Thread: excessively tight screws

was trying to take my scope off my frends 7mm-08 so I could return his gun (weaver 6 screw rings) and got 10 of the 12 screws out sweet but the 2 middle ones on one of the rings were so tight I snapped the head off the screw driver so I just took the hole ring scope set up off in one piece
how do I get them out??

Left twist drill bits work for me. Or you can use a right twist drill bit and then a screw extractor but you run the risk of tightning it further by drilling into it.

Ive hit larger bolts with a torch in the past when theyre seized, not sure if it helped but the old fella reckoned it was a go.

hahaha mate I had the same problem with some weaver tac 6 srew rings and snapped 3 torx head drivers getting it out. I used a power built bit in the end that did the trick

If the head of the screw is still intact, try using a screwdriver with a bolster so yo can put a spanner on it to gain extra leverage.
If it is slotted screw for a flat head you can put a set of vice grips onto the flat section of the screw driver to gain mechanical advantage in the same way as a bolster.

put the other screws back in and tighten up firm, then try and loosen the tight ones, when very tight loosening completely one at a time effectively makes the last ones even tighter.

If there is any sign of loctight heat the stuck ones before trying to loosen.

sorted went to mitre 10 and scored a little set of screw driver drill bits with a t15 included for $10 put the drill in reverse and out they came

Heat and an impact driver have worked for me. Never use an impact driver to put them in though!

Over-tightened screws is a common problem. An easy way to get them loose (assuming they are not loctited) is to get a solid support under the part and find a neat fitting screwdriver. Give the top of the screwdriver a couple of good sharp smacks with a hammer and that will usually loosen the screws. For loctited screws, find an old pointed copper soldering bolt and put it on the head of the screw. Heat the copper with a gas torch which will transfer the heat to break the bond but not enough to damage the scope, stock, or whatever else. Remember that all screws need to do their job is a good firm tighten (going back over them a couple of times to ensure they are all the same tension). Over-tightening just causes problems and solves none!

Love the soldering iron idea, I hope to never have to use it on a firearm but it could be used regularly in other areas of my life