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scope mount screws: Blue or Red Loc-tite?


MoNsTeR

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I've been planning to replace the screws on my backup open gun so I can add a thumb rest, then I saw Bob Londrigan's piece in the latest Front Sight, and I got to thinking. Bob advocates Blue for scope mount screws, but the last time I tried using Blue it came loose so I had been planning to use Red.

What do y'all use?

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Blue here as well. If it failed it was probably a contamination issue when it was applied. The slightest amount of oil or cleaning solution will kill it dead.

Very true. I have found cleaning both the fastener and the hole with isopropyl alcohol works best.

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Red... If I want to remove it use a soldering iron on the screw from inside the dust cover.

Edit to add:

Just to be clear, like the guy below I was talking about the mount to frame screws. Not the C-More to mount screws.

Edited by caspian guy
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Red, I've never had good luck with blue. If I need to remove it and the torx wrench doesn't work, time to either cut a deep flat head spot in the screw or drill out the screw. I've always been able to remove the C-more screws with a regular wrench after red loctiting them since the head and wrench are so big, much less prone to stripping than the mount-to-frame screws.

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Red does not belong on those little screws. Blue is what you want. Just apply it properly. If you have to use red on a 5-40 screw you aren't applying it correctly. If it's done right, the low strength purple is more than sufficient for a couple of 6K to 8K round seasons.

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I've used all three, purple, blue & red. While as a rule, for 4-40 & 5-40 threads, I would normally use purple I have found over time that nothing short of red prevents loosening of those screws until I want to take 'em out. I have always started with clean, grease-free dry threads so I don't know if its a combination of heat and shock or what but, less than red = loose for me. BTW there are a large number of Loctite "reds" some are high temp, some have high breakaway torque then a lower prevail (effort to turn after the screw's broken loose)torque and some go the other way. I use 262 which has a moderate breakaway torque, a higher prevail torque and loses 50% of it's strength at 150C, ...a little bit of heat with a small torch and the screws come right out. YMMV

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  • 2 weeks later...

A propane torch flame on the head of the dust cover screws will loosen them.

I apply the flame to the screws ends, from the inside of the dust cover, this way it has to heat less metal, because the very end of the screw is where the action is.

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I use to work at a Suzuki dealership and found their version of thread lock to work very well. It dries quite a bit faster and very user friendly about prepping the screw holes. 3 hours total dry time. Makes for a quick fix at a match.

Also I second the soldering iron technic, hold it to the screw (if it protrudes through use the threaded end) I take my snap on butane soldering iron with me to big matches. Some how I always find something to do.

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A propane torch flame on the head of the dust cover screws will loosen them.

I apply the flame to the screws ends, from the inside of the dust cover, this way it has to heat less metal, because the very end of the screw is where the action is.

Yep, that's even better.

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I use to work at a Suzuki dealership and found their version of thread lock to work very well. It dries quite a bit faster and very user friendly about prepping the screw holes. 3 hours total dry time. Makes for a quick fix at a match.

Also I second the soldering iron technic, hold it to the screw (if it protrudes through use the threaded end) I take my snap on butane soldering iron with me to big matches. Some how I always find something to do.

In would prefer to use a soldering iron if I had one. Thanks for reminding me.

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