• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

Stupid question: Lefty loosey?

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Owned a shop for 20+ years, worked on many fine but badly treated guns and can tell you use an impact tool on the hammer screw the next question will be "how do I get the broken screw out of the tumbler?"

There is a time for force, but this is not one. Go for it though I ain't got a dime invested in it and a Smith might get to make some money.
@John Spartan, the first order of business is to get a bit (hollow ground) with parallel sides to the tip that properly fits your head of the screw that holds your hammer in the tumbler. Nhmoose is correct that the body of that screw is small and excessive force will cause it to break. Heat expansion is a good way to break the contact between the screw threads and the threads in the tumbler. The design of the interface holding the hammer to the tumbler makes getting the penetrating solutions to the threads a bit difficult. Patience is your ally here. Give the penetrating fluids several days and several applications before trying to turn out the screw. Take some time getting the screwdriver blade to fit in the screw slot. find a small hammer to tap on the screwdriver before starting to turn the screw. Apply heat and try turning the screw again. Start to turn the screw and tap the screwdriver while turning. Take your time. Apply more penetrating fluid and wait a few more days and try again. That screw will come loose.

When replacing the screw, once it has been removed, use a never seizing lubricant to keep the screw threads from seizing in the future. Only tighten to snug. No particular need to over tighten that screw. If you feel it coming loose as you prepare for the shot, tighten the screw to snub again.
 
@John Spartan, the first order of business is to get a bit (hollow ground) with parallel sides to the tip that properly fits your head of the screw that holds your hammer in the tumbler. Nhmoose is correct that the body of that screw is small and excessive force will cause it to break. Heat expansion is a good way to break the contact between the screw threads and the threads in the tumbler. The design of the interface holding the hammer to the tumbler makes getting the penetrating solutions to the threads a bit difficult. Patience is your ally here. Give the penetrating fluids several days and several applications before trying to turn out the screw. Take some time getting the screwdriver blade to fit in the screw slot. find a small hammer to tap on the screwdriver before starting to turn the screw. Apply heat and try turning the screw again. Start to turn the screw and tap the screwdriver while turning. Take your time. Apply more penetrating fluid and wait a few more days and try again. That screw will come loose.

When replacing the screw, once it has been removed, use a never seizing lubricant to keep the screw threads from seizing in the future. Only tighten to snug. No particular need to over tighten that screw. If you feel it coming loose as you prepare for the shot, tighten the screw to snub again.
Again, is it absolutely really necessary to remove the screw at all?
 
If a thread locking compound was used on those threads it will be necessary to heat it to around 400 degrees to soften the compound.
 
Yeah, and the guy that posted the picture of Kroil is on the right track, too. I got my 1st can at the Gunmaker's Fair years ago. My very experienced gunsmith, who works on lots of old guns, says you may have to give it a "tap", then wait 24 before trying again! The point being 'patience'!! He's worked on classic Colts, etc., so I always listen to him. Best of luck!
Forty years ago, it was called SILI-KROIL, & was only available by the case & only sold to industry. I acquired a case of it & I've used it ever since. I've never found anything it wouldn't loosen given a little time. If you let it sit too long in the cans once opened it can leak through the seams. I keep it in plastic spray bottles.
 
I would think the screw has to come out! I would soak the lock for a week. Be Patient, I’m sure it will come out. Please let us know how it turns out, no pun intended
 
Back
Top