"Best" tools/sets for weapon maintenance?

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Venom1956

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What tools or tool sets do all use to keep your weapons looking good?

I use a mismatched collection of my regular tools and such but I am always paranoid about burring screws and damaging the finish even when the bit seems to fit perfectly.

Example: It seems when I tightened the grip screws and sight screws on my Ruger MkII after I tore it down for a cleaning I have slight marks on the screws but if I don't tighten them up everything starts to wobble loose after a while on the range! :rolleyes: and nothing like a nice beauty mark when your balancing it on your knee trying to reattach the front sight! (with my luck)

Are there some sort of rubberized coated bits or something? Mainly I want to disassemble, move dovetailed sights.
 
I have screwdriver sets from Smith & Wesson and Brownell's that I use often. I don't know whether they're any easier on screw heads than other brands, but they do come in sizes that match the standard screw sizes on most handguns and that's extremely convenient. I also recently purchased a 1911 tool from Pocketsmith. It's put together a bit like the Leatherman tool in that it opens up to form a combination pliers/bushing wrench. One half of the two handle contains a series of Allen wrenches that are sized for 1911 screws. The other half has a small knife blade, a file, and several flat-head screwdriver blades.
 
...and dental picks, popsicle sticks, and pipe cleaners.

For some items, you'll need correct size roll pins, punches and lots of patience.

salty
 
Venom1956

"Best" tools/sets for weapon maintenance?
What tools or tool sets do all use to keep your weapons looking good?

I use a mismatched collection of my regular tools and such but I am always paranoid about burring screws and damaging the finish even when the bit seems to fit perfectly.

Example: It seems when I tightened the grip screws and sight screws on my Ruger MkII after I tore it down for a cleaning I have slight marks on the screws but if I don't tighten them up everything starts to wobble loose after a while on the range! and nothing like a nice beauty mark when your balancing it on your knee trying to reattach the front sight! (with my luck)
Click to expand...

Do you use hollow ground screwdriver tips? If you are burring the screws, it sounds like you are using flat ground screwdriver tips which place the force of the torque on the upper edge of the screw cut only.

screwdrivertiptypes.jpg


Left drawing represents a flat ground tip. Right drawing represents a hollow ground screwdriver tip engaging a screw slot. As you can see a hollow ground tip spreads the force over a much larger area.

I bought the Wheeler Engineering 89-Piece Professional-Plus Gunsmithing Screwdriver Set and it has met my needs.
 
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Heck, I even get my tools delevered! Snap-on guy loves me! Keeps giving me all these nice tools!
I Never even give him money either.

Yup using hollow ground drivers is the single best thing you can use to keep your screw heads from boogering up.

Something of "I got your card on file"??:rolleyes:
 
Mello2u That suggestion look like you nailed it, at least for that problem.

Lol! Q-tips, pipe cleaners, toothpicks, Popsicle sticks, and toothbrushes! the weapons of a professional! at least I'm not the only one who has all that stuff around when cleaning. Also, I <3 my boresnake and this silicon cloth I use to wipe them all down @ the end. those 2 things are like Heaven.
 
I, too, have the big Wheeler professional set and am extremely satisfied with it. I also have a set of brass pin punches, small brass and steel ball pein hammers, a large set of steel punches, a large assortment of Allen (both inch and metric) and Torx drivers, and a set of punches designed for roll pins. Add to this a bench block with several holes through it to lay your work on while you're drifting pins or adjusting and that's about all I use for 98% of my work.
 
I think the Otis multi-caliber cleaning kit is one of the best bang-for-the-buck things you can have in your box. Easy on the muzzle crown, too!

Having some nice punches around is a good thing.

I recently also ran accross a nice brass / nylon hammer for gunsmith use at

shooboytools.com
 
USMC way to clean a tough spot!

I remember in the service after a shoot in the range, we used to also have a big drum full of gasoline for a good soak. If the problem was really tough, we would secretly sneak the weapon to the showers for a good hot wash.

Weapons inspections were tough. Get your weapon clean or miss liberty on weekends. Senior staff & armorers don't approve but they know it gets the job done.

Hot water, gas, cpl, q-tips, toothbrush, toothpicks, snakes and rags. All standard GI tools.



Cheers!
 
I always keep a plastic-coated playing card in my kit to avoid making the infamous "idiot mark" when reassembling my 1911s.
 
First "gun" screwdriver kit I got was a Chapmans kit, they are nice tools but none of the bits fit narrow slots. So I got the Brownells kit, the starter, that has most of the bits but not all possible slots filled. And the Smith and Wesson bits in addition. Now I am set for pretty much anything I have encountered and no longer damage screw heads in the least. Not that I did really in the past, it is just easier not to do it with the good bits! The other thing is maybe pin punches, Brownells has the special ones for the round headed pins, and the hollow "roll" pins too. Just cough up for the sets, they are not cheap but are worth the cost and unless you intend to croak next year, over the years it will prove money well spent and pay for itself. BTW ignore the post that says use gasoline to dip your guns, unless you want to check in later on with a new screen name like "Krispy Kritter"!
 
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