Im wanting too buy a good set of screwdrivers for firearms. Who makes the best ones. Thanks

I would check out Grace USA. I really like their wood handles and they have a variety of blades to fit many screws... or they will grind you a custom size. I use them all the time and i couldnt tell you how many I've got around the shop. They hold up well. Brownells sells several of their sets as well as singles.
If you prefer interchangeable bits, Brownells has all kinds of them. I would buy a basic set and then add as you need to. I've got a couple of drawers full of those too.
For Torx stuff (bits and t- handles) I like Wiha. Get those at auto parts and small engine suppliers.

Hard to beat the large set from Wheeler Engineering unless your working on old doubles, then you'll want to grind your own.

The brownells drivers are good. I prefer to use a high quality ratcheting screwdriver that takes 1/4" hex bit tips, and just buy the bits.

Zephyr and/or Apex make the bits for Brownells. I usually just buy the Zephyr bits directly; I can get a better selection that way.

My opinion, here is the best place to buy the insert bits: Zephyr Bits

Here's the Brownells sets; there's good reasons to support the supplier that supports the gun industry: Brownells Magna driver sets

Mcmaster-Carr is also a good place to get bits, they have a great selection, they don't post the manufacturer but most of them I have received from them have been Zephyr or Apex: McMaster Bit Selection

I use a ratcheting Snap-on Screwdriver, my opinion that is the best you can get. Expensive but worth it: Snap-on Ratcheting Screwdriver

I also occasionally use a small ratchet that holds insert bits, I use a MAC one: Mac MR5BD Ratchet

Buy this block to store the bits. It's the best I've found, it will easily hold several hundred bits leaving enough space to grab them to remove them easily: Freezone Bit Storage Block

Lee Valley used to be the best place to buy the freezone boards, but don't show it as stocked now. I don't know: Lee Valley Tools

I like the Grace screwdrivers, of course I grind them to my specks.

The brownells kits are good.

DO NOT buy that $200 kit from Galazan, complete crap.

I also second Grace as my choice.

I use many different brands, really old or brand new, many of them are grind for specific use.

What I use a lot are 3 swiss made torque tools (each has different range), 4 different swiss handles (cross and classics) and swiss made bits.

I like these bits, very high quality, well made. For some older guns must be grind a little, so two of each size is nice to have:

http://www.pbswisstools.com/en...s/product/pb-e61004/

Cross handle bit holder (for hard to release bolts):

http://www.pbswisstools.com/en...duct/pb-125410-30-m/

Torque tools:
http://www.pbswisstools.com/en...t/pb-8317m-04-20-nm/

i still prefer my old bonanza ones

I have a brownells set but I brought a lot of drivers at garage sales for pennies the grind them to fit particular projects

I was disappointed with store bought screwdrivers, so I made my own. S1 steel, hardened, double tempered and hollow ground. Took off a screw with a .017" slot, that was 2 handed tight.

Dave

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
i still prefer my old bonanza ones

I was waiting for another old-timer to talk about Bonanza drivers. I've ground many of them but still have a couple sets in relatively good condition.

Zeke

I've used the Grace screwdrivers and they are very good until they break or chip. So, switched to a Brownells set and haven't had any issues in years.

quote:

Originally posted by ZekeShikar:

quote:

Originally posted by butchloc:
i still prefer my old bonanza ones

I was waiting for another old-timer to talk about Bonanza drivers. I've ground many of them but still have a couple sets in relatively good condition.

Zeke

These are really soft.I tried tightening a screw once and the blade just twisted as if it were soft candy.Out of the set that I bought most are now damaged.My Brownell screwdrivers are much better.

I just use old screw drivers accumulated over the years. Some bought, some given to me, some I picked up out of trash piles,,some I don't know where they came from.
Grind or file the tip to what I need. They made some really good tools back in the day.

I never liked the interchangeable tip tools. Just never felt comfortable with them always changing the bit out, searching through the set for the exact one to fit the next screw head on the gun..
drives me crazy actually all that fiddling around for a simple screwdriver.

I know I'm in the minority but I still like the pile of screwdrivers in front of me on the bench. I know which is which by the handles (they're all different) and can just reach for the one I need and use it.

I have a deluxe set of Brownells and I like them. I also haunt the pawn shops for old time screw drivers made of hard steel..I use them to shape to fit screws or bend the front portion over cut a sharp blade to different shapes for inletting rifle stocks, must have a hundred scrapers of every shape and need, I also have a bunch ready in case I get the need for special shape, I buy them for 50 cents or less..I also harden them as a rule. I like them fairly brittle, but its a crap shoot, if they don't hold and edge I try again..or toss them. I also use them for polishing rail ways, I flatten the half round blade and glass a sized stone to it. I make most of my stock making tools, I would rather scrape a stock in at a certain point than rasp it or file it. I use only fitted screw drivers on guns, if they are not fitted and you want them "tight", your gonna mess the screw head up to one degree or another..

I too have a deluxe or super set of Brownell's Magna-Tip screwdrivers. Great tools for sure and, it looks like most of the drivers in the set will work with the Wheeler Fat (torque) wrench that I recently ordered.

For a novice like myself, a good set of screwdrivers is cheaper than taking my rifle to a gunsmith to fix something I screwed up using a shoddy screwdrivers...which happened a few years ago.

I have had a Bonanza set for almost forty years. Mine are very hard. Had a Brownells
set almost as long. Both work great.
Mike

I would chime in with the comment about Grace breaking and chipping. The shafts are too short (For me at least)