Of course you would have to do them all :winking: Just a thought.

Cody

 

[Pork Chop]

It is not badly boogered up. I have seen worse on production guns. Most folks would likely never notice, but I do...

 

[CrackStock]

Throw away those brass screws and buy steel replacements from another source. Brass breaks off and leaves you in a bad way.

CS

 

[Pork Chop]

Well, seeing as how I don't have many plans to disassemble the rifle any further than field stripping it, I think that they will be OK. If I decide to redo the stock (a likely possibility), I will probably replace the brass in favor of blued steel.

 

[wszumera]

Well today I dug out the Dremel tool and found the cut off wheels. I slotted the heads of the remains (one above the wood and one below the surface of the wood) and out they screwed with no problems!

Left hand twist drill bits are fantastic for removing screws. Usually, you never have to put the ez out in since the drill walks screw out.

Clutch

 

[Pork Chop]

I have used left hand drills in the past, but don't have any now. Hence the use of the dremel...