I rounded out my hex set screw on the rear sight

[Philo_Beddoe]

I rounded out the hex set screw on my CZ custom shadow fixed rear sight, however the sight is where I want it to be. I used blue loctite and I am unable to remove the set screw due to it being rounded out. Does this matter since I dont want to drift the rear sight anyway?

Thanks

Edited September 29, 2011 by Philo_Beddoe

[MI_Packer]

If the sight is where you need it thats good. It gives you time to figure out how you may want to fix it.

I have had good success cutting thin strips of sheet shim and putting that into the hole, then tapping the allen wrench in so it's snug. Heat the sight and then turn the screw out.

[Philo_Beddoe]

If the sight is where you need it thats good. It gives you time to figure out how you may want to fix it.

I have had good success cutting thin strips of sheet shim and putting that into the hole, then tapping the allen wrench in so it's snug. Heat the sight and then turn the screw out.

What is sheet shim? What sort of metal is it? Steel, aluminum?

What are you using for a heat source?

Thanks

[bbbean]

I'd leave it alone, but I'd have another sight or another screw handy for if and when I wanted to adjust the sight.

FWIW, I keep a small chisel in my tool box. It's the best tool I've found for removing rounded out hex screws.

BB

Edited September 29, 2011 by bbbean

[Philo_Beddoe]

FWIW, I keep a small chisel in my tool box. It's the best tool I've found for removing rounded out hex screws.

How does that work?

[bbbean]

FWIW, I keep a small chisel in my tool box. It's the best tool I've found for removing rounded out hex screws.

How does that work?

I use the chisel and a small hammer to cut a groove in the top of the screw and then use a screwdriver to turn it. If it's very small, it may be easier to chisel an X and use a phillips head screwdriver.

[Too_Slow]

Its easier to cut the groove using a dremel, I have had to do it before several times at work.

Brian

[Jetracer013]

if you have a small ball peen hammer (the hex head may be too small for this) you can sit the ball end on/in the hex then give the hammer a solid crank with another hammer. This pushes the materiel back in the hex opening thereby tightening the opening. Then use heat as others suggested to loosen it before you try to remove it.

[GregJ]

I had a similar thing happen to the set screw on the rear sight of my Kimber. I used a slightly larger sized torx bit, tapped it into the allen screw with a hammer. This gave it enought bite to allow me to loosen it.

[Philo_Beddoe]

Then use heat as others suggested to loosen it before you try to remove it.

What are the recommended sources of heat? Would a lighter work?

[vluc]

Then use heat as others suggested to loosen it before you try to remove it.

What are the recommended sources of heat? Would a lighter work?

Hot air gun, butane torch though that may be too much.

[Jonathan Taliani]

For heat, I use either a micro torch or a soldering iron. I picked up some stripped screw removers from Sears. They look like triangle punches. They were great for removing STI super low profile grip bushings. Lightly tap them in and apply downward pressure while rotating with channel locks. I'm not sure if the hex screw would have enough depth though.

[twodownzero]

I had a similar thing happen to the set screw on the rear sight of my Kimber. I used a slightly larger sized torx bit, tapped it into the allen screw with a hammer. This gave it enought bite to allow me to loosen it.

Yep! This is how I would do it as well.

[Philo_Beddoe]

Then use heat as others suggested to loosen it before you try to remove it.

What are the recommended sources of heat? Would a lighter work?

Hot air gun, butane torch though that may be too much.

So a cigarrette lighter would not work?

[MI_Packer]

So a cigarrette lighter would not work?

Somewhere there is a listing on what temp you need for each color of loctite. Blue won't be much in comparision to red loctite. A lighter might be enough, I would start with my micro torch because I know where it is.

Pick a technique and if the screw won't budge when heated, try a little more heat. You won't get too many chances at creating an alternate grip on the screw.

If it all techniques fail, you can drill out the screw and put in a new screw if you don't damage sight. Otherwise a new sight will be needed.

[anachronism]

Sometimes, you can find a metric allen screw bit that's slightly larger than the hole in the messed up screw. Then all you have to do is tap the bit in place, and heat everything with what ever method you choose. Then back the screw out with your interchangeable bit screw driver handle. Even scarier, some imported guns have metric screws, and that's why they round off. I have up using allen wrenches long ago. I do keep a screwdriver with both metric & SAE bits in my shooting bag.