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Phillips head screws

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jtmattison

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Well I just went to the candy store (Home Depot) and bought a bunch of brass screws to replace various bad ones on my Hawken rebuild.
I get home and figure out that the rifle has standard screws...DUH!
Now how bad would it look to have phillips head screws on a Hawken????

I'm such a dope!

HD
 
Are you sure you bought brass screws- They maybe brass plated screws. When buying brass screws take a magnet with you to be sure they are brass. I bought what I thought was brass screws and they turned out to be brass plated steel screws. mudd turtle.
 
I think a phone call to T/C is in order to see if they can send me a complete screw set.

HD
 
You are correct. The point I was makeing was that most screws at hardware stores are steel. A lot are brass plated . The only place I know of to get real -all brass screws is a marine suppy store. If you take a magnet with you to check you will see most are steel. mudd turtle.
 
If it were mine, I think I would use steel screws.
Not only are they stronger and less likely to strip and a larger variety but it would be a small step towards recreating an old gun the way they used to be made.

As the Phillips head screw wasn't invented until the mid 1900s it probably wouldn't be the best thing to use. On the other hand, I would be willing to bet that 95 percent of the people who will see your gun (not including the members of this forum) wouldn't know that Phillips head screws weren't used in the 1800s. :rotf:
zonie :)
 
Am I understanding this correctly?
Steel screws were used with brass trim?
I also need to replace all the screws in a beatup kit gun and all I'm finding in brass are phillips head I did find some oval head stainless slotted screws
jerry
 
Zonie is correct asre brass and Phillips head screws.
Steel, slotted screws are HC {oops} and were used because steel screws are stronger both at the shank and at the slot vs brass. In fact, I use steel nails and rivets made from baling wire on various brass inlays and PBoxes. To eliminate slot damage to steel screws, I "Kasenit" the heads.......Fred
 
If you really want real brass screws, check with marinas or other marine supply stores. They're commonly stocked for use around saltwater. Also, if a hardware store has a big display of specialty screws, they'll usually have several varieties of brass in the display. Can't remember the brand in the local (True Value) hardware store, but they have a whole aisle of specialty screws including brass. Not really a big deal.

Even easier, contact TC. Several buds are TC enthusiasts, and they regularly get replacement screw sets for bargain TCs they pick up at garage sales and such.
 
I just called T/C.
They don't carry screw sets. The lady is sending me a parts diagram with price list. Each screw is about $.95 up to a dollar or more.
Home Depot, here I come!

HD
 
If tou're going to use brass screws, be they solid or plated, then there's no reason not to use the philips head screws you have. If you're going to go back to HD to replace the new philips head screws with slotted, You may as well get the new screws in steel. If they only have zinc plated screws, the zinc can be burned off with a propane torch.
 
No brass screws on original guns of the ML period. Use slotted flathead wood screws or oval head screws depending on where they are being used. You can strip the zinc coating off of Haerdware Store screws by soaking them in a jar off muriatic acid or battery acid for a few minutes. When it stops fizzing they are ready to take out of the acid and rinse with cold water real good. They will look gray when stripped. That's the way I buy screws for my guns. One heck of a lot cheaper than buying unplated screws from gun parts suppliers. No 2 dollar screws here.
 
Lord, it's impossible to get ungalvanised screws, anymore! If only the durn plating would actually work and prevent rust, I wouldn't mind so much.
 
CProkopp said:
Lord, it's impossible to get ungalvanised screws, anymore! If only the durn plating would actually work and prevent rust, I wouldn't mind so much.

I never used acid as mentioned above.
But do put the torch to them and burn the zink off. Do stand upwind and don't breathe the smoke.
 

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