Back from Zimbabwe where my Kimber Caprivis did fine. On about Day 4 or so, I noticed that the caps on the stock crossbolts of the .458 Lott were unscrewing. (The .375 H&H was fine).

I initially just turned them down with my finger, and the next morning Guy Whittall got out a couple tiny Allan wrenches. The caps have a pair of round holes and we used the ends of the wrenches to turn down these caps. They behaved for the rest of the hunt.



These caps resemble the crossbolt on an SKS rifle, for what it is worth. I suspect I need to remove these caps, degrease, and put on Loktite. Trying to unscrew these with the Allan wrenches has been unrewarding and I hate to ding up this pretty rifle.

Any suggestions? I have a good friend who is a machinist, and suspect he could quickly make a nipple with protruding studs that we could use with a socket wrench or such.

Hello England,

Many years ago I had a similar problem with one of my rifles. I used 2 decapping pins held at the correct spacing by clamping them in the jaws of a large vise-grip pliers.

Its easy to adjust spacing and the decapping pins are hardened. I put a layer of scotch tape over the caps to keep from scratching them.

You could also use small drills or allen wrenches.

I would just glass them in place really no need to remove them plus you well gain some strength

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:
Hello England,

Many years ago I had a similar problem with one of my rifles. I used 2 decapping pins held at the correct spacing by clamping them in the jaws of a large vise-grip pliers.

Its easy to adjust spacing and the decapping pins are hardened. I put a layer of scotch tape over the caps to keep from scratching them.

You could also use small drills or allen wrenches.

That's smart.

I hate the little Allen head crossbolts that Winchester uses, I've stripped every one that I've tried to tighten. It's a good thing that I bought extra crossbolts years ago.

The Wheeler Engineering Gunsmithing Screwdriver Set
has 4 different sizes and shapes of 2-pronged screwdriver bits.
I am looking at one that is surely a standard size to fit your crossbolt nuts:
The big round one with 2 little round pins, top row, 4th bit from left side in picture below.
However, the buckstix tool will do fine.

They are supposed to be snugged down and add a little compression, or at least prevent expansion of the stock wood as occurs when the stock splits!

I always figured they and the entire crossbolt should be epoxied into the stock for best strengthening of the stock.

Here's mine from Midway USA:




Rip ...

Thanks. The decapping pins in a vice grip is ingenious!

I found an email address for Kimber:
Customerservice@kimberamerica.com

Apparently they do use the same spacing as the holes on an SKS crossbolt and they suggested using this SKS spanner wrench:
https://brassstacker.com/sks/s...-spanner-wrench.html

That will work with a socket wrench and I'll give it a try. Bedding the bolt does seem like a prudent idea.

Kimber customer service needs to up their game. The SKS spanner wrench is more widely spaced than the Kimber holes, and useless for this application. Anybody need a $15 SKS crossbolt spanner?

But Fjold saved the day. What Kimber uses is a stainless steel rod, threaded at both ends. It fits the wood channel perfectly, so bedding is likely not going to be helpful. I degreased the rod threads and the end screws, applied a little green LokTite 290, put one screw in by hand and then inserted the rod and attached the other screw. Using a tweezers I spun the caps down, then tightened them with Fjold's technique. That has both cap screws just under the surface of the stock, secured, and hopefully LokTited into good behavior.

I love the rifle, and hopefully have this minor glitch remedied. Thank you all.

Kimber customer service? Ha!

quote:

Originally posted by England:
"........... But Fjold saved the day. ........... then tightened them with Fjold's technique. ........"

Hello England,

So what technique was that? ? ?

.

quote:

Originally posted by buckstix:

quote:

Originally posted by England:
"........... But Fjold saved the day. ........... then tightened them with Fjold's technique. ........"

Hello England,

So what technique was that? ? ?

.

yours but Fjold handle is easier to type lol ....

I use cross bolts in all the big bore stocks I make...My tool is a set of two needle nose pliars, with tips ground to fit the holes..I found in some cases the regular tool does not fit all the cross bolt holes in spacing..The pliers therefore are adjustable to any spacing, they are inexpensive to modify...I use two as one is for a backup or stop, and the other turns the screw in and out. Lock tite or fiber glass works well. I like glass best, and to remove the cross bolts touch a red hot rod to the cross bolt head to soften the glass and unscrew..carefull not to burn the wood. The glass with fill in the pores and leave a thin layer of glass in the hole sealing the wood, looks pretty also..

I epoxy in a stainless steel all thread - one end has a allen socket so you can turn it in and then cap both sides with ebony (or black epoxy). Much better than the free floating screw in ones.

Umm, common and cheap old circlip pliers are made for the job, infinitely variable to suit any hole spacing.

OK, it is called a spanner wrench, of which I have been reminded.

Any such crossbolt ought to be set in epoxy.
Should NEVER COME LOOSE!!!

Rip ...