screwdriver sizes for Uberti 1862

[MSW]

Recently, i came into an 1862 Colt Navy. It is made by uberti, and i am collecting all the necessary 'stuff' to keep it well fed and happy. Someday, it will be necessary to take it apart, and i have resolved not to use the el- cheap- o screwdrivers that seem to hang around my shop waiting to hack up screw heads and scratch blueing.

What size screwdrivers do I need (they will go into a box with the other stuff for this particular revolver, so whenever i pick up the box, i will have everything i need to go to the range ... i hope)

Thanks!

 

[don hepler]

Most good gun shops carry something like Lyman or other brand, where the tips fit into a screw driver type handle. I have about four sets of these, since I sometimes grind a tip to fit a particular application. I want the tip to fit, all the way to the bottom of the slot and as near perfect on the width. Gun needs to be laying on a sound foundation, to allow you to keep pressure on the screw driver, to prevent it from slipping.

I can not stand to see a gun with buggered up screw heads. So, there is no such thing, as one size fits all. If necessary, I will file each tip to fit one particular screw. Some gun screws will have very narrow slots.

If you want the very best....get a set of gun smith screw drivers for Brownells. But a small gun shop set will work, just fine.

 

[ZUG]

Look at Wheeler Engineering screw driver bit sets.

 

[Coot]

Get a good gunsmith screwdriver set and use it. Many years ago, I bought a set made by Chapman from Brownels. It has a handle, an extension & 15-16 bitts. The case for the whole set is only about 4"x6" & travels in my range box. Trying to have a dedicated set for each gun will lead to lots of duplication & the likelihood that when taking the gun down, yet another size will be discovered that is missing from the customized set.

 

[rdstrain49]

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...a-tip-sets/magna-tip-super-sets--prod417.aspx

 

[Artificer]

https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/general-gunsmith-tools/screwdrivers-sets/magna-tip-sets/magna-tip-super-sets--prod417.aspx

I began with the Super Set in the mid 1980's, then upgraded it to the Master Professional Kit and finally added the Thin Bit Set. The Thin Bit Set is a must have for working many original guns. https://www.brownells.com/gunsmith...it-sets/magna-tip-thin-bit-set-prod44342.aspx

OK, so that is WAAAAAAYYYYYYY more than most folks need, but what I recommend is finding out what size bits fit all the screws in your revolver and then ordering those bits and a handle to put in your shooting box.

Gus

 

[Kansas Jake]

I have had a Brownells set for more than 40 years. Good stuff. I use a dremel with a grinding wheel to thin the blades on the screw driver inserts to a tight fit in screws with a thin slot to avoid bugged screws.

 

[jamieorr]

For what it's worth, I was watching a youtube video on cleaning cap and ball revolvers, and the sizes recommended to completely take apart the gun were:
180-3
240-4
340-4
These are tips only to go into a hexagonal screwdriver shaft and cost about $3 each. I ordered from Brownells on-line. I don't have them in my hands yet so haven't tried them out.

Jamie

 

[Artificer]

I have had a Brownells set for more than 40 years. Good stuff. I use a dremel with a grinding wheel to thin the blades on the screw driver inserts to a tight fit in screws with a thin slot to avoid bugged screws.

My first set of screwdrivers were issued to me in 1973 and they were a set of "Grace Gunsmithing Screwdrivers." I actually found they fit almost no screws in any guns and we worked on many military and civilian guns. Grace makes a quality screwdriver, but I had to modify every one to use them.

I next made up sets of screwdrivers for the different UnCivil War period guns I worked on from 19th century screwdrivers/turnscrews.

However, the Brownells bits are way superior to that and as you wrote, they can easily be modified to fit the few screws they won't work on.

Gus