Help choosing gunsmith screwdrivers

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mmorris

mmorris

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I have been looking for a set of hollow ground screwdrivers to use on my Smith & Wesson Model 67-1.

Does anyone have an opinion on these “Smith & Wesson” screwdrivers from Midway?

Smith & Wesson Gunsmithing Screwdriver Set 6-Piece Steel
Midway Product #: 144059 Manufacturer #: SW1015

The other set Midway has that I am considering is:

Grace USA 7-Piece Pistolsmith Screwdriver Set
Midway Product #: 161370 Manufacturer #: HG-7

I would love to have a set of these:

FIXED BLADE GUNSMITH'S SCREWDRIVERS™
Mfr:BROWNELLS Price:$11.99 - $195.99

...but the price is way too much for occasional use (unless someone can suggest which specific screwdrivers at $12 each will suffice for the 67-1)

Other suggestions?
 
There is a very informative article in the October issue of The American Rifleman on just this subject.
I personally like the Grace Metal set of drivers that I purchased years ago, supplemented by some others that have been ground to fit certain screws.
 
Second Brownells. I use the Magna-Tips

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/sid=1826/pid=413/sku/S_W_Screwdriver_Set

Their tips supplied weren't exactly right (?) so I did have to buy a few others. The catalog used to provide tip numbers but I don't see that info anymore. I found 4 bits (120-2, 150-4, 180-4, and 210-4) which fit the j-frame screw set much better than the 3 Brownells originally supplied. You could just get a handle and buy the tips you need when you need them.
 
The fixed blades are the best of all. I have a few and absolutely love them. If I was messing around with genuinely rare and expensive firearms or building uber-high end kits I would only use them, and would make sure I was using the absolutely proper tip. The control you get from them can't be duplicated with the wiggly tips. That's how those fellows who build ornate pieces do it.
 
Zeke/PA-There is a very informative article in the October issue of The American Rifleman on just this subject.
Click to expand...
I just joined the NRA under the special offer of 2 years for $25 with magazine subscription. I elected to get the American Rifleman digital edition. I don't know how the digital edition works, but I hope I can access the Oct issue.

LongRifles, Inc.-Here is a link to a related thread on another forum:

http://www.thefiringline.com/forums/...d.php?t=381906
Click to expand...
Thanks for the link... very interesting reading your posts.

Lee Roder-Second Brownells. I use the Magna-Tips
Click to expand...
I tend to favor the one-piece design, but thanks for the bit sizes you listed. Will these bits do OK for a K frame?

Cosmoline-The fixed blades are the best of all
Click to expand...
+1

Thanks for the quick posts.
 
Definitely agree with the other posts regarding Brownells for gunsmith screw drivers. They do do make a specific set for S&W revolvers but it would in your best interest to purchase a more general kit that would be for use for most firearms. Brownell's Magnatip Kits are the finest on the market in my opinion.
 
mmoris -

the bits i listed fit my S&W M60 j-frame, the smallest two being for the target sight. none of these bits will fit my only K frame (victory 38spl)!

but bits 210-2, 150-3 and 120-1, the 3 originally supplied by brownells, fit the narrower slots in the screw heads of this gun.

if you buy these, and find they don't fit, choosing the correct size is easy (numbering is based on blade width and blade thickness). i think the catalog which i can't find right now explains this or at least lists the sizes available.
 
I have the big fixed blade set and the super professional magna tip sets from Brownell's.....both have their place in repairs. But with a budget in mind, if you have a 6 - 8" grinding wheel, you can easily make your own hollow ground screwdrivers for your S&W needs...get some flat blade screwdrivers at Home Depot, etc. for about $ 1-2.00 a piece they are inexpensive to learn on; use the top of the grinding wheel and shape them just the way you need them...go slow working each side, test fit for the screws you are working on, don't heat the tip up too much at a time and they will work fine. That's how the old guys did it before Brownell.
 
"smith" screwdrivers have parallel edges to precisely match the vertical screw slots for depth and width of the screw before you.....a standard screwdriver is wedge shaped at its tip which leads to a mismatch of surfaces to apply torque efficiently, leading to camming out of the screwdriver tip as rotational torque is applied which in turn leads to screwed up looking screws.

Sure, regular screwdrivers might work sometimes, when they don't the appearance of your screws tell the tale.
 
Some of the kits at Home Depot have hollow groud tips with ratcheting handles. They range from $5 to $15. I just got my wife a set to have around the office at work and they were all hollow ground tips.
 
Nothing really special about the design of "gunsmith screwdrivers". Most of the bit driver kits have hollow ground bits that work just fine for many gun screws. What is special though is that some screw slot sizes are unique to guns (both width and length) and you will not find bits in regular stores that fit those. My 10 dollar black and decker bit kit from Lowes fits most of my guns.

In truth, regular wedge shaped screw drivers are crap in general even for non gun applications.

Hollow ground on the left
drvbit.jpg
 
Issue Resolved

Thanks to all who responded to my question.

After checking all of my numerous multi-bit sets that I compulsively buy whenever I find them on sale, I found each had only a couple of standard hollow-ground bits and they were all way too big.

Then I remembered a Craftsman set I haven't used in several years because it has mostly small bits, and (minor miracle) I was even able to locate it.

Perfect! Included in the 55 piece kit were 8 hollow-ground straight bits, one of which fit my S&W model 67-1 stock and side-plate screws so well that the kit might as well have been called a "Gunsmithing Special."

If I were buying new screwdrivers I would be compelled to overspend for my current needs, but you've solved my short term problem until I can make a better decision in the future.

Thanks for helping me out.

Mike
 
I have the brownells and they still aren't perfect.

As the picture above shows, they get wider too quickly for me and so the only contact edges are at the wider parts.

Why can't anybody make a screwdriver which stays fixed width a little longer so it fits screws perfectly? Yes it's a little weaker and higher chance of breakage, but come on.
 
I bought the complete Brownells set, along with a nice oak wood block storage. Using the wrong driver is a great way to bugger up the screws on a nice firearm.

I don't need them real often, but they fit perfect and they don't slip. I kept having screws loosen on my Navy .36 till I got the right size driver - the feel is perfect. Somebody once said the nice thing about standards, there are so many to choose from. Ha ha. It does seem as if there are way too many gradations in size, the number could be cut by half, easy. I always sort of liked allen fasteners but they never really caught on. Britain had some sort of "whitworth" standard, Phillips yet another, Torx, etc. Never thought about it, but slot-screws are pretty much standard for non-mil firearms?

A cool thing about Brownells, I order online and get it the next day.

Good screwdrivers are difficult to find these days, most of the consumer stuff is just junk. Older tools are a real bargain, but ya gotta go look for them, spend time, fuel, etc. Just doing my part to help stimulate the economy.
 
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I have been buying screwdrivers at yard sales and grinding them into the shape I want.

This is not as good as the Brownell set, but stronger than the Forster or Chapman set.
 
I'm looking for a screwdriver for the side plate to remove the cylinder on my 442. For anyone that has the small kit for S&W revolvers, do the bits included fit this screw?
 
chele519, i posted earlier. none of the 3 bits in brownell's 3-bit S&W magnatip set fit my jframe. the blade edges of this set are too thin. they do fit the narrower slots of my k frame though. the bit which actually fits the screw on my gun (model 60) which releases the cylinder from the frame corresponding to your model 443's screw is the 180-4 magnatip. if all jframes are created equal then this should fit your's. hope this helps.
 
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Thanks for the help, I must have misunderstood. I only saw your post that said the bits fit your j frame but not the k. Luckily I found a screwdriver in the house that actually fits perfectly.
 
mmorris,
I did in fact mail you my October issue of the Rifleman one week ago.
It's not called "snail mail" for nothing.
Regards, Zeke
 
Screwdrivers

Get the wheeler set and you won't be sorry. They have thin blades to suit all screws.
 
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