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?
Screwdriver to fit Italian muzzleloader
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Phil Coffins
69 Cal.
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
Note the stone on the side, it’s ground most of these a few times.
IMG_0601 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr
Pete G
76 Cal.
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.
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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!
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!
Probably not screws on Italian or Spanish guns, though. I've found they can be rather soft.
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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.
I just filed a gunsmith screwdriver to fit. They aren’t that hard.
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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!
For my Antonio Zoli Zuave disassembly issue: I ground down a large Harbor Freight screwdriver ($1.99) on a bench grinder and now I have the proper screwdriver to disassemble the gun. Thanks of the help!
Phil said:
"This is good time to learn how to grind your screw drivers to match your needs."
Amen, Bro. I have bought many old screwdrivers from yard sales, flea markets, etc. and ground them to fit what I need. Cheap and easy to do.
"This is good time to learn how to grind your screw drivers to match your needs."
Amen, Bro. I have bought many old screwdrivers from yard sales, flea markets, etc. and ground them to fit what I need. Cheap and easy to do.
I have an early Navy Arms/Pedersoli gun. The screw slots are ridiculously narrow, and only my smallest blades fit. I have never seen such slots. I don't think it would be wrong to enlarge the them, just do it carefully.
Having some experience remediating boogered screw heads, I'd caution against modifying perfectly good screw heads. It's very difficult to enlarge the slot width while retaining its perfect parallelogram shape, and the net result might be that it's even more difficult to get a good purchase with a screwdriver. I think it's a much better idea to modify the screwdriver so that it fits the unmodified slot. And as a bonus, when a guy comes across more of these screws, he already has a tool for them.
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I would hardly call mine perfectly good. The only screwdriver tip I have that fits is about 1/4" wide and only goes in 1/8". Any driver ground thin enough to fit deeper will have such a thin blade I'd be worried about it snapping off.
At 70 years old I finally bought a set of gunsmith screwdrivers. Should have done it 40 years ago. I wouldn't hesitate to grind one to fit if need be. That set has a large note on it "Gun screws ONLY"
i had the same problem with my wife's gun. i took a screwdriver that was already thin, but not enough, and filed the driver to the correct size,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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I'd guess that Harbor Freight screwdrivers, being inexpensive, you could by and custom-grind to fit. If they buggered up, re-grind or buy more. I still say, if young, invest in the best high quality of real Gunsmith's screwdrivers; don't be like me and get old without one.
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