Stripped an itty bitty screw w/ an Allen wrench (Walther P22)

[GigaBuist]

This should be a very general question but nothing came up in the search function. I've never really worked with stuff THIS small and delicate (brakes on a car are much easier )... so I thought I'd ask here.

I seem to have stripped a very small screw on my Walther P22. The "worm screw" that helps hold in the extra weight on a 5" barrel setup. I've taken it off and put it on, oh, four times now. Must be some weak metal for me to strip it that easy -- so I surely want to try and replace it with something harder. Then again, maybe I should just try and "snug" it in there from now on.

It's an allen wrench screw, I beleive 1/16th in head. It's length is just 3/32nds of an inch from eyeballing it. Yeah, I'm an idiot. The bugger is STUCK in there it seems.

Can anybody recommend a tool to remove something like this without damaging anything? Sources for such tools?

 

[HSMITH]

The next size up TORX bit will be a good choice, tap it in and will swage the corners of the hex just a bit for the teeth to bite into. Another helpfull method is to stretch the screw to relieve the tension on it making it easier to remove, put in the socket a small pin punch or a cut off piece of the wrench and tap it firmly with a hammer. It stretches the bolt head slightly from the screw-threaded portion and releases a lot of the tension that is fighting you in removing it. You might also luck out and have a metric hex key fit the wobbled out socket of the screw head well enough to remove it once the head is stretched back a little.

 

[yankytrash]

...and an allenhead screw makes a nice center for a drillbit, should the occasion arise.

 

[Rockstar]

If you can find a Torx-head screw as a replacement, you'll be way ahead of the game.

 

[Draper Knives]

Hate it when that happens....

Check your allen wrench, make sure the edges are still sharp, not rolled over. I've used some coarse valve grinding compound, dab a little in there, if it's not stripped too bad, it will allow the wrench to get a better bite.

Good luck!
Mike

 

[Dave Sample]

Bummer! Just have one thing to say about using allen wrenches. Make sure they are bottomed out. I twisted the head off a grip screw a couple of days ago with my stubby screwdriver and had to jerk the bushing out with the good old vice grips. I couldn't find the right tap and was doing the dumb stunt of trying to recut the threads with the grip screw. I saved the head of that screw in a plastic bag to remind myself one more time not to do this dumb stuff anymore! Oh Well..................................................some people never learn , and I am one of them.

 

[Jim K]

You can usually get an Allen screw out with an Easy Out; if it has a point, you might have to grind it flat.

I suggest replacing it with either a straight slot screw or a Torx screw, even if you have to drill and tap to a U.S. size.

Just to make myself clear: I hate Allen screws. I hate Allen screws. I hate Allen screws.

Jim

 

[Dave Sample]

I agree with Jim! The only thing I hate worse is slotted screws boogerd by a five thumbed clutz who can't manage to unscrew a screw right! I love the allen head screws for grips on 1911's and I like the Ed Brown Hex mag catch lock screw for that reason. I have to work with slotted soft screws on six guns still and i hate them because they are easy to ruin. It is not easy being a perfectionist!