Recently I bought an aftermarket replacement aluminum safety switch for my Mossberg 590, but so far I've had nothing but trouble trying to install it.
The problem is that the stock safety switch is secured with a one-way screw which prevents it from being simply removed. Every guide, tutorial, video, and post on the subject (including official sources) instructs the user to take a hammer and tap the head of the screwdriver until it bites into the screw head, then simply rotate the screw out as you would any other screw. Unfortunately, this method has proven ineffective to me, and has only resulted in the deformation of the screw head, because the screwdriver slips off the screw head, scratching or gouging it rather than biting into it. (Maybe Mossberg has begun using harder screws as of late?)
Now the screw is all boogered up from repeated failed attempts at using said method and I'm unsure how to proceed.
I'm considering snapping the stock safety off with pliers then removing the screw with vice grips, but only as a last resort.
Does anybody have any experience or suggestions on alternative methods of removing the safety screw on a Mossberg 500 series Shotgun? Preferably ones which don't require use of power tools or anything intensive like that. I don't care if I damage or destroy the screw in the process since the aftermarket safety came packaged with a replacement screw, but I don't own a dremel or anything like that.
The problem is that the stock safety switch is secured with a one-way screw which prevents it from being simply removed. Every guide, tutorial, video, and post on the subject (including official sources) instructs the user to take a hammer and tap the head of the screwdriver until it bites into the screw head, then simply rotate the screw out as you would any other screw. Unfortunately, this method has proven ineffective to me, and has only resulted in the deformation of the screw head, because the screwdriver slips off the screw head, scratching or gouging it rather than biting into it. (Maybe Mossberg has begun using harder screws as of late?)
Now the screw is all boogered up from repeated failed attempts at using said method and I'm unsure how to proceed.
I'm considering snapping the stock safety off with pliers then removing the screw with vice grips, but only as a last resort.
Does anybody have any experience or suggestions on alternative methods of removing the safety screw on a Mossberg 500 series Shotgun? Preferably ones which don't require use of power tools or anything intensive like that. I don't care if I damage or destroy the screw in the process since the aftermarket safety came packaged with a replacement screw, but I don't own a dremel or anything like that.