Front Sight Issue....

[Lunchbox]

Question...

I have a Remington SPR 100(single shot 12 ga) and I bought one of those night site glowing front sights for my Shotgun to replace the standard "knob" sight for its front sight. I removed the old sight, threaded in the mount for the new one, and when I went to screw the new sight onto the mount it just screwed the mounting screw all the way in and I have no way to back it out. I removed the choke and there's no room inside or outside the barrel to get a good hold on the screw.

Any ideas how to un-f**k this?

 

[Numidian]

Can you drill a tiny hole in it and maybe get a little screw out into it?

 

[E.Shell]

Not sure if I fully understand the problem . . . Is the mounting screw a headless set screw/plug screw with no hex/slot in the top?

If so, and the screw hole goes all the way through into the barrel (under the choke tube?), you may be able to pull the choke tube out of the way and use a small, sharp drill to rotate in and just let it fall into the barrel.

By using a small drill but from the outside and modest hand pressure, the lips of the drill may be able to grab enough to provide turning torque and let you simply drive it through. . .

I'm at my office in Millersville, if you want to bring it by so we can look at it together, send a PM. I have a small hobby machine shop at home and do lots of weird stuff - I may be able to offer a better suggestion once I see it. My office is also next to a machine shop where I have certain liberties and we may be able to fix it on the spot.

 

[Lunchbox]

Not sure if I fully understand the problem . . . Is the mounting screw a headless set screw/plug screw with no hex/slot in the top?

Correct

If so, and the screw hole goes all the way through into the barrel (under the choke tube?)

Correct

By using a small drill but from the outside and modest hand pressure, the lips of the drill may be able to grab enough to provide turning torque and let you simply drive it through. . .

I have a dremel but I'm scared to try it because I don't really know what I'm doing and don't want to chance ruining my shotgun

I'm at my office in Millersville, if you want to bring it by so we can look at it together, send a PM. I have a small hobby machine shop at home and do lots of weird stuff - I may be able to offer a better suggestion once I see it. My office is also next to a machine shop where I have certain liberties and we may be able to fix it on the spot.

I appreciate the offer. I won't be off work until 4:30 PM and I don't know how late you work. I live in Millersville though... but by the time I get home it will be about 5PM.

 

[E.Shell]

The Dremel isn't really needed or desired, and the method I suggest would entail no material removal. We would only use the drill ("bit") for it's grip on the (featureless) screw.

Think of it as getting the most friction possible to turn the screw. With a slight amount of down pressure, combined with clockwise rotation, we would hope to raise a little burr to get enough "bite" on the screw with the drill lips to cause it to turn, but not enough pressure to bind it and make it too difficult to rotate.

Rather than a drill, you might also get success with one of the Dremel's carbide grinding burrs, if it will fit the screw hole w/o damaging the thread. The burr would be used like the drill, to get some bite/friction with the top of the screw and turn it through.

If you try this first and it doesn't work for you, we can work out a way to get together on it and get it out. I'm probably not going to be here too late this evening, but often am and can arrange to hang out for you on another night if we need to look at this.

 

[Numidian]

If the hole goes all the way through E. Shell's way sounds best...

 

[Lunchbox]

I'll give it a shot when I get home.

Thanks for the tips I didn't want to try too hard to get it out till I asked, I figured I'd get some helpful tips

 

[G O B]

Try pushing the tang of a small file into the thread adapter to get a "grip" to remove it.
The propper tool is called an EZ out, but as this is only hand tight the file tang should work.

 

[Jimet]

Try putting some pressure on top of the stud with a soft pensil eraser and try to unscrew it.I always try it before getting out the drill index.

 

[Lunchbox]

Thanks for the advise folks! I got it out... when I applied a little pressure I couldn't get a grip on the screw, I applied a little more and the damn thing pop'd out. I thought I'd ruined the threads for sure but the old sight screwed right in. I drilled out the plastic center because it was dented/scratched(the reason for replacing it to begin with) and its all back together.

It looks off center but its just remnants of the plastic... I'll file it out later.

 

[h2u]

Glad to hear it worked out for you.

 

[E.Shell]

Try pushing the tang of a small file into the thread adapter to get a "grip" to remove it.
The propper tool is called an EZ out, but as this is only hand tight the file tang should work.

There was no recess or hole to grip with either of these tools. The screw had a blank head, and the tip was inside the barrel.

Try putting some pressure on top of the stud with a soft pensil eraser and try to unscrew it.I always try it before getting out the drill index.

Good suggestion.

Glad to hear you're GTG, Lunchbox.

A little brake cleaner might eat that plastic for you, provided there are no other plastic parts there to damage.