Screwdrivers - good quality recommendations?

S

Skans

New member
I need to get a good set of screwdrivers for working on my guns. From what I've read I should be looking for a set of hollow-ground screwdrivers. I see a couple of sets of Forster screwdrivers on Ebay. Are these any good? Any other suggestions?
 
Here's link to Brownell's screwdriver set page: LINK

I have a set of Magna Tips and I also have the Forster set. Grace also makes a nice wooden handled set. A friend has the Brownell's Master Set and they are very nicely made.

Lot's of choices depending upon how much you want to spend.
 
+1 on the brownells. I bought the full set of Magna Tips about 20 years ago. Have a bit for every job that comes up and they do not bugger up the screws.

Jim
 
The more or less industry standard are the Brownell's Magna-Tip drivers.
These are extremely high quality, very smooth and hard steel.
Unlike the Wheeler sets, the Brownell's are made in America, not China.

If you ever break or damage a Brownell's bit, just email them and they'll send you a new replacement bit free.

I recommend buying one of the "law enforcement" size handles. The standard handles are simply too long to allow good control, and the stubby handles are too short.
They sell handles in magnetic and clip-tip retention. Buy one of each, you'll use both.

Grace drivers are also great quality, but they really aren't true gunsmith drivers.
If you look at them you'll notice that the sides are still the same wedge shape as common screwdrivers.
Try to use these on a deep hole like the back strap of a Single action and the wedge shape will gouge the edges of the hole.
The Brownell's are true gunsmiths drivers that are full hollow ground and the same width for the full working length.
 
I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but I too have the Brownell’s set. I use them for basic maintenance and repair of my personal collection and they have performed great.
 
Brownells on the work bench and a set of Fosters in the range bag. IIRC the grace screw drivers are not hollow ground
 
Brownells on the work bench and a set of Fosters in the range bag. IIRC the grace screw drivers are not hollow ground
Click to expand...
They are.
And it's not a tapered or radiused "hollow grind" like other drivers on the market. It's a square profile that doesn't try to 'jump' the slot or put more pressure at the top of the screw slot than the bottom.

There's an image here, for reference. (<---Link)

The Grace grind works very well. I have a Marlin lever action here that I assembled and disassembled at least 100 times while working on it as a project rifle. The screws that I replaced at the beginning of the project still look brand new.

The typical radiused 'hollow ground' bit/driver, however, would have rolled a little (possibly a large) burr at the edges of the slot, with that much use.
 
All good stuff. I sometimes buy the hardened drywall driver tips. I can slot them through the middle on my surface grinder or grind the width down. They are cheap drivers for those "Straddle" nuts and screws, or narrow screws that are recessed. That way you don't have to ruin a good driver and you can keep blanks on hand.
 
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