making screws

[holzwurm]

. . . what is about the best size screw to hold the front loop sling swivel in place. I was practicing making some this past week and though for a while that smaller (4-40) is neatest. Then I got to thinking about the stress on that screw and now I'm wondering.

Advise?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I make mine #6x40.  I case harden them.  They wear like iron!  Ha ha!!

[holzwurm]

  I never thought about case hardening screws - thanks

[keweenaw]

I agree with Taylor and I wouldn't use anything smaller than a #6.  You could also make them out of drill rod and harden them and draw them back to RC 55-60.

Tom

[B.Habermehl]

Just remember from a engineering point the 6-32 screw is the weakest #6 screw available. If it were me I would use the 6- 40 or the 6 -48. BJH

[David Rase]

I make/use # 6 screws for my front sling swivel bolts.  I case harden them and run them through a piece of steel dovetailed into the bottom barrel flat.
DMR

[Acer Saccharum]

As DMR does, I make a block for the swivel bolt to pass thru. I make it as wide as the bottom flat. Any side loading on the thru bolt is taken up by the block, not the stock wood.

[holzwurm]

As DMR does, I make a block for the swivel bolt to pass thru. I make it as wide as the bottom flat. Any side loading on the thru bolt is taken up by the block, not the stock wood.

Lordy! The ideas and techniques a person can learn here. Thank you very much, one and all. Acer - do you inlet that block intohte bbl or do you sliver solder it in place?

[keweenaw]

If you have sufficient wall thickness and an octagon barrel, the front loop lug can be dovetailed into the barrel.  Because there is lots of bearing surface you could put a soldered one on with soft solder.  Make sure to put a slot in the lug the exact height of the screw to be used.  The slot is necessary to allow the forestock to lengthen and shorten with changes in humidity.

Tom

[Stophel]

Use the good quality steel screw blanks from Brownell's.

I don't think I'd case harden them...I'd be afraid they'd get too brittle.  I suppose you could draw them back to a spring temper if you really wanted to.