[nickE10mm]

As you can see, I have a little problem. Im trying to remove my front sight on my 22/45 (blue loctited, never been an issue before). It seems as though the steel in the screw is soft and there is barely a groove for the screwdriver to grab and turn the screw. I've tried letting oil sit on it and have tries hear, nothing loosens it up enough to unscrew the dang thing! It's probably not the loctite, it's probably just a deformed screw.

Any ideas? I need this site off!

Thanks in advance....!
Nick

 

[SHOOTER13]

Thread moved to the correct subforum: Gunsmithing

 

[phideaux]

Hey Nick,

Just my 2 cents,

Lay the barrel on something soild (protect it from scratching) ,
take a flat punch, about the diameter of the screw head, hit the top of the screw ,with the punch using a fairly heavy hammer. Not so hard to damage barrel, just enough to SHOCK the screw.
Sometimes, the shock will shock the threads to cause them to loosen enough that they will turn.

If not, take a small point punch ,and try tapping ,carefully, the screw in a counter clockwise direction, placing the punch in the groove at about 30 degree angle and start tapping it ,trying to force the screw to turn .

I cant tell if the sight is plastic or metal, if you can apply a little heat to the screw and area, it may breakloose, from expansion of the screw and barrel.

These are some things I would try,if it were mine.

Jim

 

[nickE10mm]

Thanks for the tips Jim!

I have tried the shock technique, even turning screwdriver while tapping. Will try a harder shock tomorrow.

I like the angled punch technique. Sounds reasonable. Will try tomorrow.

Heat:
I will get a hold of a soldering gun and try it cause no other heat I've tried comes close to getting it.

 

[phideaux]

As a last resort, I would drill the head of the screw off, then the sight will come off , and hopefully , you could grab the top of the threads/screw with visegrips and turn it out. If not then a appropriate size drill to drill out the remaining part of screw, as I said last resort.


Jim

 

[nickE10mm]

FIXED IT!

Shop GRABIT 2-in L Extractor at Lowes.com

Grab-It kit .... their #1 size bit works for screw size 4-7 (Ruger front sight is a 6)...

Followed the instructions and went slow and BANG got the little bugger out.

I'm on cloud nine!

 

[phideaux]

Glad you got it .

Those little extractors are neat little tools.

Good job.

Jim

 

[nickE10mm]

Glad you got it .

Those little extractors are neat little tools.

Good job.

Jim

Got my pistol back

 

[nickE10mm]

Hey Nick E,

Did you get a replacement screw for that sight yet? This is what I now use on my personal Ruger Mark pistols. Send me a PM.

Yep, I actually just called Ruger and ordered some replacement parts for my SBH and went ahead and got some replacement 22/45 parts at the same time which means I have an official front sight screw now.

That screw u have looks good though. Thanks for the offer.