Broke a screw in barrel installing scope base! NEED HELP

[birddogg21]

I have a Thompson pro hunter and while installing scope base the screw broke off in the barrel. It's almost flush. Anyone in Tucson that might be able to help. Please text, call or email me with price. Thank you,

Shane

520-603-9434

Shane.a.m.ward@gmail.com

[ctafoya]

I got a shotgun with the same issue. Never did figure out how to get the screw backed out.

[coues..crazy]

Did you try an easy out screw extractor?

[Outdoor Writer]

Did you try an easy out screw extractor?

 

Pretty difficult to drill for a scew extractor with such a small diameter screw. The screw isn't likely to be tight with no head. I'd probably try an ice pick or such with a hammer to try and spin the scew out enough to grab with pliers.

[rcdinaz]

Extractor would be best but as Tony said it is going to have to be very small...

 

Go VERY slowly and try and make a groove if you can in the top of it. Whatever you do dont damage the threads or it will have to go to the gunsmith. After you have a groove take a small screwdriver apply some pressure and turn it in very small increments, do not try and go fast just commit some time to working it out.

 

Second option take it to the gunsmith anyway and have it tapped for larger screws with torx heads which is a great upgrade anyway.

[birddogg21]

Thanks for the help. Does anyone have a gunsmith to recommend?

[AZkiller]

Left handed drill bit, yes you can buy them. and not so tight next time!

[rcdinaz]

Any gunsmith can do this for you he does not need to be a god of building bench rest accurate hunting rifles or other claims. I would just find someone in your area that won't make you wait forever. Actually any machinist can do it as we'll if you know of one.

 

Oh and don't sweat it everyone has done something like this if they have mounted a few scopes, done any reloading, etc. only time I have screwed something up was due to panic or patients. Just stuck a case in an expensive redding wildcat sizing die last month after many fruitless attempts I left it and came back to it the next weekend and set it free in 10 minutes. If I had kept screwing with it that night I probably would have ruined it and had to wait weeks for another. Good luck!

[willhunt4coues]

go to a welding supply store and get some Liquid Nitrogen. You will have to drop SMALL drops onto the screw but it should work. I did this on some screws that broke off on my rings. Have no idea why the screws broke (only torqued them to 12 in lbs) and they broke about 6 months later. I did get them used.

[DesertBull]

I invested in a torque wrench. You'd be surprised how little pressure the recommended incn lbs of torque really is. I was way over tightening both the base and the rings before using the right tools

[azshtr]

I'll throw in another option. 2 part epoxy called Liquid Nails. Get the 15 minute not the 6 hour stuff. Place a tiny drop on a smaller screw and let it set to the screw your removing. It doesn't take much to grab tight, and be careful not to make a mess. You can then just unscrew it.

[Ghosthunter]

I did this same thing last year on one of my rem. 700's. I took a very small drill bit and drilled a small hole in the broken screw. Then took a small nail slightly larger than the hole and tapped it in the hole. Used a pair of pliers and twisted it out. It wasn't tight at all and came out easy.

[Scooter]

take a small head nail, bend it 90 degrees, add a little tiny bit of J&B Qwik to the head of the nail, stick it on the remaining part of the screw and keep it there for about 15mins, then use the 90 degree bend to unscrew the screw. I'd only recommend it if you broke it flush or above the barrel.