Member Link Up I need help in IL

[UIUCPPQ]

So I overtorqued the action screws in my AICS + R700, and I mean really overtorqued. They need to be drilled out and I lack the tools and expertise. Can anyone in the Central IL area help me out?

I feel terrible about this and I'm very well aware of what I've done at this point, so if anyone can help or knows someone who can help I'd be very grateful.

 

[dang472]

Re: I need help in IL

Can you take the skins off? If I remember correctly, the allen action screws should stick out far enough to get a pair of vise-grips on the heads. I'm in northern Illinois near Rockford. How far are you away?

 

[UIUCPPQ]

Re: I need help in IL

They're going to have to be drilled out unless you're some kind of magician with vice grips. I just had a guy try to get them out by welding to them and that didn't work either. I need someone with a pretty specialized setup

 

[dang472]

Re: I need help in IL

Working as a powersports mechanic for almost 10 years, I've run into some stubborn bolts. Did you use a freakin' impact gun on them or something? Do they have Loctite on the threads? If there isn't a crazy amount of thread locker, it should be a fairly simple drill allen head off and pull the action out. The remaining bolts will still be in the action, but there should be enough protruding to grab ahold of. I'm 90% certain I could help you out.

 

[UIUCPPQ]

Re: I need help in IL

I'd be willing to give it a shot, but today I took it into a machine shop and they tried welding onto the end of the screws and removing them that way, it didn't work.

Honestly at this point I'm willing to try just about anything that might save at least the chassis or the action.

No impact driver, I just torqued them down by hand to something like 25 ft-lbs when I meant to put them to 65 in-lbs.

You can't imagine how dumb I feel.

Edit* also no loctite. Just a lot of pressure.

 

[Bradu]

Re: I need help in IL

Where at in central IL?

 

[UIUCPPQ]

Re: I need help in IL

Champaign/Urbana area

 

[tsavo303]

Re: I need help in IL

i did the same thing, for some reason those bolts are really easy to strip if you dont use a good allen wrench

i got most out but did have to drill one out. and u can probally do as good a job as i did

 

[UIUCPPQ]

Re: I need help in IL

I just had a look at it this morning and apparently one of the bolts snapped last night. I don't think that's a good sign, but now it's just held in by 1 bolt, which is surely very bad for both the action and the chassis.

Oof.

 

[dang472]

Re: I need help in IL

Yes, the pressure is what is causing the problem. The good thing about allen bolts is that once you drill off the head, all pressure will be gone. Remove your skins, go slow and drill the head off with a sharp drill bit. Once the head is off, the action will come right out. If there isn't Loctite on the threads and they aren't cross-threaded, with a little oil, the remaining bolt shanks will spin out.

 

[UIUCPPQ]

Re: I need help in IL

Well it appears my luck is better than I could have hoped. After a gunsmith and a machine shop both failed to get the screws out, I took the rifle over to the contractor my parents have used for their home for a long time and it looks like he got them right out. Says the threads in the receiver are good to go as well. I can't wait to go pick it up, thanks to everyone for the suggestions and advice; I'm so glad it's not a loss for me, I love that rifle.