Help me get this screw out !

loganclj · June 6, 2010, 07:53 AM

I aquired a Marlin 39a that was made in 1951 recently. Last night I decided to do a complete dissasembly and there is one screw I cant get out. The screw was already in bad shape and I tried several different bits and no luck. I would like to contact Marlin to see if I good get replacements for all the exterior screws since most of them are damaged from years of abuse. Does anyone have any ideas on getting this screw out. thank You

Goatwhiskers · June 6, 2010, 08:42 AM

1. Make a mixture of 50/50 acetone and ATF. Best penetrant I have ever found. Put a couple drops on the head end and some more on the threaded end if you can see it. Let it soak a while.
2. Use a punch about the size of the screw head and using a small hammer rap smartly a few times. This will usually break things loose.
3. Get a hollow ground screwdriver bit that correctly fits the screw slot and put it in your drill press chuck. Lay the action on the press table, lower the quill till the bit is firmly in the slot and back up the chuck by hand.
This very seldom fails, if it does you'l be headed for a gunsmith to have it drilled out. The screws are available from Marlin, e-gunparts, and Brownells. Here endeth the lesson. Goatwhiskers the Elder

olddav · June 7, 2010, 08:41 PM

I had the same problem the tang screw on a Remington Model 11. After applying some penetrating oil, I used a manual impact tool (Sears). After some delicate tapping it finally broke free, with no damage I might add. Hope this helps

Clark · June 8, 2010, 01:41 PM

I use Kroil for penetrant.
It is not as good as some of the more dangerous chemicals.

Sometimes I grind a screwdriver tip custom for a screw.

Sometimes I put a box wrench on a screw driver handle and lean on the screw driver with all my weight, while an assistant pushes on the end of the wrench.

Sometimes I take a drift and hammer and pound on the screw off center and at an angle.
I saw my father, world's most successful living gun designer, do that to my Honda motorcycle's stuck screw in 1965.

rattletrap1970 · June 8, 2010, 01:54 PM

Clark is right,

If you can drill a small drill point on the head of the screw, off center allowing you to put a punch in that drill point and rap on the punch. Also, some kroil and maybe some heat. But the punch trick has allowed me to remove just about every stuck screw I have ever some across. It's particularly handy on Button head cap screws where the hex in the center had stripped out.

oneoldsap · June 8, 2010, 06:29 PM

Always keep an impact driver on your bench , it's the proper tool for this job and they are cheaper than a half hour of a gunsmith's time . One or two taps and the screw is loose and you haven't ruined anything .

James K · June 8, 2010, 09:30 PM

The main reason a tight or rusted screw can't be removed is that the screwdriver slips out of the slot instead of turning the screw. That is why goatwhiskers is correct about using a drill press. Holding down the chuck while working it back and forth by hand keeps the screwdriver blade in the slot and with rare exceptions will remove the most stubborn screws (unless they are already stripped to the point of having no bearing surface).

The same technique can be used with pecussion nipples, with the nipple wrench chucked in the drill press.

Jim

June 6, 2010, 07:53 AM	#1
loganclj Member Join Date: March 12, 2010 Posts: 61	Help me get this screw out ! I aquired a Marlin 39a that was made in 1951 recently. Last night I decided to do a complete dissasembly and there is one screw I cant get out. The screw was already in bad shape and I tried several different bits and no luck. I would like to contact Marlin to see if I good get replacements for all the exterior screws since most of them are damaged from years of abuse. Does anyone have any ideas on getting this screw out. thank You

June 7, 2010, 08:41 PM	#3
olddav Senior Member Join Date: December 21, 2008 Location: Lower Alabama Posts: 727	I had the same problem the tang screw on a Remington Model 11. After applying some penetrating oil, I used a manual impact tool (Sears). After some delicate tapping it finally broke free, with no damage I might add. Hope this helps __________________ Never beat your head against the wall with out a helmet

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June 6, 2010, 08:42 AM	#2
Goatwhiskers Senior Member Join Date: April 8, 2009 Location: Batchelor, La. Posts: 579	1. Make a mixture of 50/50 acetone and ATF. Best penetrant I have ever found. Put a couple drops on the head end and some more on the threaded end if you can see it. Let it soak a while. 2. Use a punch about the size of the screw head and using a small hammer rap smartly a few times. This will usually break things loose. 3. Get a hollow ground screwdriver bit that correctly fits the screw slot and put it in your drill press chuck. Lay the action on the press table, lower the quill till the bit is firmly in the slot and back up the chuck by hand. This very seldom fails, if it does you'l be headed for a gunsmith to have it drilled out. The screws are available from Marlin, e-gunparts, and Brownells. Here endeth the lesson. Goatwhiskers the Elder

June 8, 2010, 01:41 PM	#4
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I use Kroil for penetrant. It is not as good as some of the more dangerous chemicals. Sometimes I grind a screwdriver tip custom for a screw. Sometimes I put a box wrench on a screw driver handle and lean on the screw driver with all my weight, while an assistant pushes on the end of the wrench. Sometimes I take a drift and hammer and pound on the screw off center and at an angle. I saw my father, world's most successful living gun designer, do that to my Honda motorcycle's stuck screw in 1965.

June 8, 2010, 01:54 PM	#5
rattletrap1970 Senior Member Join Date: October 13, 2009 Location: Torrington, CT. USA Posts: 299	Clark is right, If you can drill a small drill point on the head of the screw, off center allowing you to put a punch in that drill point and rap on the punch. Also, some kroil and maybe some heat. But the punch trick has allowed me to remove just about every stuck screw I have ever some across. It's particularly handy on Button head cap screws where the hex in the center had stripped out.

June 8, 2010, 06:29 PM	#6
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	Always keep an impact driver on your bench , it's the proper tool for this job and they are cheaper than a half hour of a gunsmith's time . One or two taps and the screw is loose and you haven't ruined anything .

June 8, 2010, 09:30 PM	#7
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The main reason a tight or rusted screw can't be removed is that the screwdriver slips out of the slot instead of turning the screw. That is why goatwhiskers is correct about using a drill press. Holding down the chuck while working it back and forth by hand keeps the screwdriver blade in the slot and with rare exceptions will remove the most stubborn screws (unless they are already stripped to the point of having no bearing surface). The same technique can be used with pecussion nipples, with the nipple wrench chucked in the drill press. Jim