doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Fixing over-timed screws?

I need to get some of this valve grinding paste. It's use has been mentioned before.


There have been many methods we know about used to solve problems with guns, and many are likely still unknown. If they work, they work, professionally endorsed or not. With this gun, I'm just trying to make it a bit nicer than it was, for use for another 100 years I hope.

Not always possible, but sometimes on the trigger guard you can use a large dia blunt punch to upset the countersink from the backside of the guard.
That pushes metal upward into the countersink inside and makes the screw tighten up as it pulls into place taking the over timeing out.

I use a a round nose punch large enough to span the screw hole plus the countersink on the backside of the hole. Support the guard on a flat steel surface of course and take it easy as it's quite easy to push metal inward.
Many countersinks are thin there and don't take much effort. The guard will bend very easily at the screw holes too so be careful.
It also works on trigger plates and other parts if the same conditions are there for reworking. Even thin case hardened surfaces dimple inward OK but don't over do. If in doubt use a shim here.

Couple ways to shorten up the TPI on machine screws to make them draw in quicker. That corrects over timing. Also drawing out same to allow timing w/a screw that comes up short of 12 oclock.
Certainly not professionally endorsed! but I've used it for 40yrs and will continue to. No complaints so far.

Thanks Kutter. Those techniques make sense to me. I'll see what the undersides look like and give it a try.

Ok scream and shout now to get it over with. I do know of a way to re-time screws but it is not of the best practice though also not damaging to the screws or their mounting positions. I have used this method occasionally on guns and other restoration projects and it works almost too well for its simplicity.
It is a little tricky to get right first time but after a little practice you will become proficient. So lets say it is not a permanent repair though some have lasted for forty years.
And what is this well kept secret method? Wire wool strands wrapped around the screw under the head using a washer on the screws shank to create a winding space. Add or remove strands of wire to create the correct timing. And when the screw is finally tightened down the wire compresses and becomes a solid mass, in fact as solid as a correct depth washer. There are many ways to solve a problem and not all are obvious or liked but they work.

A small copper wire single wrap will also work as the pressure of tightening will compress it to a flat washer. You will have to experiment with the diameter of the wire

This is what I use to cut the countersunk hole to accept the screws on a "new made" part. It may be possible to use one in a drill press, with the cord unplugged and turned by hand, to shave a tiny bit more out of the receptor hole to make the screw go on around to the next 12 o'clock/6 o'clock position. You would have to determine how much you had to work with before doing this. And, of course, it would not work if the screw head was filed to a contour to match the accepting part, as some are.

These are available in several different angles. I think the three in my set are 82 degree.

https://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/01051242

Best, SRH

Glad I asked! This is all great information, and I hope others find this collection of approaches worth keeping a link to. Thank you all.

If it is the female threaded part that has moved then a washer on the head of the screw most likely will raise the head above the surrounding metal , potentially creating as many problems, i.e. the top lever catching on it, etc. Best to see if female part can be shimmed away. My gunsmith lays a little Accraglass in the inlet of the trigger plate and carefully inlets it again till the breech pin is clocked when tight.

Perhaps it's overkill but it seems to me that another solution is the same one as for damaged screw heads. One could weld up the top, tighten to current conditions then shape and slot the head as appropriate.
Jeremy

The easiest way to "re-time" a used screw is to insert a small piece of pure silver wire around the body of the screw as you tighten the screw the wire will flatten exactly to the thickness necessary for the appropriate timing, it work only with soft and elastic metal like pure silver or 24K gold, lead is too soft!