AR Sponsor
Posted: 3/4/2010 8:12:14 PM EDT
|
Do any of you fellas have a solution for a stripped mount screw for T1 for a man who doesn't have very many tools?
I was trying to remove the factory mount to put it on a Larue, last tiny little screw completely stripped... |
|
EDIT: I miss read the OP's issue..... See post later on... Dam man, don't arm wrestle your sight mounts next time!! 
Small screws can be a bitch to get out when broken. There is not a lot of room to work 
Best advice I can give is pull the mount off and see if there is any thread sticking out. One of two ways to go here. A) If there is thread showing get a small pair of new vice grips (I say new, just in good shape with the front edge of the grip face in good shape, if they are all beat up this will not help) and try to grip the screw and use the vice grips as a clamp to spin it out. This works the best if you can see a part of the screw sticking out of the hole. Danger is you trash the screw it will hurt trying option B. B) Go down to a good hardware store, local prefered, HD and Lowes will most likly not have this, get the smallest broken screw/thread remover. Some look like reverse drill bits, you try to drill/screw into the broken screw, the reverse looking drill bit types will bite in and unscrew the broken one. In therory. They work but on small broken screws it can be next to imposible. C) Ignore it, mount it with the other 3 and forget it. Odds are this is what you will end up doing. D) Send it to Aimpoint and see if they can fix it for you. No mater what; STOP MEAT HEADING YOUR OPTICS!!!!! 
I'm guilty of this my self, I've broken front sight screws on night sights for Glocks tightening them to much. 
Small parts DO NOT HAVE TO BE TORQED DOWN LIKE HEAD BOLTS!!!!!!!! Stop it!!! [ 
|
|
thanks...
see the thing is I was trying to remove the factory mount to get it on a larue mount. 3 screw came off no problem. last screw pretty much stripped immediately. So I can't remove the mount at all now. Trying the drillbit thing as soon as my drill charges up tried tp call aimpoint, no one there. |
|
Just got off the phone with Aimpoint.
The official Aimpoint solution is to use the smallest screw extractor possible and that should do it. He also said to do it on a carpet or a rug as I'll have to put a lot of pressure on it. He stated that this was a somewhat common problem over a year ago (mine is a year old). One of their drivers was out of spec and was over torquing those little buggers. He said not to worry: if I screw it up, he'll replace it. Well at least I don't feel so much of a Barney Fife then.... |
|
Man, the thing about using a screw extractor is that if it doesn't work, you're screwed. And if you don't drill just right with that small screw, you're gonna mess up the threads in the Aimpoint.
Just to be clear, are you saying that you stripped out the hex in the head with the wrench? If that is the case, I used a dremel with a small cut off wheel to cut a slot into the screw so that I could pull it out with a flathead screwdriver. Yes, my stock mount did have a score in it, but the screw came out, no problem. I also didn't use the stock type of screws to mount the sight to the Larue. If I recall, they were just standard 3mm screws, so I got some with bigger heads (socket head, I believe) that allows me to use a larger wrench. It really helps when pulling them out after having been loctited. Just be careful when you tighten them. Just snug them up. The larger screws won't work with the stock mount, but work great with the larue mount. |
The hex head stripped? This just happened to me 
I tried using an Easy-out, and it didn't work till right at the end, it finally gave way and started coming out. Try getting a left-handed drill bit, and slowly drill into the screw to try and work it lose. The EZ-Out I used had a left handed drill pilot for the EZ-Out bit (which did jack shit) and as I eventually resorted to just drilling the screw out and hoping there was enough thread left sticking out to grab it with pliers, It just started spinning free 
In any case, try a left-handed drill bit and see if the heat and left-hand spinning will work it loose. Hex-head screws suck, Torx rules
|
|
Quoted:
thanks... see the thing is I was trying to remove the factory mount Oh oh sorry I read it as you sripped it putting on the LaRue... my bad. I read the rest of your post to, sounds like Aimpoint knew the deal and will take care of you if you can't get it off. With the head still on there making a notch for a flat head screw driver with a dremel sounds like the best way to go if you can get that in there. Good luck man, no mater what Aimpoint will take care of ya 
|
|
damn. bought the EZ out. nope.
bought a dremel waiting for that to charge. maybe i'll just score the factory mount to death and get that damn screw out and ask for a replacement mount. i've about had it and the wife is getting pissed 
i think i'm just going to send it back and let the pro-fesh-uh-nulz take care of it. i've killed too much of my friday dealing with it.... |
AR Sponsor