Removing a Broken Butt Plate Screw

[tlvaughn]

I was removing the top screw of a butt plate when half of the bottow screw fell out leaving the other half still in the butt stock. It is a rifle I rec'd less than a month ago and the first time I tried to take the butt plate off, so I am assuming it was already broken.

Any suggestions on the best way to remove the other half of the screw from the butt stock with as little damage as possible?

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[Peter Laidler]

If that was me, I'd drill down the length of the remains, all around its edge until I'd virtually 'butchered' it out. Then simply bore the now 'butchered hole to a standard size (it's all covered by the butt plate anyway.........). Glue it al around internally and drive a hardwood plug in. Then using the butt plate as a guide, redrill and insert a new screw.

There may be another way I'm sure but I can't think of it..............

[Claven2]

You could also drill a small pilot hole into the old screw and use an easy-out tap to see if you can get it to unscrew or not. When you re-assemble it, some bee's wax on the screws helps prevent them getting seized again.

[Son]

In a previous job we had a set of left handed cobalt drills. They unscrewed broken manifold studs 9 times out of ten just by drilling (in reverse of course).

You might find a firm tap on the end with a pin punch might help loosen it for an easy out if you go that way first.

[rgg_7]

Punch a starter position with a locating punch. Drill a 1/8" hole with a cordless drill. Enlargen the hole with a 1/4". Tap the hole. Epoxy the threads of a 1/4" screw x any thrd pitch, insert and let set. Back out the assembly 12 hours later. Works for me. The
"easy outs" did not work for me. I like the left hand twist drill idea however we're dealing with wood not metal. I would say that that is frozen in the stock to shear like that....not easy to remove.

[Peter Laidler]

To be really honest, if that xxxxing great tough and large diameter steel wood screw (that 'xxxxing' is yet ANOTHER REME technical word that ought to be in your technical vocabulary. It indicates a screw that is dreadfully large and of a most tough situation in that butt) has sheared off in the butt under torque, then you can be pretty sure that it's what we call 'rather tight and firmly stuck'. Have you ever seen an easyout broken off in a sheared off bolt? You're just about to see one I think!

As a little aside, it's a good, almost scientific picture of the crystaline structure of the steel of the sheared screw. Lots of iron there and little carbon I think but my metallurgy is quite limited to just lab work........

[Surpmil]

If it's close enough to the surface you might be able to use a plug cutter around it. At least then you'll have a clean, consistent hole to glue your dowel into.

Try drilling down to the top of the screw with a drill large enough to freely admit (as the saying used to go) the plug cutter. Perhaps you can get lucky and use the same size drill as the plug cutter and then only one size of dowel will be necessary.

You might have to put a drill bit extension on the plug cutter as they usually have short shanks.

[Peter Laidler]

That's a good idea Surpmil.. or similarly, a shell-mill cutter - as used to cut the spigot on the front No4T pad. The trouble with both these methods is that the screw is still stuck fast in the core.......... that is still fixed to the butt by the bottom end!

No........., ragged series of drilled holes around the edge and break it out with tthe snipe nosed pliers. It might be messy and a bit time consuming but you've saved your butt, some money and you'll still end up with a perfect fix. After all, the drill-out oversize, glue and plug is what Armourers do to stripped threads every day

[Patrick Chadwick]

Easy-out - if that breaks off, then it is just about impossible to get it out
Plug-cutter or shell-mill cutter - the right kind of action, but far too short.
The answer is - a really deep shell cutter - make it yourself - looks rather
like the tool for disassembling Lee Enfield bolts.

You need 1) a piece of steel tube about 3-4" long that just fits over the screw shank.
2) a piece of steel rod to use as a tommy bar, fitted into a hole that you drill through the rube about 1/2" from one end.
3) a fine knife-blade file to hand file saw teeth on the other end of the tube. Harden the end if you want a tool that lasts.
4) patience, as you slowly rotate the tool to cut the wood around the screw.
When you have cut down to where the end of the screw should be (use an intact screw to mark the cutting depth required) remove the cutter and use a scrwedriver or whatever to lever the screw/wood spigot to one side and break it off.

Then plug and drill for a new screw.

Patrick

[RobD]

Nice idea patrick. As a source of the steel tube I propose a section of old steel shafted golf club - the strongest, springiest steel money can buy.