1917 end cap re-assembly

[Patrick Chadwick]

then end of the screw must have gotten buggered up when I removed it.

If the end of the screw was peened over or spread with a punch during the original assembly, as was done on some types of rifle to prevent soldiers from dismantling them, then that is exactly what has happened - the peened end has ruined the screw thread. This may, of course, have been done by a previous user.

Did you have to exert a lot of force when removing the screw?

---------- Post added at 09:06 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 PM ----------

Im pretty sure it was screwed in when I started because it did back out ever so slightly when I unscrewed it and I had to poke it with a punch to get it out.

Yep, sounds like the screw thread was already FUBAR and it was only hanging on by the spread metal.