Removing WGRS sight from Buffalo Classic

[bigmoon]

     I'm pretty well equipped to handle most small gunsmithing jobs not requiring a lathe. This sight removal has me stalled. The problem is that the screws used to hold the sight on are held in with....what? Locktite? Epoxy? Welded in? I have tried heating the screw with a small 2000 degree torch for 5 minutes. The barrel was hot to the touch eight inches away, but the screw wouldn't budge.

     So what's next? I really don't care about ruining the sight, I won't be using it again. Do I need to consider sawing the sight off horizontzlly? Should I try more heat with a bigger torch? Or maybe just take it to my local gunshop & let someone else worry about it.

Joe B.

[quickdtoo]

Welcome! You're the first to ever report a problem removing the WGRS mounting screws, H&R does use loctite on them, but I've never had a problem removing them on either of mine, the front sight is another matter tho. If it's a second hand rifle, someone else may have used something more permanent. 

Tim

[Macphoto]

No need to heat the whole thing up.  Try using the tip of a soldering iron on the screw head.  That usually does it for me.

[bigmoon]

     Well, I finally got them out, more or less intact. I kept heating them and letting them cool, eventually the expansion/contraction loosened them up just enough. Thanks, Tim and Macphoto, I actually started with a soldering iron, moved to a torch, then put a soldering tip on the torch. Heated to red hot, it did the trick.

     And no surprise, there is junk in the screw holes. It appears to be a rubber-type adhesive; you can even see the imprint of the bottom of the screw. I may try to pick it out, or I may just shorten the new mounting screws, if needed. There is plenty of meat to grab hold of, at least 2 1/2 to 3 complete turns.

     I can believe that I'm the first one to have this problem, I've been lurking here for a couple of years and haven't see anything about it yet. I've been planning on new sights for awhile. I looked at the period scopes, tang sights and whatever, but settled on the Williams FP-H&R-TK from Midway, with the Gib lock screw from Brownell's.

     Next up: lengthening that short chamber so I can use my larger cast bullets.

Joe B.

[gcrank1]

I had the same problem on two 38-55s. The heatup/cool down a couple of times and a good rap straight down on a well fitting tip broke them loose. I picked the 'locktite' out of the holes with a dental pick and it came out OK. I want all of the threaded hole I can have so I dont have to wonder about a screw bottoming out.
Did you mess up the sight?

[bigmoon]

     So I decided tot try and get the locktite residue from the screw holes. First chemically with acetone. Nada, but I was able to lift a half inch square from the barrel where the sight was. They REALLY didn't want that WGRS to move. I put that chip into a small metal cup and covered it with acetone. One hour later, the chip was still intact.

     Repeat above exercise with MEK: same result. Alcohol: ditto. Kroil: the same. So I gave up on the chemicals. The locktite people say apply heat, so out comes the 2000 pencil torch again, directing the blue flame tip directly into the screw hole. Two minutes later, the stuff still won't budge with a dental pick.

    I realized that the center hole is considerably shorter than the others, and softer at the bottom, so I got out a small drill and a hand chuck and started to very carefully and slowly twist it into the hole and, and - EUKEKA! - residue starts to accumulate around the hole. Continuing makes a smallish pile and it is obviously blue.

     Those wonderful factory guys had filled the holes with blue locktite(?), overflowed onto the barrel, cranked down the screws, and wiped off the excess. I called Brownell's and ordered 6x48 plug and bottoming taps to clean out the mess, plus the appropriate size drill bits to run down the holes first.

     I offer all this to help anyone else having this same problem. I will need the bits and taps for about 15 minutes, after that if anyone has this problem, I'll loan them out and save them the $20.00. The usual caveats apply: you break it, you bought it; return shipping is on you. Sort of a "thank you" for all the help and ideas I've gleaned here.

Joe B.