Sheered off my Dan Wesson scope base screws today

DW357

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Uh oh!! Well that’s not good...😩
I thought just the scope base screws came loose but two of the three screws sheered in half!😮
59640BEC-215F-491D-B49D-7D6DC38D0FEC.jpegFB39BAA1-EAD6-4800-A3D4-45078F202846.jpegAF1839B5-E980-4819-99EC-05ABB3B231D3.jpeg

That scope base has seen 1500+ rounds since I got it in February 2019, so it held up for a little while. @dhuze I broke another gun...kinda [laugh] I guess my reloads were a wee bit too stout....

I’m hoping the screws can easily be removed from the shroud. Dan Wesson is closed otherwise I’d just ship it to their revolversmith and have them fix it. But it doesn’t seem like it should be that difficult for a machinist? I can’t remember if I put blue loctite on the screws. I definitely didn’t use red Loctite though.

Maybe just use an easy out tool? Going to bring it by Northeast Arms this week see if they can get the screws out then I’ll just have to try to find new screws. Also hoping the threads aren’t junk.

It would be nice if I could prevent them from breaking again. I almost wonder if they started loosening up and I continued shooting which broke them?

Shit I thought I’d break the scope before the scope base or the screws...
 
Try backing them out with a good sharp awl. If you don’t have one
just sharpen up a piece of brazing rod or something like it to a fine point
and try driving the screw counterclockwise with it. It’s worked for me many many times.
 
I've had good luck with broken bolt extractors. If you don't have exactly the right size, a really good drill press and vice, and a steady hand I wouldnt try it.
 
No Dremel tools, awls or other hacks if you had any form of thread locker in there.

Easy outs on those small screws are a quick way to a more expensive repair.

Right way is to mill a flat, start with a center drill and then drill out with a left hand twist bit - the screw will come out on its own.

Then make certain that the screws are not bottoming out before they torque down fully - that looks like what happened there (but it's hard from one picture)
 
Screws and bolts break.
Send it so someone that is competent to perform the job with the right tools and experience.
Nothing worse then destroying that top strap to save a few bucks and time.
Just pay the $100 or so it cost to get it done right .
It will save you from reminding yourself every time you shoot it that you should have payed someone.
It will be like it never even happened, long after you miss that Benjamin Franklin.

PS. It's all Covid-19's fault!
 
I've had good luck with broken bolt extractors. If you don't have exactly the right size, a really good drill press and vice, and a steady hand I wouldnt try it.
I've see a machinist solve this problem by drilling a hole in the center of the screw, then using another screw to drive it through (it was open on the other side). The key is a rigid press or mill to hold the unit while drilling the hole, and using the extractor (left hand twist drill) (for a blind hole) in a chuck while the gun is absolutely fixed in place and turn the chuck counterclockwise by hand. Even if I had the tools, I'd pay someone with skill to do this before taking a chance on the gun. Plus, you may want penetrating oil and/or heat depending on the thread locker used, if any.
 
No Dremel tools, awls or other hacks if you had any form of thread locker in there.

Easy outs on those small screws are a quick way to a more expensive repair.

Right way is to mill a flat, start with a center drill and then drill out with a left hand twist bit - the screw will come out on its own.

Then make certain that the screws are not bottoming out before they torque down fully - that looks like what happened there (but it's hard from one picture)
Agreed, this is a simple fix for someone with the RIGHT tools. Far too nice of a gun to do any type of home "bubba smithing" work to.

I would use a spot drill and then drill deeper with a normal bit. Heat the bolt slightly with a soldering iron for a min to loosen the loctite and the use a extractor .
 
Uh oh!! Well that’s not good...😩
I thought just the scope base screws came loose but two of the three screws sheered in half!😮
View attachment 356144View attachment 356145View attachment 356146

That scope base has seen 1500+ rounds since I got it in February 2019, so it held up for a little while. @dhuze I broke another gun...kinda [laugh] I guess my reloads were a wee bit too stout....

I’m hoping the screws can easily be removed from the shroud. Dan Wesson is closed otherwise I’d just ship it to their revolversmith and have them fix it. But it doesn’t seem like it should be that difficult for a machinist? I can’t remember if I put blue loctite on the screws. I definitely didn’t use red Loctite though.

Maybe just use an easy out tool? Going to bring it by Northeast Arms this week see if they can get the screws out then I’ll just have to try to find new screws. Also hoping the threads aren’t junk.

It would be nice if I could prevent them from breaking again. I almost wonder if they started loosening up and I continued shooting which broke them?

Shit I thought I’d break the scope before the scope base or the screws...


My shocked face.


ElatedDecimalHoverfly-size_restricted.gif
 
To nice a pistol to try doing a hack job.... Best to get it to a pro and do it right.

It’s only a hack job if you’re a hack.
[/QUOTE]
If you take a Dremel to a slot out a broken screw, you're hacking the job. We've all done it before on things not worth more of an effort - a DW is the definition of worth the effort.
 
Agreed, this is a simple fix for someone with the RIGHT tools. Far too nice of a gun to do any type of home "bubba smithing" work to.

I would use a spot drill and then drill deeper with a normal bit. Heat the bolt slightly with a soldering iron for a min to loosen the loctite and the use a extractor .
If you don't have a left hand bit that's a great method but they are cheap and any shop that does repairs should have a set.
 
If you don't have a left hand bit that's a great method but they are cheap and any shop that does repairs should have a set.
My only concern with the LH bits was the loctite, if it's too tough or gummed up on the threads it won't work very well. I use the LH bits at work quite a bit but I know for a fact things aren't loctite.
 
I've see a machinist solve this problem by drilling a hole in the center of the screw, then using another screw to drive it through (it was open on the other side). The key is a rigid press or mill to hold the unit while drilling the hole, and using the extractor (left hand twist drill) (for a blind hole) in a chuck while the gun is absolutely fixed in place and turn the chuck counterclockwise by hand. Even if I had the tools, I'd pay someone with skill to do this before taking a chance on the gun. Plus, you may want penetrating oil and/or heat depending on the thread locker used, if any.

I think you're right, a mill is the right tool for this job.
 
No Dremel tools, awls or other hacks if you had any form of thread locker in there.

Easy outs on those small screws are a quick way to a more expensive repair.

Right way is to mill a flat, start with a center drill and then drill out with a left hand twist bit - the screw will come out on its own.

Then make certain that the screws are not bottoming out before they torque down fully - that looks like what happened there (but it's hard from one picture)

This. The top of the broken stud isn't flat so a drill bit will walk way off center. Fixture the gun in a milling machine, make a flat spot with an endmill, find center, use left hand bit.
 
My only concern with the LH bits was the loctite, if it's too tough or gummed up on the threads it won't work very well. I use the LH bits at work quite a bit but I know for a fact things aren't loctite.
True - but it won't make the situation worse. Heating things up is definitely a plus and I should have mentioned it.
 
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