Stuck Frizzen Screw

[JLayne]

Hello,

I just started a new VA rifle pre-carve project with a Chamber's Colonial VA lock. I didn't buy the lock directly from Chambers. It came with the stock, barrel, and hardware, all of which I got from another vendor. Disassembling the lock for inletting the lock plate went okay yesterday until I got to the frizzen screw, which wouldn't budge. Tried a couple different screwdriver tips with no luck, and the screw slot started to deform at one end, so I decided to quit before I made it worse. Any ideas on how to get out out without it turning into a major operation? I was thinking of trying to let some Kroil soak in around each end of the screw for a few hours and trying again, or simply taking it to a local gunsmith to see if he can get it out. Ideally, I would like to get it out without any damage to the threads in the plate so that I could just order a new frizzen screw from Chambers for re-assembly.

Thanks,
Jay

[bob in the woods]

This may sound too obvious, but...have you removed the frizzen spring ?  If yes, then I would try the Kroll.  Are you using actual gun screw drivers ?  Perhaps a tiny bit of heat on the plate would help ?   That's it for me 

[WKevinD]

I've noticed lately the same thing on this and the English round faced lock. I have screwdriver tips that are ground very thin to get in the very thin slots. After removing the internals I mount the lock in my disassembly block and place the screwdriver tip in the slot and give the driver a whack driving the tip to the bottom of the slot and press down hard while turning breaking it loose.
I don't know who is assembling those locks for Chambers but it seems that they are using screws with finer slots and torquing the heck out of them, I don't think they are using lock tight but it feels like it.

Kevin

[Bob Roller]

I've noticed lately the same thing on this and the English round faced lock. I have screwdriver tips that are ground very thin to get in the very thin slots. After removing the internals I mount the lock in my disassembly block and place the screwdriver tip in the slot and give the driver a whack driving the tip to the bottom of the slot and press down hard while turning breaking it loose.
I don't know who is assembling those locks for Chambers but it seems that they are using screws with finer slots and torquing the heck out of them, I don't think they are using lock tight but it feels like it.

Kevin

It will slow down the building process but I would send it back and have the maker
get it out.I know whoever assembles these for Jim has a fixture to hold it and drill it
accurately.

Bob Roller

[Blacksmoke]

Jay:  It surprising what a little heat can do.  Use a plumber's propane torch and apply a little heat to the female thread area.  Only to about 300 degrees it should loosen those threads enough to back the screw out.  It is the same procedure for removing a tight breech plug.  Hope that helps,   Hugh Toenjes

[Gun_Nut_73]

I think that with something as small as a frizzen spring screw, I would try a soldering iron first.  Just put the tip of the hot iron on the screw for a few seconds, and see of it loosens up.

[smylee grouch]

Try the heat on the area around the screw and not the screw itself.