doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com 1883 Colt Trigger plate screw

Congratulations. A piece of cake, right?

Carl,
Can you find or make a screw with the correct thread? If not, the best idea is to repair the old one. The countersink is damaged and it might be easier to clean it up and match the larger diameter of the countersink with repairing the head of the screw. It is easier to work on the outside of anything than the inside. You would be wise to follow Kutter's advice when repairing and "clocking" the screw head. The finished screw head will likely want matching engraving.
I have absolutely no experience with laser welding, but it may offer some advantages to repairing the screw head. I don't mean to criticize anyone else's advice, but my own former experience indicates it would be very likely that I would create new damage by "run outs" trying to reach the end of a screw slot with a motor tool. Other people may have better control.
Mike

Thanks for continued advise. Today is find a good welder day. Also, I will continue to check all sources for a used replacement. One other option I have is a legendary local store..King Bolt, they carry an immense supply of everything Nuts and Bolts. The last time I visited, the first thing out of my helpful person's mouth was..this is from a gun right? We shall see what they can do.
Carl

I'm posting this picture for Carl. Here is the screw removed

Hooray!

I would make a new screw as Kutter described above at this point. Good luck!

Well, I'm going to use the screw I extracted and do a thorough rehab on it. I wish I could show the person who beat on this gun, that it did come out and all is well. Anyway, it's gonna be pretty again. Thank you all, and Kutter, you should teach. That discussion on how and what to do in the extraction was priceless..thank you.
Carl

My last comment on this, sometimes what looks to be the easy solution is not. I do wish you the best on it.

Steve

It would not be recommendable. And more than that, it would not be sensible.
And this not "out of principle", but for various concurrent good reasons.

Incidentally, any professional restorer (e.g. museum staff) would tell you the same.

Carcano

Why wouldn't it be recommended to use the old screw and 'rehab' it to make it usable?

It's done all the time in the trade.

It's certainly more of a 'true restoration' than buying a new mfg'r one from an internet company and making it work. That's if restoring something as small as a screw matters.
I think it does. Simply replacing parts is just that. Sometimes it must be done. But too much of that is done today and still called 'restoration.

If you happen to have an original lying around and is in great condition, then it may be usable. It likely won't 'clock' into position correctly but there's always that chance it will.
It may take some fitting to make it look correct and fit level with the existing plate.

Lots of restoration work involves replacing and/or repairing just screws. You can nearly make a living doing that on high grade firearms. Some need a handful and more repaired on one firearm.
That includes fitting for proper alignment if needed on the gun, any engraving necessary and the final finish. The latter may not be a pristine finish either.
A subdued, worn or even lightly pitted look may be needed to make it look right on a specific gun (much like this one).

I've done probably hundreds of these over the yrs and never had to send one out for someone else's help in finishing it up.

If you don't have an orig to perfectly replace it and have it look correct, then the other ways are to rebuild the orig or make a new one and make it fit and look correct.

If 'it would not be sensible' means that it takes too much time,, I can rehab a screw like this in much less time than I can turn one out on the lathe.
You will never know it's a 'recap' either.

If this is "not out of principle", but for various concurrent good reasons" I'd like to hear what those good reasons are that 'professional restorers' would tell me.