Best penetrating oil?

[603Country]

I'm trying to swap out scopes on a rifle, and the screws in the rings are stuck solid. Scope's been on the rifle for 20 years or so. Sako rings with one screw per side per ring. I got a couple of them loose on the front mount with WD-40 overnight and heat, but the rear mount is super stuck. I put more WD-40 on it again and will wait another 24 hours. What's the best penetrating oil that you guys have used. I'll go get some when I buy a new hex key to replace the one that I snapped off.

Geez. Help me. Thanks.

[Romeo 33 Delta]

KROIL ... the oil that creeps!

[Capt Rick Hiott]

Transmisson fluid thinned a little with Acetone.

https://www.engineeringforchange.org...ating_oil.html

[oneoldsap]

The only thing WD-40 is good for is spraying down wet ignition systems . Which is what it was designed for ! Kroil is the best , Liquid Wrench or one of the other penetrating oils will work too.

[603Country]

I'll get Kroil tomorrow. I'm sure Tractor Supply will have it.

Thanks.

[natman]

+1 for Kroil. I gave all my Liquid Wrench away after the first time I tried it.

[Ritz]

PBlaster and Kroil both work for me.

My remaining supplies of liquid wrench/WD-40 have been relegated to being used as cutting oil on my mini-mill.

[Clark]

I use Kroil and avoid anything with acetone in it.

[eviltravis]

PB blaster + heat = loose fastener

[Rifletom]

Yep,Kroil.

[Mike / Tx]

I've been using Kroil for close to 30yrs in industry and on firearms, there simply isn't much it won't get loose, no matter how tight things are. It might take a day, or two, but it'll get it done.

[Garycw]

I've used eezox not only on guns, but it loosens rusty bolts better than PB blaster. So it must penetrate pretty well

[Capt Rick Hiott]

,,,,,"I use Kroil and avoid anything with acetone in it."

Why do you say that Clark?

Have any of you guys tried Transmisson fluid thinned a little with Acetone.


Google it....................

[603Country]

Well, I tried all your suggestions and the two screws are still stuck. Worse than that is one of the screw heads stripped out. Damn. I guess drilling the stripped out one is the only way to go. If anybody has the next round of suggestions, I'm listening. Guess I have to find a gunsmith.

[hoghunting]

Are they allen head screws or flat head screws? If they are allen head you should be able to fit a torx driver into the hole. For screws that don't want to move I put the rifle in a gun vice, use a tight fitting bit in the screwdriver and tap the top of the handle with a 2' length of 2"x4" while turning the screwdriver.

If that doesn't work mount the bit in a drill press, force the bit into the screw and turn the chuck by hand. Good luck.

[Clark]

Capt Rick Hiott
Senior Member

Join Date: August 30, 2010
Posts: 153
,,,,,"I use Kroil and avoid anything with acetone in it."

Why do you say that Clark?

Have any of you guys tried Transmisson fluid thinned a little with Acetone.

It smells like my mother's finger nail polish remover in the 1950s.

[HiBC]

I suggest that if you like this scope be very thoughtful about heat and exactly where your penetrating oil might creep.If it finds its way to any mechanical joint ,threads,or screws on the scope you may contaminate the inside.

I would lose the heat idea.Old lenses were laminated with balsam.You never know where newer scope may use superglue or equivalent.

How are you applying the oil?If on the heads,it may not have a path to the threads.Are the threads blind holes,so you do not have access from the bottom end?You might try the ring gap,where it is split.Maybe a thin hypodermic needle,or use an oil wet thread like dental floss,or? just figure a means to make a controlled application that makes it to the screw threads,but does not run down the tube.
Kroil is pretty good stuff.KW Knock-R-Loose is pretty good.I have not used it,but some say wintergreen oil.
Some O-rings and seals dissolve in acetone.

On the "Now I have to find a Gunsmith"....

I'm smiling as I say this,and hindsight is 20-20.Have you ever wondered why Gunsmiths can seem crotchety?Look at you over the top of their glasses,or even squinty eyed?I know one named Carl would probably ask you why you didn't bring it in before you lost the screw head?
I'm not trying to be a jerk,just an observation on Gunsmiths.

[603Country]

for the record, I was very careful that no penetrating oil went anywhere other than where I wanted it. I put it on and around the head of the screw, in the gap where the top and bottom rings didn't quite meet, and later I put it on the bottom of the screw. Anywhere oil went other than that was wiped up immediately with paper towels. I sure didn't want any on the wooden stock of the Sako. The wood is terrific.

The top of the screw has the hex (7/32). I'll try the torx approach, since I can't do much worse now. If that doesn't work, I suppose I'll just drill the screw out myself. I don't want to get old Carl upset, and if it comes to drilling out the screw or screws, I doubt there's much a smith can do that I can't.

Probably have to order new mounts/rings when I get finished with these. Dang.

The other option is to just leave the scope on the rifle. Nothing wrong with it. I just wanted to replace the Leupold VariX-III with the new VX-3 with the Varmint Hunter Reticle (both are 4.5-14x40). I plan to send the older scope off for reticle replacement, with Leupold's TMR reticle. I had it put in my 6.5-20x50 just recently and I really do like it.

[Rifletom]

603C,
Good luck getting that stinking screw out; those things can rile a guy. BTW, what model is your Sako? I have an Finnbear, circa '67-68 that is really nice. And its the most accurate hunting rifle I own. So, I have a pretty good idea why you want to be extra careful. Keep us informed.

[Don P]

Hope the screw comes out. Most likely culprit is steel screw cast/pot/aluminum rings = dissimilar metal corrosion which will lock things up tighter than a bulls butt in December in Alaska.
I'll suggest either silver or gold never-sieze on the new screw threads when installing the new scope.

[4V50 Gary]

I like Kroil but found sometimes that heat is needed.

[603Country]

rifletom, the Sako is an AV (I'm pretty sure) in 270. I bought it in the early 80's I think. Sold my Remington 700 in 270 to help with funds for the Sako. Shoulda asked for more money for the Remington, since two guys showed up to buy it and got in a fistfight on the front lawn over who got there first. I took that as a sure sign of selling too low. Oh, well...

The Model 700, in comparison to the Sako, was just a rather crude tool. Shot Ok, but wasn't something that you just like to look at.

The Sako is a Lightweight Hunter model. I had it tuned up and it shoots great. And it really does look great. Once I had decided what to buy, I actually shopped around to find the one with the best wood. One of the things I really like about it is that it seems to fit me perfectly. See the big buck, raise the rifle and your eye and cheek are instantly perfectly placed. No wiggling to find the right position.

Like I said earlier, I'll try the Torx head driver and hope that'll work. And I'll apply heat again. As soon as I get it off the gun, off it goes to Leupold anyway, so if a little heat damages it, it isn't the end of the world. I can't tell you how many deer I've shot with that rifle, because the number has to be near 200. Truth be told, it really doesn't need the new scope on it, but I like the Varmint Hunter reticle.

And someone mentioned that the rings might be aluminum. Nope. Solid steel.

[603Country]

Whew! It's done. I went out and tried the torx drivers and that didn't work (stripped the head out further). So I dug around in my damaged screw removal stuff and found a Speed Out box with 4 different sized bits for removing damaged screws. Hmmm. Gave it a try. Worked like a champ. I figured I'd need that Speed Out kit someday, but always wondered if it would really work. Yessiree. Works fine. Got the new scope on there now and will go shoot it a bit to sight in.

[Rifletom]

Ha! Good going. Old tools always come in handy. 603C, my Finnbear is also in .270. And you're right, sooo easy to shoulder, aim fire. Freezer fillings!

[hooligan1]

I use a product called P.E.N. penetrating spray, I have tried other products but only PEN has stuck with me...irs truly amazing penetrater..

Glad to hear you got things worked out, and I bet that the Sako is a real shooter.. Goodnluck 603.