Stuck screws in Leupold bases

[Goofycat]

I have had no success in removing the four hexagonal Allen screws that are used to attach the fore and aft Leupold quick-release bases to a Remington 40X action. I even tried attaching a pair of locking pliers to the small allen wrench after soaking the screws with penetrating oil. They still don't budge and I don't want to strip the screws by putting any more torque on them than I have.

Is it possible for a gunsmith to remove these screws without stripping the hexagonal portion of the head? I put them in so long ago that I forget if I used loktite or not. I doubt that the screws are rusted since the rifle has never been used in the rain or other types of moisture.

Thanks,

Barry

 

[riverman]

I'll be watching for suggestions on this one myself...

 

[LarryDScott]

Sound like you must have used loctite. If you have a heat gun, use it, it will break the seal on loctite. Larry in western Ky.

 

[alf]

Pull the bolt and put a drop or two of penetrating fluid in each hole from the inside and let it set. Then try using the tip of a solder gun to heat up the screw. An impact driver with the correct fitting bit helps for stubborn screws too. Next step is to drill the head off the screws, pull the bases, and grab the stud with vise grips. If that snaps off, then it's drill and EZ out time.

 

[TRECustom]

If they are loctited and the heads aren't stripped out, I first use a tiny oxy-acetylene tip,a refrigeration set) and spot heat the screw head,do one at a time) only for about 5-6 seconds. Don't let them get red. Let them cool for about 30 seconds and try them with a driver handle with the correct hex or spline bit in it. Hold a good strain on it and tap the top of the driver with a small hammer. If that won't do it, I set the action up in a drill vise and drill the heads off. Then lift the bases off and heat the exposed screw shanks for a second or so, let them cool for 5-10 seconds and use very small vise grips to unscrew them. If that doesn't work, file the shanks flush and set the receiver up in a scope base drilling fixture and drill them out with a #31 for 6-48 screws or a #29 for 8-40 screws and re-tap the holes.

If you have any luck at all, the first method will get all or some of them. The front screws are usually the toughest because at least one of them is like a blind hole,barrel threads under it).

Don't over do the heat. 350-400 degrees F is plenty to make the Loctite turn loose.

No guarantees, but some combination of these steps has always gotten them out for me.

Good luck, Tom

 

[Goofycat]

Thanks to all of you. I will give your suggestions a try and will report back.

 

[Rustystud]

Soldering iron and not a torch, locktite, enamal will melt at 400 degrees. You dont want to heat up your action. Heat the screw up several times and on the final time soak it with kroil oil. You might first try a torque wrench using to right hex or torx. If that doesn't work an impact driver will either break it loose or break it off. You can center drill the screw head off and then work with the remaining shaft. This allows removal of the base that acts as a heat sink. I suggest sending it ti a smith as they deal with this on a regular basis. You then have several not so good alternatives.

Nat Lambeth

 

[Goofycat]

I have an impact driver, but have had no success in finding a hex tip that can be fitted to the 3/8 drive. Sears carries phillips and flat screwdriver heads, but no hex-head attachments that measure the approximately 1mm size required.

The screw threads on the underside of the bases are not accessable, so it looks like I will have to go back to approaching the problem from the screw-head side. I don't want to get into a drill-tap situation, so I will try the simplest approach first, using a soldering iron method. If that fails, I will take it to a gunsmith who has had experience in this type of problem and will hopefully have a screw-removal trick up his sleeve.

This was a rather special,and expensive) gun to put together,Darrell Holland-massaged Remington 40X action, Hart barrel, McMillan stock) and I don't want to screw things up.

 

[TRECustom]

Barry, Brownell's has everything you need if you decide to press on. Mr. Lambeth is right about taking it to a 'smith, though. It doesn't sound like you are used to doing this kind of stuff. A note of caution. You will need a competent 'smith, not a parts changer.

Best of luck, Tom

 

[NateHaler]

I have had no success in removing the four hexagonal Allen screws that are used to attach the fore and aft Leupold quick-release bases to a Remington 40X action. I even tried attaching a pair of locking pliers to the small allen wrench after soaking the screws with penetrating oil. They still don't budge and I don't want to strip the screws by putting any more torque on them than I have.

Use MORE torque. You want the bases off, right? So, crank on the screws. Who cares if you strip them?

Get a proper-fitting hex head bit that will fit onto a socket wrench. Crank on it,lefty loose-y), and get those screws out. The idea that you'd need to take this to a gunsmith is ludicrous. This is simply a matter of removing a small screw from a piece of metal, and you need to use torque.

 

[gamma]

It might sound a little crude,but my trick never fails.At this stage you probably have the heads minced so I would suggest getting the next nearest size torx head and with a small hammer,beat the torx into the screw top until its firmly in place in the screw then try turning it.This should get you there,although you will need new ones after.Let us know which route works.

 

[Rustystud]

I remove a couple hundred screws a year from actions that are snaped off clean at the top of the action. With 6-48 screws you don't have much to work with. If the screw breaks off one can sometimes screw the screw in, instead of out through the action. Getting one out that small with an easiy out is not easy. Then one can drill one out and re-tap it 8-40. Small carbide drills and endmills are very brittle you don't want to break one of them off in your action. Drill it out and put a heli coil in the hole, or tigg weld the hole closed and re drill and tap. I don't like getting that much heat into an action. Breaking a tap off is another night mare. Spending $40-$45 per screw is not so bad if your action is not screwed up.
If you live near mr. Haler or he has a FFL you could send it to him. He sounds like he has a sure and easy fix at the best price.

If and when you get this screw removed do yourself a favor. Do not use locktite, or fingernail polish on these screws. Do not clean out the threads with acetone without re lubricating them with bees wax or hight temperature grease. And use an inch pound torque wrench when putting them back. I have never had properly lubricated and torqued screws back out.

Good Luck
Nat Lambeth

 

[243jimb]

Are you sure that they are allen head screws and not Torx? Leupold have supplied their bases with Torx screws for years now. Another suggestion, fit a 1/4' socket to your impact driver and then place the appropriate bit into the socket.
Jim.

 

[RICHP]

I second gammas suggestion, worked for me. Even if screws aren,t buggered, tapping with a hammer could loosen screws, this trick was taught to me by an old plumber. Richard

 

[Goofycat]

I finally had to take it to a gunsmith (after trying all the above suggestions). He removed the screws and I replaced the scope bases with the same screws. No more locktite for me. BTW, a product called "Never-Seize" was coated lightly onto the screws before replacing. The stuff is good for spark plugs, screws, bolts, etc., where you want to removed them without pulling your hair out.