Does any one have any tips, or tricks on how to remove stuck screws? I'm thinking the previous owner of this rifle used the wrong type of locktite. I have actully broken 2 allen wrenches so far, socket heads are still intact and have not stripped out. I have a great dislike for see through mounts! I hope I'm not "stuck" with them.

There'a Allen wrenches and allen wrenches. If the screws are still in one piece, find an allen wrench from Snap-on or another quality outfit and a soldering iron. Locktite softens with heat, so get the screws hot and try them again.

Bye
Jack

If you think it's the red loctite, warm the reciever around the screws with a heat gun/hair dryer until quite warm to the touch. Or use a high wattage electric soldering iron and touch it to the screw heads for about 2 minutes to start.

From there proceed further with heating as needed until the loctite lets go and allows the screws to be loosened.

Regards

Yes, Lok-tite will break down with heat. The soldering iron trick is neat and shouldn't hurt a thing. Just let them cool off again. Should smell something a bit 'sweet' or aromatic when it gets hot enough.

One other thing that you can do, after you've gone through a heat cycle, is give the top of each screw a good smart tap (just tap the end of the screwdriver handle). This can help loosen them if there is any rust, burrs, etc.

Thanks guys,
I'm off to the on my quest for a decent quality set of allen wrenches, already have a soldering iron, and I'm sure my wife won't miss her hair dryer for as long as I need it!

Save the broken allens. Have gotten an occasional screw that's well recessed...will stick the allen wrench shank into the screw, heat the wrench...transfers the heat only to the screw (don't want to do this with a good allen).

heres how i do it (works if a action screw gets "accidently bedded" too) stick one of the broken allen wrenches in the screw and heat the wrench with a propane torch. the heat will travel up the allen wrench and heat the screw. you can use quite a bit of heat, as steel will not be affected until over 450 degrees. i don't know about loc-tite, but bedding compound will release at around 300 degrees, but will soften at a lower temp. the trick is to use just enough heat to do the job without stripping an allen head screw. i've thought about using sweet's bore cleaner to try dissolving the loc tite, as sweets is supposed to dissolve plastic wad residue out of shotgun barrels. that's an untested thought.

monty

You left out one very important piece of information. Are the scope mounts steel or aluminum. This will make a world of difference in how you remove the screws.

First of all the loc tite compounds need two things too make them work. They need the iron molecule and an absence of air. This makes them set up. If you have steel screws and steel mounts then your bond is the strongest. Steel screws and aluminum mounts then a weaker bond. Brass screws and aluminum mounts equal no bond. Try it and you'll be impressed.

So what do you have? I suspect steel screws and aluminum mounts. The previous owner tightened the screws so tight that the steel screws galled in the aluminum mounts. If that is the case then hopefully you'll be able to break the screws with a good quality allen wrench although it is doubtful.

A worse case scenero would be having to file or cut the mounts to remove the scope. If so do this around the screw holes and you can use a Dremel tool if its aluminum and use a tungsten carbide bit not a stone type tool. Stone loads up with aluminum and the heat generated will cause aluminum to expand and the stone to explode. Spoils a good day.

Cut the metal from the top band of the mount around the screw hole. Keep at it until you've cut it away and the top band will fall away. Since you don't like the see-through mounts you're going to throw them away anyway and removing them in the manner will destroy them.

If its steel screws and steel mounts then proceed with the heating as advised by other posts. If stud and bearing mount loc tite was used on the screws then you will need over 600F to bread that bond. I believe it is something like 650-675F.

Good luck with your project.