Why such a tiny screw?

[carl3989]

I've replaced rear sights on revolvers before, but never have I encountered such a puny screw. I tried my Brownell's screwdriver set and none are small enough. Of Course my watchmaker screwdrivers will strip or break if I force them. Of course the screw and the sight itself are rusted so badly that I have to get it of the frame to properly clean it. I just don't know how.

 

[Pisgah]

Penetrating oil is your friend. Lots of it. Soak the gun in it for a day or three. The longer the better. In the meantime, slowly and carefully take a file to the screwdriver tip you have that comes closest to fitting, and make it fit perfectly. Part of the reason Brownell will sell them one at a time is that they expect people to grind them to fit (or, like me, lose them!).

 

[TAROMAN]

Brownell actually sell a set of four tips, sized especially for S&W revolvers.
I keep one set on the bench and another in my range bag.
Last time out, I tightened the tiny screw on another shooter's Model 27.

 

[H Richard]

You think that's tiny? You should see the elevation adjustment screw for the S&W Single Shot, third mod. Take your eyeglasses hinge screw size and subtract a size.

 

[dfariswheel]

For these old style S&W sight leaf screws you need a Brownell's driver bit #120-3.

 

[carl3989]

Thanks Guys that's great advice.

 

[Hondo44]

With any tight/rusted screw, once it's soaked and the screw driver bit is found or made to fit the slot, stick it in the slot and give the end of the driver a smart smack with a small hammer to break it loose before trying to turn it. You may need to use some heat.

If it doesn't come leave it. The soaking has already done your cleaning for you and rust retardent. Just keep it oiled. You'll feel worse if you bugger it up and still don't get it off.

 

[snake803]

KROIL!!!!!!!!!!!
JIM............

 

[Green Frog]

The windage screws on my pre-War Heavy Frame Target (I-frame 22) are about the smallest I've ever seen on a S&W (or any full sized gun, for that matter.) Fortunately, they were loose enough to turn easily when I bought it.

Froggie

 

[hobby-gunsmith]

tiny screw

soak it in Kroil over night and then heat it with a heat gun or propane torch at a low intensity for a very short time until you see some smoke from the Kroil. This should loosen the gunk and tap it lightly with the correct screwdriver and 2 oz ballpeen hammer and you should be good to go. I would invest in a set of magna tips screwdrivers or you could bench sand an old screwdriver to the specs of the screw hole you want. Make sure you flare both sides of the screwdriver and the depth and width is correct. Hope this helps.

Nick

 

[dfariswheel]

I'd be REAL gentle about "smacking" the screw with a hammer.
These are small, thin screws and the head of the screw WILL break in half.
Some screws are thinner than others and break even easier.

 

[Hondo44]

KROIL!!!!!!!!!!!
JIM............

Yes that's a good one. Interestingly I recently read about a controlled test of soaking in rust removal/pentrants. Good old WD-40 (40 because it was the 40th experimental solution that was finally used) beat all of the commercial products, but not by much.

However two 'home brews" were also tested and they were way out front. Straight transmission fluid was way ahead of WD-40 at 2nd best. But the very best was a 50/50 mixture of Trans fluid and Acetone!! I used it on an old Remington box lock shotgun and it really did a number on it. I was able to get it apart and working again.