I'm trying to disassemble a boxlock, but instead of pins all the way through the action for sears/cocking levers, there are screws that only go half way through the action, and they are staked in place. Is there a clever way to remove them? Thanks.

I have never tormented myself with such a question. Grind a well fitting screw driver and turn it through the stake. If there is a top-secret way of doing it, it may be above my pay grade and because of that I have never been made privy to it. I suppose one could cut the stake off with a graver.

Well, twice I have used one of those air powered "engraver" rotary tools with a carbide bit, once on a staked screw, the stake was in line with the head slot, once to remove a very small frozen screw. Very slow but effective if careful. Dunno any other use for one of those "engravers." GW

Thanks both of you.

This stake is also in line with the screw slot. Fitted a bit and couldn't turn it out.

I'll put it in the mill vise and apply pressure with the downfeed and see if it'll move.

quote:

Originally posted by skl1:
Thanks both of you.

This stake is also in line with the screw slot. Fitted a bit and couldn't turn it out.

I'll put it in the mill vise and apply pressure with the downfeed and see if it'll move.

That's always been my go-to for tough screws when I DEFINITELY don't want to make a mess of things. I have a bunch of screw driver blades that I made and hardened from drill rod just for that job. I actually twisted a guard screw in half once that some clown had bedded into his gun with no release agent. The head was still good though. LOL