Sourcing various replacement screws etc for gun-smithing

Improving and repairing firearms. Rifle bedding, barrel work, stock replacement and other ways to improve your firearms.

Sourcing various replacement screws etc for gun-smithing

Post by Stix » 10 Feb 2019, 12:06 pm

When it comes to little screws, threaded rod/bolts, just general gunsmithing type fixings, where to you folk get your gear from...?

For example, i need to replace this...its off of an old Sportco built Martini action to fit the forend to a nut dovetailed into the barrel....
2019-02-10 12.21.56.jpg
2019-02-10 12.21.56.jpg (602.76 KiB) Viewed 1795 times

Then there's the threaded bit that (appears to be) just push fitted into the forend...
2019-02-10 12.19.08.jpg
2019-02-10 12.19.08.jpg (408.68 KiB) Viewed 1795 times


Id also like to make another forend to experiment with bedding on this Martini so as to not hack the original timber, in which case i need to get another screw the right length & thread as the existing dovetailed nut...
Where does one get this kind of stuff...? :unknown:

Another example, i want to bed my BRNO, & i need to replace the front screw for its been partially stripped, & i would also like the idea of using a threaded rod (the same thread as the action screw) to screw into the action to assist in locating the barreled action it centrally when bedding it.

Is there a one stop shop for this kind of gear, or is it a hunt everywhere to places like Coventry's, then end up having to order from lgs &/or smith & pay ridiculous amounts for a small action screw & wait months for its arrival...?

Can anyone give advice for this kind of purchasing...? :unknown:

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Re: Sourcing various replacement screws etc for gun-smithing

Post by bladeracer » 10 Feb 2019, 7:19 pm

Stix wrote:When it comes to little screws, threaded rod/bolts, just general gunsmithing type fixings, where to you folk get your gear from...?

For example, i need to replace this...its off of an old Sportco built Martini action to fit the forend to a nut dovetailed into the barrel....


I bought some bulk packs of the US firearm screw sizes from Brownells three or four years ago, as well as taps and dies.

That particular screw you could build the head up with weld and file it back to shape, or possibly just cut it and weld the head of another screw to it. If you build it up with weld you can even index it and then cut the slot to run along the axis of the rifle if you wanted to. Have you determined the size and pitch?
As it's not threaded into the barrel or action, you could also replace the nut and the screw with metric ones. Filing a nut to fit the dovetail wouldn't be too hard and is hidden anyway.
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Re: Sourcing various replacement screws etc for gun-smithing

Post by bigrich » 10 Feb 2019, 8:22 pm

you could try to locate bulk second hand screws from a crusty old fart at a gun show. :D i got some good spares for a modest price. then there are other characters that think their spares for oddball old crap is gold plated ........ :unknown:

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Re: Sourcing various replacement screws etc for gun-smithing

Post by Stix » 10 Feb 2019, 9:47 pm

bladeracer wrote:
Stix wrote:When it comes to little screws, threaded rod/bolts, just general gunsmithing type fixings, where to you folk get your gear from...?

For example, i need to replace this...its off of an old Sportco built Martini action to fit the forend to a nut dovetailed into the barrel....


I bought some bulk packs of the US firearm screw sizes from Brownells three or four years ago, as well as taps and dies.

That particular screw you could build the head up with weld and file it back to shape, or possibly just cut it and weld the head of another screw to it. If you build it up with weld you can even index it and then cut the slot to run along the axis of the rifle if you wanted to. Have you determined the size and pitch?
As it's not threaded into the barrel or action, you could also replace the nut and the screw with metric ones. Filing a nut to fit the dovetail wouldn't be too hard and is hidden anyway.


No i havnt determined the size or thread yet....just thought id ask the question first...
Obviously hoping to not have to make stuff like that due to time restraints.

Yes i could file a new nut to fit the dovetail, & not thst it eould be seen, but that eould look like crap, not to mention ive not the tools to know if i could get it true (perpendicular to the barrel in every way). :unknown:
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Re: Sourcing various replacement screws etc for gun-smithing

Post by bladeracer » 10 Feb 2019, 11:11 pm

Stix wrote:No i havnt determined the size or thread yet....just thought id ask the question first...
Obviously hoping to not have to make stuff like that due to time restraints.

Yes i could file a new nut to fit the dovetail, & not thst it eould be seen, but that eould look like crap, not to mention ive not the tools to know if i could get it true (perpendicular to the barrel in every way). :unknown:


Let us know the dimensions and I'll see if I can find something. I think I kept some of those dovetail nuts and action screws from some Lithgows my dealer scrapped.

I can see the sense in that, but the time involved to make it would be pretty short, less than an hour I'd say. Dropping some weld on the screw head and filing it to shape would be quicker, and welding another screw to it would be even quicker still with no finishing required.

It would only look like crap if you wanted it to, if you want to finish it nicely it's really not much more effort.
Not really any tools other than some files, a vice, a caliper to measure with, and some patience, not that long ago all rifles were made entirely by hand, and they looked bloody lovely. With older firearms it's always possible that some bits have already been replaced with hand-made replicas, or bits adapted from other things.
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