Tight screws on Remington 700

H

Huh12345

New member
Hi,

The screws on the stock and trigger Guard of my Remington 700 sps are really tight and I can barely get them to move. I really don't want to use brute force to get them out, any suggestion? Should I just take it to my local gun shop or is there a simple fix to this?
 
How far have you got them to move?

You can always buy new screws/bolts and start fresh once out. Maybe they just need some lube.
 
Put the rifle upside down on a sandbag.

Put a well-fitting screwdriver in the slot, hold it down in that slot tight with a strong/firm twisting torque on the grip, and strike it repeatedly with a hammer -- all the while keeping that twist/torque on the handle.

Classic improvised/field-expedient impact wrench.
 
Was the rifle purchased new?
Why are they torqued so much to begin with is what I'd be asking. Wonder if someone put loctite on them or if they are just really torqued down.

Brute force them loose and like said, buy new ones if need be. All a gunshop/gunsmith is going to do is brute force them loose...
 
i would put a few drops of kroil on the screw heads with the rifle upside down, the kroil will find its way down the screws to the threads. i have used it on a few german 98 ww-11 mausers that were realy stuck. good luck eastbank.
 
It sounds to me like someone used either too much Loctite or the wrong type. The suggestions above are about as good as it gets, correct size screwdriver, rifle in a stable position and brute force.
 
I would do as mehavey suggest (post #3) and pay attention to the fit of the screwdriver. People destroy gun screws using the wrong type screwdrivers. Once the screws are out I would replace them with some good quality allen head screws from Brownell's or Midway. The screws should be hand tight or roughly 30 to 35 LbIn maximum. The factory screws generally suck.
 
"...Why are they torqued so much to begin with..." Same reason the lug nuts on your car tires(et al) is put on with a nuclear screwdriver. The manufacturers are terrified a screw or bolt will come loose. And Lock-tite costs money.
Rifle in a padded vise, mehavey's well fitting screwdriver(anything that says 'Gunsmith's' in its name just costs more. A regular screwdriver will do.)and turn it with vise grips on the screwdriver. The vise grips add torque and make holding the screw easier.
Mind you, holding a soldering iron point on the screw for a few seconds won't hurt. There might be a bit of congealed oil/preservative on the threads.
 
T O, I would disagree in your reference to gunsmith on a screwdriver. Screws used on guns are typically deep and square vs home and hobby which tend to be tapered. A gunsmith type screwdriver is referred to as hollow ground which means the blade is of consistent width for an 1/8" before tapering to the shaft size. A taper ground regular screwdriver is just that, tapered from the tip to the shaft. Hollow ground gunsmith type screwdrivers, be they labled that or not, are the correct screwdriver to use on gun screws so as to avoid what is often seen, buggered up screws.
Just saying.....
 
well fitting screwdriver ...and turn it with vise grips on the screwdriver.
Click to expand...
I would caution to use the visegripes only as a means to make make holding the screwdriver down with a twist as you hit the end of the screwdriver with the hammer (impact style). Just twisting the screw driver will either strip the screwhead and/or snap the screw shaft (both of which are baaaad.)

It's the twisting impact action that will loosen the screw w/ least damage.
 
Loctite

Heat is your friend with bound up screws. A soldering iron or a sacrificial screwdriver that fits well can really help.

Your nose will help as well. Loctite has a sweet odor. I can always smell it when I get the offending part hot enough.

The trick is to heat the screw. Thus transferring heat from an old screwdriver to the screw. Then grab the correct screwdriver and loosen.

Screws are cheap, receivers are not.
 
Sounds like red loctite to me also. As others stated Kroil oil, heat & brute force with a good screwdriver. Composite stocks torque settings 65" lbs. Sounds like a used rifle that your wanting to inspect & give a good cleaning. Once you get it out of the stock, flush the trigger assembly out with charcoal lighter fluid. It cleans & protects with slightest bit of lube, don't want oil in the trigger .
 
It sounds to me like someone used either too much Loctite or the wrong type. The suggestions above are about as good as it gets, correct size screwdriver, rifle in a stable position and brute force.
Click to expand...
If they used the "wrong type" of Loctite, then brute force could result in half of the screw head snapping off if it is the slotted type or stripping the head if they are allen type screws. If high-strength Loctite is suspected, heat from a soldering iron applied to the screw head to conduct down into the threads would be a safer approach than brute force. As a co-worker of mine used to say: "Never force it...always get a bigger hammer!"
 
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