Can Stainless Steal Be Blued & Grips Screws?

[DonNikmare]

I'm thinking about rethreading the grip screw holes on two of my guns to a more common size such as 6-32. Hex head screws just look much better than philips. The current size is the metric 6-40 equivelant. The replacement 6-32 screws I found at Home Depot are Stainless Steal and I would like to blue them so that they would match the gun better.

Is that doable, will it be durable, and if yes how can I best blue them at home?

What is the most common grip screw size out there with the most widely available hex head screws?

Thanks for any help!

Nik

 

[Old Fuff]

Before going too far, what handgun do you have? It is possible that blued hex-screws are available from the gun's manufacturer or an aftermarket source such as Brownells.

 

[justsurvivingincalifornia]

What kind of gun do you have?
I remember that there are some aftermarket screw for guns in the brownells catalog. They were for the model 1911 type guns. They sell a tork or hex type screw for the grips.

 

[DonNikmare]

They are both cz's and Brownells does have a Ruger grip screw that's supposed to fit and does but is too short. On their website they had a panhead screws pictured but when I ordered I got socket head screws that are too short. They did fit on my 97b (that's why I didn't send them back) but bearly and don't look as good as panhead screws do.
No matter what I tried they just did not fit/were not long enough for my cz P-01.

So instead of waisting more time and $ I'd rather retap the screw holes for something that is more common, easily available, and looks better (if there is such a thing).

Any help with the original ?'s is appriaciated.

Nik

 

[TechBrute]

I don't think stainless STEEL takes standard bluing. You may need to look into some sort of alternative coating.

 

[Perfesser]

"I'm thinking about rethreading the grip screw holes on two of my guns to a more common size such as 6-32. Hex head screws just look much better than philips. The current size is the metric 6-40 equivelant."

Not gonna work. #6 is the same size hole (around 1/8 inch but I'd have to look it up) for all threads (28, 32,or 40 TPI) and all you'll do putting a 6-40 tap through 6-32 threads is ruin the threads so nothing will tighten. I think the reason for the 40 tpi is that screws in guns, grip screws in particular, are in very short holes and need the extra surface area of the additional thread to keep from stripping out.
I get aftermarket grip screws at gun shows and I have a set of satin stainless on one gun and high polish blue on one; both are hex head and look great.
BTW 6-40 isn't metric; it's a standard but not common SAE size.

 

[DonNikmare]

and all you'll do putting a 6-40 tap through 6-32 threads is ruin the threads so nothing will tighten

I'm thinking about doing the opposite...put a 6-32 tap through a 6-40 hole/thread. I should just widen it a little to accomodate the slightly wider in diameter 6-32 screw(6-32>6-40). I think the current metric size is M3.5x8 to which the closest inchwise is 6-40.

Nik

 

[Standing Wolf]

I don't think stainless STEEL takes standard bluing.

I know it doesn't. I've seen "blackened" stainless steel, but it was ugly.

Personally, I'm partial to fire-blued screws on nickel guns and gold-plated screws on blued guns.

 

[brickeyee]

6-32 and 6-40 screws are within thousandths of an inch of the same diameter.
The 32 and 40 are the thread counts per inch and have very little to do with the diameter. When drilling a hole for tapping, higher thread counts typically require a larger hole since the tap cutting edges are not as strong. This results in slightly shallower threads, but the crest diameter in the thread is pretty much set by the diameter assigned to the thread.
The high thread counts are used to ensure thread count in short holes. Fine threads in hard base material are very strong (coarse threads are stronger in softer base materials).
Look at Brownells and see if they have a screw more to your liking.
Stainless steel cannot be blued. Bluing is a controlled corrosion rusting process and gun grade stainless does not work.
You can get any number of surface finishes that are applied and then baked on.

 

[DonNikmare]

Anyone know what the 1911 grip screw specifications are? Are they 6-32 or ...?

I found these and they look pretty good I just don't know to what specifications I would need to retap the hole.

Hogue Grip Screws Hex Head 1911 Blue

Nik

 

[Old Fuff]

The standard screws are .150"x50 TPI (obviously an odd size). Brownells has the screws and taps. Use a No. 31 tap drill.

 

[DonNikmare]

Thanks for the specs!

.150"x50 will have to be wider than 6-40 in order for my plan to work but I have no clue of it is.

Is .150"x50 wider in diameter than the 6-40 size?

Nik

 

[Sunray]

"...Is that doable..." No. SS doesn't take regular bluing. However, there are products that will darken SS. Seems to me that Brownell's sells it.
http://www.brownells.com/Default.aspx

 

[DonNikmare]

Looks like I'll be getting that tap from Brownell's. I bought 4 kimber hex grip screws last week and they measure .150'' in diameter and have 9-10 rows of thread in about .200" so that x 5 will make them exactly 50 TPI.

Doing the change on my P-01 will be a little risky as there's not much metal between the screw hole and the mag well but there's plenty on my cz 97b. So I'll to a test hole and tap in some piece of metal, then on my 97b, and if I feel brave on my P-01.

Thanks for all the help!

Nik