Been lurking a while and this is my first post. I got the double muzzle break installed last week. Cut group size dramatically. I purchased Knifong's video, gasport bushing kit and recoil buffer and a Hogue OM stock. Today was the day for installation of the gasport kit, but I am having trouble getting the screws out. I followed Mike's video and managed to get one out. Retighten it per video and then attempted to break another one loose. No go. Tried all of the remaining screws, but none would budge. By that time my allen wrench was getting a little buggered up, so I went and bought a good quality "T" allen wrench that I could really reef on. Soaked the screws in liquid wrench for 2 hours. Still wouldnt budge. Did the boys at Ruger get carried away when they peened my screws or what? Does anybody have any suggestions?
Trouble removing gas port screws
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Wow, Ruger musta had a gorilla tighten those screws! I would go ahead, and take out the one screw that I could, then take a 9/64" drill bit and drill off the heads only of the other 3 screws. Do not drill clear thru the lower gas block, just enough so you can snap the heads off those little buggers. Remove the lower gas block, and latch on to the knubs with a pair of vice grips, and break em loose, and unscrew em. Take the one screw down to home depot, and buy 4 just that size. They have a nice selection of Stainless screws if your mini is stainless. While your there pick up a tube of loctite blue (medium hold) for the new screws. That should do it for ya. If you don't feel right with a drill motor in your hand then you can take it to a gun smith, and have him remove them.
Welcome to the forum mrd.
Welcome to the forum mrd.
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60 Posts
cajun & Martin,
I've sent Martin my thoughts. And yes I agree, it sounds like he's got some very tight screws. I'd try tapping an over-sized T-20 torques bit into them first. That should get them loose. Anything that could be done to remove them short of busting them off would be perfered.
I've got extra screws on hand and I told Martin that I'd drill out any busted screws if he gets in a bind. No one should ever feel helpless, help is here for the asking. (no charge, just work referals.) I think he's just got one of those rifles that was over torqued at the factory. I've heard of a couple guys having problems but I guess I've just gotten lucky or something.
Gang just so you know, those are special 8-36 (5/16th to 3/8" long) grade 8 cap screws. Found only at very, very large screw wholesalers. I had a difficult time finding them, so don't expect to run down to the local hardware store and find them.
Talk to ya later,
Mike in Oregon
I've sent Martin my thoughts. And yes I agree, it sounds like he's got some very tight screws. I'd try tapping an over-sized T-20 torques bit into them first. That should get them loose. Anything that could be done to remove them short of busting them off would be perfered.
I've got extra screws on hand and I told Martin that I'd drill out any busted screws if he gets in a bind. No one should ever feel helpless, help is here for the asking. (no charge, just work referals.) I think he's just got one of those rifles that was over torqued at the factory. I've heard of a couple guys having problems but I guess I've just gotten lucky or something.
Gang just so you know, those are special 8-36 (5/16th to 3/8" long) grade 8 cap screws. Found only at very, very large screw wholesalers. I had a difficult time finding them, so don't expect to run down to the local hardware store and find them.
Talk to ya later,
Mike in Oregon
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27 Posts
When I got Mikes gas port kit and went to unscrew the gas block, I first took a #50 drill bit and drilled the peened area on the screw. It worked for two of them, but the other two I had to drill out. Home Depot doesn’t have the fine threaded screws needed. 32 are the finest thread screws they have. I re-threaded and installed 8-32 with loctite blue. Shot 1000 more rounds with no sign of them coming loose.
Why Ruger torques these gas block screws (and peens them) so much is beyond me. It is not necessary, also when the barrel heats up, the gas block area heats differently than the rest of the barrel. The barrel at the gas block will actually stretch instead of expands due to the constricting force of the block. I do believe this affects the shooting characteristic be it ever so minutely. Has anyone scoped the barrel and discovered a tight spot at the glass block area??
Why Ruger torques these gas block screws (and peens them) so much is beyond me. It is not necessary, also when the barrel heats up, the gas block area heats differently than the rest of the barrel. The barrel at the gas block will actually stretch instead of expands due to the constricting force of the block. I do believe this affects the shooting characteristic be it ever so minutely. Has anyone scoped the barrel and discovered a tight spot at the glass block area??
I believe you have the right idea on the barrel stretching when it becomes hot, and may fire differently till it cools. I don't have a scope, but I had 3 tight spots in my barrel, I used a 22 LR and a jag to slug my barrel. I firelaped my mini's barrel to eliminate the tight spots, and to smooth the machine marks for less fouling. The accuracy improved by 1/4" average at 100 yds. I would imagine if i fired a couple of 20 rd mags then rechecked for accuracy the groups would open up.
cajungeo: ...I used a 22 LR and a jag to slug my barrel.
Did you do it from the chamber or the muzzle? If from the chamber, how did you push it in? What kind of a rod did you use.
Once you have a slug, do you reuse it? Do you have to match it to the same groves in order to reproduce the original fit?
V.
Did you do it from the chamber or the muzzle? If from the chamber, how did you push it in? What kind of a rod did you use.
Once you have a slug, do you reuse it? Do you have to match it to the same groves in order to reproduce the original fit?
V.
voruzon, Push the 22 LR bullet, muzzle to chamber with a regular cleaning rod with a flat jag. Mine was aluminium. You don't have to take off the muzzle brake, but I did as it is easier. The first time down it is a little tight in the crown, but just past the front sight mine was easier. You can use it several times. You will soon get a feel for it. The fire laping didn't completely remove the tight spots, but reduced them. You can stop pushing the slug when you feel resistance, then remove the cleaning rod, and measure where the tight spots are. I still have 2. 1 is the muzzle (thats what I want, a tight muzzle), and you guesed the other spot, the gas block. I didn't over do it with the firelaping, just reduced the tight spots, and smoothed up the machine marks in the bore. If I take off my gas block, the tight spot goes away. This tells me the gas block compresses the barrel at that point. Thats why its important to gap the halves evenly, and torquing the screws evenly, and not overly.
Some people are afraid to fire lap, their barrels, they prefer to hand lap with a barrel slug. I would too if I had a bolt action so I could do it from the chamber end first. If you put grit on the barrel slug thru the crown end, most of the grit will taper the muzzle, crown area On a semi auto I would not hand lap from the muzzle, and you can't from the chamber, so fire laping is the best choice. Most of the grit is used in the Chamber end of the barrel, and tapers off so little goes thru the muzzle. Just my .223 cents.
Some people are afraid to fire lap, their barrels, they prefer to hand lap with a barrel slug. I would too if I had a bolt action so I could do it from the chamber end first. If you put grit on the barrel slug thru the crown end, most of the grit will taper the muzzle, crown area
On a semi auto I would not hand lap from the muzzle, and you can't from the chamber, so fire laping is the best choice. Most of the grit is used in the Chamber end of the barrel, and tapers off so little goes thru the muzzle. Just my .223 cents.
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I too find that there is a tight spot at the gas block. I only torque the screws to the minimum, no trouble so far.
It would be nice if someone designed a screw on attachment to a cleaning rod in the shape of a firelap slug, that all you would have to do is insert the rod through the muzzle to the chamber, screw on this attachment and pull through out the muzzle. Unscrew, insert the rod and repeat. The handle on the cleaning rod would spin and allow tool to follow the twists.
I guess this would be a good tool for finding tight spots and
lapping without using lapping bullets???
It would be nice if someone designed a screw on attachment to a cleaning rod in the shape of a firelap slug, that all you would have to do is insert the rod through the muzzle to the chamber, screw on this attachment and pull through out the muzzle. Unscrew, insert the rod and repeat. The handle on the cleaning rod would spin and allow tool to follow the twists.
I guess this would be a good tool for finding tight spots and
lapping without using lapping bullets???
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60 Posts
Gang,
No one sells preloaded fire-lapping ammo. Too costly (hazmat charges apply), liability risks (technically they are squib loads), and requires licensed FFL ammo manufacturer. All this adds up to a service w/ little demand.
A cheap reloading outfit can go for as little as $70. Better yet, ask around, I'm sure there are more reloaders w/ the necessary equipment around you than you realize. FYI, My bedding video shows the loading process and equipment required to load the fire-lapping rounds. A scale, cheap press and a set of .223rem dies are mostly whats required. All of which can be found quite cheaply 2nd hand at any gun show. Might be just "excuse" your looking for to dip into reloading.
On the subject of hand-lapping, the lead slug needs to be cast in the barrel to ensure the proper fit. Check out Cajungeo's post on the subject: http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=&threadid=3658
Here is the direct link to the process: http://t6aluminum.tripod.com/Barrel_Lapping.htm#Top
Hope this helps ya both,
Mike in Oregon
No one sells preloaded fire-lapping ammo. Too costly (hazmat charges apply), liability risks (technically they are squib loads), and requires licensed FFL ammo manufacturer. All this adds up to a service w/ little demand.
A cheap reloading outfit can go for as little as $70. Better yet, ask around, I'm sure there are more reloaders w/ the necessary equipment around you than you realize. FYI, My bedding video shows the loading process and equipment required to load the fire-lapping rounds. A scale, cheap press and a set of .223rem dies are mostly whats required. All of which can be found quite cheaply 2nd hand at any gun show. Might be just "excuse" your looking for to dip into reloading.
On the subject of hand-lapping, the lead slug needs to be cast in the barrel to ensure the proper fit. Check out Cajungeo's post on the subject: http://www.perfectunion.com/forums/showthr...=&threadid=3658
Here is the direct link to the process: http://t6aluminum.tripod.com/Barrel_Lapping.htm#Top
Hope this helps ya both,
Mike in Oregon
Many thanks to all who responded to my dilema with the gas port screws. I finally got them out. First I ordered replacement screws from Numrich, then following Bullseyebilly's advice, I drilled out the staked/peened area with a 1/16 inch drill (not too deep, just enough so I couldn't see the bent threads and staked area) Then using a # 25 torx bit (thanks Mike), I was able to get enough leverage on the stripped allen screw and remove it. I did the drill thing with the other allen screws that were undamaged and they seemed to 'pop' a little easier than the first screw I removed. I had the 9/64 drill bit at hand per Cajungeo if all else had failed. I would recommend any one who is doing this to get a 'T' handle allen wrench. I got mine form Ace hardware for about $5. It had too much 'give' with the original length of about 6 inches, so I shortened mine to about 3 1/2 " and it is much stouter. Don't forget to have the torx bit handy if you mess it up. My best group to date is 1 5/16". The gas port kit didn't help the groups any, but I don't have to go to the next County to find my brass.
Glad you got those screws out! If no one mentioned it when you reasemble your gas block, gap them evenly, and torque them 24 to 36 in-lbs, or tight with your t-handle with an even feel in a criss cross patern. I have seen just that improve groups. Use loctite blue (medium hold) on the threads so they wont vibrate loose.
You are correct about the gas port bushing not improving accuracy, but only in slow fire! When you try rapid fire accuracy you will see a big difference. After I got Mikes trigger job, and gass port bushings I ripped off 15 rds in a timed 7 seconds at 100 yds. 13 rds were in a 8" group, with 7 rds in a 6 inch group. The cross hairs of my scope mostly stayed on the bull. I'm shure with a little practice it will improve even more. Try that with out a trigger job, and the std bushing.
You are correct about the gas port bushing not improving accuracy, but only in slow fire! When you try rapid fire accuracy you will see a big difference. After I got Mikes trigger job, and gass port bushings I ripped off 15 rds in a timed 7 seconds at 100 yds. 13 rds were in a 8" group, with 7 rds in a 6 inch group. The cross hairs of my scope mostly stayed on the bull. I'm shure with a little practice it will improve even more. Try that with out a trigger job, and the std bushing.
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