Ace Ain't the Place......

[kBob]

So I had need of a few side plate screws for both an older Colt PPS (bought used that way) and a S&W M15 (mounted a scope and the car key elves got the original screw) and had been putting off ordering and paying more for shipping than the parts.

Into the local ACE hardware for some plumbing supplies last week and verily there upon the entrance door was a sign stating "gun screws" were now available.

I happily went about my faucet rebuilding chores with thoughts of happily complete revolvers in my head. Happily.

Next day I showed up at the store with examples of the needed screws in hand and info on what models they came from...... only to find that the Unhelpful Hardware hired off the street with no experience and should work at Lowes or Home Depot Man could find nothing to match probably the two most common revolver screws in existence. They had no listing of what screws worked where either, but only the standard size of the screws by pitch thread count and length.

After wasting a good teen minutes of him putzing around with a couple of plastic trays full of assorted screws I unhappily left and unhappily returned home to unhappily re install the screws in the places I got them before unhappily glaring at the holes in the Colt and S&W that were in need. Unhappily.

Pay no attention to signs that seem too good to be true!

If however some one happens to know the common data for those screws maybe I might have some luck. Guys?

-kBob

 

[X-Rap]

Numrich, Brownells, maybe Midway
I doubt your going to find a complete assortment of gun screws at any hardware regardless of the sign.
To many pitches and diameters.

 

[g.willikers]

You might want to go back and try again without their help.

 

[dakota1911]

Agree that you might want to research pitch, thread, blah, blah, and then go back without their help.

 

[rcmodel]

Even if they find the 'gun screws' at Ace?

They won't be what you need.

They will be common scope base screws, plug screws, etc.

You will have to get the proper side-plate screws from the proper side-plate screw sources.

S&W can fix you up.
Doubtful Colt can.

Have to go with one of the gun parts places for them.

rc

 

[Jim Watson]

I did the google for you. S&W sideplate screws are 5-44. Good luck finding that at Ace.
They are in production, but you would likely have to buy some, cut to length, and get lucky or turn the head diameter and thickness.

Bite the bullet and order some Real Gun Screws.

 

[DPris]

You AIN'T gonna find "drop-in" screws to fit vintage Colts at ANY hardware store.
Denis

 

[ku4hx]

All I've ever been able to get from any "hardware store" was wood and metal screws and various lag bolts and such. If the place didn't sell guns they likely wound't sell gun related thingamajigs either. Many that do sell guns don't have small parts and such.

I've always relied on Brownells, Numrich and gun makers to get gun parts.

 

[g.willikers]

If there's a genuine fastener supply company in your neck of the woods, they might have them.
I have found gun screws, taps and dies at the old fashioned family owned type hardware stores.
But unfortunately they are getting mighty hard to find.

 

[Malamute]

Even if they stock "gun screws", its going to be generic stuff, like someone said. Scope mounting screws and things of that sort. I wouldnt even expect a gunsmith to have specific screws of every type on hand. I think your expectations were way too high.

 

[BSA1]

The best thing is go through all of guns and determine what parts you need for them then place a order for all of them so you only have to pay for shipping once.

Jack First in Rapid City, S.D. often has hard to find parts.

 

[Old Fuff]

When it comes to screw thread, be very careful, because the age of the gun is critical.

Before World War Two both Colt and Smith & Wesson made they're own screws in-house to their own standards.

During the war S&W changed to conform with military and industry standards. Screws that had been S&W .122-44 became N.F. #5-44. The extractor thread was changed from S&W .186-47 to N.S. #2, .186-47.

Stock Screws and escutcheon threads were changed during 1942 to #5 N.F. or .125-44.

Additional changes were made after the war.

Colt made similar changes, but I don't have the information at hand.

KNOW WHAT TO ORDER BEFORE YOU DO!

 

[Reloadron]

If you are in any proximity to a good decent smith the screw you need can be made. A good smith will have blank screw stock. a cutter and a die. Turning a screw is not that difficult.

Ron

 

[whanson_wi]

You could try Fastenal, but unless one is close by, the shipping cost will make it more practical to go to the original maker. Also, the Fastenal screws may need to be trimmed to length, and won't be blued.

 

[rcmodel]

Fastenal doesn't sell proprietary S&W or Colt gun screws either.

You would be wasting your time calling them.

rc

 

[lee1000]

Good for Ace Hardware carrying gun screws though. It's a slam to the gun banners.

 

[rcmodel]

It remains to be seen if they carry them or not.

Our two stores have odds & ends speciality screws in metal sliding drawer cabinets in one aisle.

They are stocked and re-filled by an outside company who (I think?) has a contract with Ace.

I have seen guys inventorying the speciality bins and re-stocking them.

And they were not the normal red vest store employees doing it.

rc

 

[Ex]

Last job I took in semi retirement was a job at an Ace in Mesa, Az.
We would have had the screws you need.

I am not "propping" up Ace cause they Pixxed me off, but you must have got one with idiots. Bound to happen anywhere.

Can ANYONE say they’ve NEVER been to a gun shop that didn't have morons working there?

'Nough said.

You AIN'T gonna find "drop-in" screws to fit vintage Colts at ANY hardware store.
Denis

 

[ku4hx]

When it comes to screw thread, be very careful ...

Ain't it the truth. What seems like a regular event, I see a shooter talking to our club's gunsmith/manager and many times it because of stripped threads because of the "proper screws" sold by brick and mortar retailers you find in most cities. Usually the comment goes something like,"The back of the package said they fit ....... ".

Sometimes it just pays to deal with established gun part supply companies. And even then, be very careful.

 

[HexHead]

So I had need of a few side plate screws for both an older Colt PPS (bought used that way) and a S&W M15 (mounted a scope and the car key elves got the original screw) and had been putting off ordering and paying more for shipping than the parts.

So, you could get the screws you need, but don't want to pay for shipping. My heart bleeds for you.

 

[Longhorn 76]

But a screw assortment from Brownell's. I got one long ago. You will still need to blue them, and cut to length.

 

[Fiv3r]

I've never thought to check out Ace for gun screws, but I don't have a lot of guns that require screw maintenance. I will say, I'm a fan of one of our local Ace stores. Short of buying an appliance or building material, there has not been one time where I have walked into our Ace and not found exactly what I needed in their dozen aisles instead of wandering through the 40 aisles of Lowe's or Home Depot.

Friendly folks, helpful, and (for me) have been 100% having the parts and tools in stock I have needed for basic home repair projects. Plus, they have a free archery range for the kiddos to practice at.

 

[kBob]

Well they did put out a sign saying they had gun screws.....

I did stop by this AM after dropping The Girl off at Band Camp.....she has been warned never to utter the words "So, this one time at band Camp"....and they had the parts for repairing the latch on the barn door. Embarrasing that, wife said door handle was not working and it WAS hard to open. Stepped into the barn for tools, as is my habit closed the door behind me. She was right. I had to take apart the handle and bolt to get out.

Dispite my grumbling about ACE and the gun screws it IS nice to have three stores with in six miles of the house one NNW on NNE and one South. Hmmm come to think of it maybe the south store whose main clerk is a gun crank (though shotguns mainly) may have a selection without a sign and someone that knows what they are doing. That store carries common ammo.......except .22 rimfire.

-kBob

 

[HankB]

When I was putting down some decking in my attic, I got some wood screws from Ace.

THEY WERE THE SOFTEST SCREWS I EVER HAD THE DISPLEASURE OF USING! Despite using the proper size driver, the heads stripped out repeatedly. I also bought some 1/4" diameter hex head bolts to hang ladder hooks, and I twisted the heads right off as I was driving them into a stud. (No, I wasn't using an impact wrench, just hand tools.)

Threw them all away and bought from Home Depot . . . no further issues.

So maybe you're lucky not to buy gun screws from Ace, because in my experience, the screws and bolts they sell are utterly cr@p.

Try Brownell's.

 

[DPris]

Ex,
I find it very hard to believe any ACE would have screws to fit old Colts that even Colt can't provide.
Denis