Question on buggered side plate screws

[paul57guns]

Hello,
Yes, a few vendors that you might consider:
The Gun Garage: The Gun Garage
USA Guns and Gear: Smith and Wesson Revolver Parts & Pistol Parts For Sale – USA Guns And Gear-Your Favorite Gun Parts Store
Jack First: www.jackfirst.com
Take care,
Paul57guns

 

[cmansguns]

Try ACE Hardware in your area

For BLUED gun screws, the three (3) ACE Hardware Stores in my area each have a separate small screw "drawer" actually with a label "gun screws". There are some decent oddballs in their as well as standard. No stainless that I could find.

It is a little perplexing though because one of my friends in another State says none of his ACE stores carry anything with "gun" in its title, and they don't have the small, blued screws.

I know that ACE Hardwares are a franchise so whether they have them or not is really up to the individual owners.

 

[diyj98]

Buggered screws tell me that someone who does not know much has been inside the gun. I pass on guns with buggered screws for this reason.

I had a guy try to sell me one of those once. The hammer would fall from thumb pressure. He explained that it wasn't a big deal since it was set up for target shooting and not self defense. Seemed logical to me, but I decided to pass on it anyway

 

[JudgeColt]

"Buggered" screws are usually an easy fix. Several techniques have been outlined above. Apparently, replacement screws also are available.

As far as "buggered" screws indicating internal problems due to lack of knowledge about the internal workings of a gun, I do not see that the two are necessarily connected. "Bubba" may have "buggered" the side plate screws in removing the side plate to clean out "gunk" without altering anything inside. (Not everyone has invested in a Brownell's Master Screwdriver set and, in a lapse of judgment, tries to do the job with a cheap screwdriver from the junk drawer, with predictable results.)

If "Bubba" did harm some internals, so what? Except for very early guns, most parts are readily available. The overall condition of the gun for the price asked would be the key as to whether I would purchase the gun. I would not pass on an otherwise desirable piece for a favorable price just because of "buggered" screws or an action glitch. (Presumably, the purchase price would reflect the "buggered" screws and action glitch.)

 

[max503]

I bought some paste bluing just for this reason. Screw gets clamped in a wooden clamp from Harbor Freight. Then it gets dressed using needle files, also from Harbor Freight.
Then polished with some fine sandpaper - whatever I got.
Then blued.
Then oiled.
Done.

 

[mrcvs]

Sometimes it's not a buggered screw but a proper screwdriver that is slightly wider than the screw or not biting in the center of the screw. See attached photograph. Note the sideplate screw.