Tang bolt substitute

[Ridge runner 59]

Is there any reason not to use a hardware store 10/32 machine screw as a tang bolt? The threads on the one in the rifle was slightly stripped. So I replaced it with  one like comes 8 to the package, that's sold at Walmart.

[Bill Raby]

   Hardware store machine screws are plated and shiny. It will work, but it is going to look kind of a funny.

[Mike payne]

I have used hardware store bolts before. I just heat them with a propane torch and burn the plating off. Look just fine when finished.

[Birddog6]

A elcheapo store bought screw may/can replace this tang bolt/screw. Possibly may not look
correct but it may work.  You can also sand off the cadmium plating with a piece of 320 emery
paper & then brown it or blue it with a bluing pen.

All the Tang Bolt is doing is holding the stock up to the barrel, plus sometimes securing the
front of the triggerplate, or sometimes the front of the triggerguard.  It is not required to
be a hardened bolt/screw.  They sometimes get stripped out because people overtighten
them & it is not necessary.  The breech "Fit to Wood" is suppose to absorb the recoil, not
the tang bolt. I always have wood clearance on the tang bolt/screw where it goes down thru
the stock to the triggerplate.  If you have a sloppy breech/wood fit, the recoil can cause the
bolt/screw to strip or the stock to crack because of the tang bolt getting slammed by the barrel.

[Ridge runner 59]

Thanks for the replies. I did brown the head of the screw to match the rest of the gun looks the same I was just concerned with the hardness.

[FALout]

As long as it’s steel and not some kind of pot metal, you’ll be fine.  Seeing that you could brown it pretty much says your okay.

[heinz]

You could spend a couple of bucks and have Log Cabin Sports Shop or Track of the Wolf, or Jim Chambers Flintlocks mail you a good steel 10/32 tang bolt.  You will not regret doing it right.  The tang bolt is an important part.

[flinchrocket]

Heinz has the right idea. Not that much trouble to get the right bolt and do things the way they should be. Only cost a little more to go first class.

[Hungry Horse]

 Since the original started to pull the threads it was most definitely not graded, or even high quality material. There is no such thing as a pot metal fastener by the way. The only difference between the original tang bolt and the hardware store version is the plating, and possibly the cosmetic appearance. You did good, don’t listen to the incurable over thinkers.

   Hungry Horse

[flinchrocket]

After you get a regular tang bolt and get it installed, you can judge for yourself which is better.

[Mike Brooks]

Graded? Tang bolts are made from 12L14

[heinz]

Graded? Tang bolts are made from 12L14

Mike, not in China. :-)

[Daniel Coats]

All the ones from the hardware store are threaded full length that I've seen. I use them only during construction so I don't damage my good bolts.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

As long as the machine screw isn't threaded all the way to the head, I would use it.  Hardware screws here are not suitable for gun making.

[Dennis Glazener]

I found 10/32 graded bolts that were not threaded all the way. Used my lathe to turn the hex head to what I wanted then cut the screw slot. Can't remember where I found them, maybe Lowes or one of our local hardware stores may have been in there "speciality" box, just don't get stainless. Pain to make them but I needed one right away and did not want to wait for an order. Normally use 8 x 32.
Dennis

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Years ago, I used to make my lock bolts from 1/4 x 20 carriage bolts.  They have a nice rounded head and are easily turned down to #10 size and threaded 10 x 24 or 10 x 32. A hacksaw blade with the set ground off both sides makes a very fine slot

[Hungry Horse]

 Ever bolt size has a standardized thread length. Fully threaded bolts are primarily corner hardware store repair bolts. But they aren’t necessarily junk, they just aren’t quite as strong as a bolt with a standard thread length. In the bolt business the bolts with full length threads are commonly called a grade 2, and often referred to as “farmer bolts”.

  Hungry Horse

[Bob Roller]

I never made a small bolt from a bigger one but have used the modified hacksaw blades for lock screw slots and still do on the set rigger screws.
Bob Roller

[flehto]

I use what is called a tang screw and it works every time. This shouldn't be a complicated topic.....just buy a tang screw.....Fred

[B.Habermehl]

Being cheap and a scrounger, I often use my supply of electrical cabinet bolts. They have big slotted heads and 10/32 threads for lock bolts. They have shanks necked down to # 8. When I need 8/32 I simply rethread. A lot of the time I use a #10 for the rear lock bolt so they won’t mix up. This prevents any possible damage to the frizzen spring. Usually I use tang bolts from one of the catalog houses. But the strength difference between the hardware store bolts and the custom ones is Nill. I’ve been known to use hardware store bolts when the head size needed is small enough. Just deplate and modify the slot. Typically the head style and diameter needed will not allow it to do a nice job. BJH