Screwdriver to fit Italian muzzleloader

[SCB]

I bought a used Antonio Zoli Zuave. It needs to be taken apart and cleaned. However, some of the screws have extremely narrow and long slots. None of my standard gunsmith screwdrivers fit. Brownells is out of thier set of narrow blade scredriver bits. Where can I find a screwdriver to fit?

 

[Phil Coffins]

This is good time to learn how to grind your screw drivers to match your needs. The challenge will continue to come up till you quit turning screws. Note the stone on the side, it’s ground most of these a few times.
IMG_0601 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[rich pierce]

I bought a used Antonio Zoli Zuave. It needs to be taken apart and cleaned. However, some of the screws have extremely narrow and long slots. None of my standard gunsmith screwdrivers fit. Brownells is out of thier set of narrow blade scredriver bits. Where can I find a screwdriver to fit?

Grind a large screwdriver or enlarge the slot. I’d make a new one but I’ve got experience in forging and heat treating.

Option 2, see if the back of a hacksaw blade fits. If so break off a 2” piece and use that.

 

[Pete G]

Check Wheeler Engineering

 

[wiscoaster]

Check Wheeler Engineering

Ditto that, on Amazon. They've got more different combinations and sets of drivers, bits and bobs, and most sets well under $100.

As a cheap alternative, there is one standard Master Mechanic screwdriver that I ground the tip to flat-sided and narrow that works just fine for about 80% of my gun screws.

 

[deerstalkert]

modify the turn screw not the screw. screws are much harder to acquire than a turn screw.
then throw in the mismatch of the slots unless all slots are done.
Wheeler has some good gunsmithing bits. be aware they are hardened so that they will break before damaging the screw slot. sometimes.
i repaired a lock plate screw head that i grabbed the wrong bit and the infamous "heck, this one will work" yesterday. after repairing i had to grind a bit to fit the newly repaired slot. 30 minutes lost when using the right bit would have avoided that loss.
30 minutes i can't afford to lose anymore!

 

[wiscoaster]

....
Wheeler has some good gunsmithing bits. be aware they are hardened so that they will break before damaging the screw slot. sometimes.
....

Probably not screws on Italian or Spanish guns, though. I've found they can be rather soft.

 

[TFoley]

Probably not screws on Italian or Spanish guns, though. I've found they can be rather soft.

The screw on my Uberti Walker revolver broke off like cheese the first time I tried to take it out....now THAT was a RPITA.

 

[EC121]

I just filed a gunsmith screwdriver to fit. They aren’t that hard.

 

[springfield art]

I bought a used Antonio Zoli Zuave. It needs to be taken apart and cleaned. However, some of the screws have extremely narrow and long slots. None of my standard gunsmith screwdrivers fit. Brownells is out of thier set of narrow blade scredriver bits. Where can I find a screwdriver to fit?

Try Midway? I wish I had invested in a pro set as a young guy! all young guys who think they want to be gun nuts should invest heavily in a pro set that will last a lifetime!

 

[springfield art]

I've had 3 or so Zoli's like that; finally found one that was solid quality, an old Navy Arms model. Some of the Zouaves were kind of slapped together from parts in the old Italian "gun valley" Gardone district, and not all were tight and proper. They're great guns! I've handled a minty original, and the quality is miles above the replicas...the machining, the wood work, are to "die" for!