Removing stuck scope base screw?

[Ray B]

I have a M70 with a Redfield base that I wanted to remove. Two screws came out fine. The third won't budge. I've been soaking it with penetrating oil for a few days and continue to do so. It is a standard 6-48 screw so it is too small for me to use an Easy-Out tool on. Does anyone have a system/tool way of getting the screw out?

 

[deewayne2003]

Get a cheap Allen wrench of the appropriate size, lock it in a pair of vice grips and heat the end of it with a torch lighter until red hot.

Immediately insert into the stuck screw head as to allow heat transfer to the stuck screw, allow to sit in screw hole for five seconds, remove and immediately try again with a quality bit of appropriate size.

 

[JimP]

If You have to resort to trying to drill it get some left handed twist drill bits to use.

But I agree, heat is your best friend here.

 

[Mizzou100]

Any chance it has loctite on it, if so they make some stuff that eats it?

 

[Cranhill]

I may be wrong but doesn't heat loosen loctite?

 

[meigsbucks]

I had something similar. I drilled off the screw head, lifted off the base and then grabbed the protruding screw with vice grip and turned it out.

 

[Sabre]

I have had similar situations

Things that can work:
Heat
Cold
A rubber band between head and screwdriver (This almost never works for me, but does for some)
Kroil
Reverse drive drill bits
Uncure Debonder

Alden Grabit Micro - I am putting this separate because this is what ended up working for me on a tiny very stuck gun screw that frustrated me for days.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Get a cheap Allen wrench of the appropriate size, lock it in a pair of vice grips and heat the end of it with a torch lighter until red hot.

Immediately insert into the stuck screw head as to allow heat transfer to the stuck screw, allow to sit in screw hole for five seconds, remove and immediately try again with a quality bit of appropriate size.

I’ve used a small soldering iron to stick into the Allen socket. This may work better but I wouldn’t be afraid to do more than 5 seconds if need be.

 

[45-70guy]

The drilling and left hand extractor may work as first try,
The drill off the head and remove the base and then remove stud is also an easy fix , looks like you have the best of the options already here.

 

[cash_tx]

I have a M70 with a Redfield base that I wanted to remove. Two screws came out fine. The third won't budge. I've been soaking it with penetrating oil for a few days and continue to do so. It is a standard 6-48 screw so it is too small for me to use an Easy-Out tool on. Does anyone have a system/tool way of getting the screw out?

I dealt with this issue on a Model 70 in 22-250 about 3 years ago. I had inherited the rifle from my dad and don't know what kind of thread locker he used, but it wouldn't budge for anything. I researched and tried a few things, but the one that worked was holding a hot soldering iron on the screw for several minutes to heat up that old adhesive. Once I removed the iron, I quickly (but carefully) tried to unscrew it with "moderate" pressure. This technique worked well, but I had to hold the soldering iron against the screw for longer than I originally expected in order to get enough heat transfer.

Another technique that is quick to try is to put your screw driver or allen driver to the screw, then tap on it firmly with a rubber or plastic mallet. This can break loose the adhesive inside the threads, and sometimes free it up enough to turn loose.

 

[Kraut]

This!

 

[wyosteve]

I used the soldering iron approach a few years ago. I had to do it a few times until the screw was hot enough ot melt the adhesive.

 

[M70375!]

I may be wrong but doesn't heat loosen loctite?

200 degrees will loosen the weaker loctite

 

[Graham Hunter]

I try 3 methods.
1. Take the proper size driver bit, snap on a pair of vise grips and hit the bit with some serious smacks as you apply pressure to remove it.
2. Apply heat with a solder gun or small torch and try to remove with bit.
3. If the head of the screw is already stripped use a drill bit of proper size to drill off the head. Once you remove the base a pair of visegrips can remove the screw body.

 

[9Point3]

Heat, then potentially a Dremel cutoff wheel to cut a slot in the screw head then use a flat blade screwdriver to get some torque on the stuck screw after heating it. If needed put some vice grips on the shank of the screwdriver for more torque.

 

[Ray B]

I got the screw out- sort of. I drilled most of the head off of the screw, then with a punch applied through the magazine well pounded the base away from the action- This exposed enough of the screw to grip with vise grips, the screw having been soaked with penetrating oil for the last few days, finally let loose and came out. Thanks for all the help!!

 

[Badboymelvin]

I got the screw out- sort of. I drilled most of the head off of the screw, then with a punch applied through the magazine well pounded the base away from the action- This exposed enough of the screw to grip with vise grips, the screw having been soaked with penetrating oil for the last few days, finally let loose and came out. Thanks for all the help!!

Awesome.

 

[BeeMaa]

Kroil is the best penetrating oil I've ever used. Not cheap, but worth it. Glad you got it out.