Uberti Rifle Screws

[Bruce]

Fellas,

I recently traded for a new Uberti Carbine. For the life of me, I can not get any of the screws to lossen. I have the proper screw driver bits and I have soaked them with Kroil. They will not budge. Any experiences or ideas to lossen them would be appreciated. I tried to email Uberti and get an error message. I will also try to call tomorrow, but I know someone here has already solved this issue. BTW, the screws are soft.

[Hobie]

What happened that you have to take it apart?

[Buck Elliott]

Small hammer; Proper screwdriver; light-to-moderate tapping on the screwdriver while attempting to turn screw.

If all that fails, you may have to drill the little suckers out and use REAL screws to replace 'em. I've known fellers who've used scope mount screws with great success as replacements.

[gamekeeper]

Very common problem with Uberti's, I think they employ a Gorilla with a screw driver!

[morgan in nm]

Electric soldering gun works for me.

[Bruce]

Hobie, I have to take all new rifles apart. It is a law I believe. Actually, I take them apart to make sure they are oiled and cleaned to my standards and to properly oil (linseed) the interior of the stock and forearm. It has been my experience that all current firearms only have a finish on the outside of the wood. I did manage to get the stock off last night and sure enough, no finish inside at all. Under the butt plate was bare also. I also find that the magazine tubes tend to be rusty inside and sometimes have crud in there.

I have tried the hammer tapping method and it did not help. I will try the soldering gun.

[1886]

Hobie, I have to take all new rifles apart. It is a law I believe. Actually, I take them apart to make sure they are oiled and cleaned to my standards and to properly oil (linseed) the interior of the stock and forearm. It has been my experience that all current firearms only have a finish on the outside of the wood. I did manage to get the stock off last night and sure enough, no finish inside at all. Under the butt plate was bare also. I also find that the magazine tubes tend to be rusty inside and sometimes have crud in there.

I have tried the hammer tapping method and it did not help. I will try the soldering gun.

Good points. Grip the proper fitting screw driver with your dominant hand and place your chin on the top of the driver and twist away. It might work. 1886.

[Ben_Rumson]

Mount the bit in a drill press.. use down pressure from it on the screw and twist the chuck by hand. Besides being soft I've noticed Uberti screw heads fit tight in their pockets, adding more friction to the removal effort.

[Bruce]

Well, I went an bought a soldering gun and tried that. Did not work. I am now to the point that I am going to cut parts off - meaning the forearm band. I have heated, beated and used the proper cuss words and the screws will not lossen and they are soft. I will now use Mr. Dremel and Mr. Drill Bit.

[Bruce]

Well, after I posted my last response I got a call from Uberti. A Mr. George Thompson 800-264-4962 Ext. 409 called and seemed sincerely concerned. To make a long story short, they did not know that their Web Site was not excepting complaints, responses or warranty questions. He was very professional and was concerned about the soft screw problem. I gave him the direction to this site and others to follow through with his research. This is your chance to inform him of any Uberti concerns and I will bet that he is monitoring the site now. I am satisfied with their follow through at this time.

[marlinman93]

I've never owned an Uberti rifle, since I like old originals, but I've got several Uberti pistols and love them all. Never experienced any issues with soft screws or stuck screws in my pistols.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have an Uberti 73 in .45Colt and one in .32-20 on the way. I have had no issues yet but replacement screw sets are available from VTI.
They sure are good lookin slick little rifles.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

This subject comes up fairly regular on the SASS wire. Uberti does run them up tight but if you have the right tools it's just not a problem. First thing you should learn to do is hollow grind oversize screwdrive bit so they fit tight.
Next is purchase an impact driver. For years I used an automotive type adapted down to 1/4" hex. But I happened to find this one at HARBOR FREIGHT. It takes the 1/4 hex bits and is only 5 bucks.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/d ... mber=93481



Just don't try to do this unless you have a padded vice to hold your work.

To the issue of soft screws in the uberti's. I would much rather deal with soft screws that can be drilled out. For years I had to deal with Rossi's hard brittle screws that break off way too easy. Now you got a problem.

[Bruce]

OK, I have removed all but two of the screws. Those are the carrier and lifter screws which are in front of the lever, on the bottom. I have had to use a drill and some other non-mentionable methods. I am convinced that there is something else going on here - such as a chemical bond. When I finally got the side plate screw off, the side plates would not come off. I finally took a punch and came through the opposite side screw hole and punched them off. Nothing for the faint at heart I assure you.

Once I got inside, everything is fine as it should be. There is rust inside the mag tube, but I can say that every lever gun I have opened (new or used) has the same condition. Stainless is the exception of course.

There is something being (has been) applied to "my" carbine that is bonding. It is not tight screws as the two before mention carrier and lifter springs are not screwed down tight (the springs). The bond is only at the screw head and those heads are soft.

I must admit that I am beat. I have buggered up the front forearm band to get it off. I have ordered another along with the hardened screws. I do not know what to do about these last two screws as they are in the frame (receiver) and I will not drill there.

Just for information, it took me over one hour just to get the dust cover retaining screw off.

[Peter M. Eick]

I just thought it was normal for Uberti to put the screws in so tight that they stretch out. Pretty much everyone I have talked to about it said the same things.

I tried to take the screws out to clean my Uberti Henry rifle and just gave up. When I need to get them out I will fire up the compressor put an impact gun on a set of gunsmith's screwdriver heads and give it a go. Those screws are in tight! and I mean really really really tight!

If Uberti is monitoring this thread, I suggest they go down to the assembly line and see what sort of torques they are putting on the screws. I bet they might be surprised.

Great guns, but tight screws.

[J Miller]

I don't know if this applies now, but years ago when I bought my first Uberti Cattleman revolvers I noticed how brilliant and vibrant the color caseing was. After several cleanings the finish began to dull down. I noticed there was a coating of some sort of clear varnish on the gun. The Hoppes I used was gradually taking it off.

Is is possible they sprayed your gun with something like this and it glued the screws in?

Just a thought when you mentioned the chemical bond.

Joe

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

OK, I have removed all but two of the screws. Those are the carrier and lifter screws which are in front of the lever, on the bottom. I have had to use a drill and some other non-mentionable methods. I am convinced that there is something else going on here - such as a chemical bond. When I finally got the side plate screw off, the side plates would not come off. I finally took a punch and came through the opposite side screw hole and punched them off. Nothing for the faint at heart I assure you.

Once I got inside, everything is fine as it should be. There is rust inside the mag tube, but I can say that every lever gun I have opened (new or used) has the same condition. Stainless is the exception of course.

There is something being (has been) applied to "my" carbine that is bonding. It is not tight screws as the two before mention carrier and lifter springs are not screwed down tight (the springs). The bond is only at the screw head and those heads are soft.

I must admit that I am beat. I have buggered up the front forearm band to get it off. I have ordered another along with the hardened screws. I do not know what to do about these last two screws as they are in the frame (receiver) and I will not drill there.

Just for information, it took me over one hour just to get the dust cover retaining screw off.

The trick for removing the screws in lifter and lever spring is to take the load off of them before you try to remove the screw. With the side plates off pry the tail end of the springs to the side off the lifter and lever. This takes most of the load off. Then you can remeove the screws.

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

I don't know if this applies now, but years ago when I bought my first Uberti Cattleman revolvers I noticed how brilliant and vibrant the color caseing was. After several cleanings the finish began to dull down. I noticed there was a coating of some sort of clear varnish on the gun. The Hoppes I used was gradually taking it off.

Is is possible they sprayed your gun with something like this and it glued the screws in?

Just a thought when you mentioned the chemical bond.

Joe

Joe,
Uberti color case parts are clear coated before they are assem-ed.

[Bruce]

I actually don't see any type of secondary applied finish marks or edges anywhere. If there was something added/applied/sprayed after assembly, I would expect to see at least an outline or something where the side plates meet the receiver. My term chemical bond was probably a poor choice of words.

Nate, neither spring is tight at all. One is only about half way down the screw and the other is a thread or two away from being all the way down. Both will freely move to the outside of the receiver. BTW, this is a good reason to check the assembly (etc.) on all new guns. The rifle functioned fine, but it will probably be more reliable once the new screws are put in and both springs tightened down.

[Ben_Rumson]

The trick for removing the screws in lifter and lever spring is to take the load off of them before you try to remove the screw. With the side plates off pry the tail end of the springs to the side off the lifter and lever. This takes most of the load off. Then you can remove the screws.

That was the trick I used to get mine loose.. Thinking back on it ..It may be the screw head wasn't so soft.. More like it was brittle because it cracked off at the edge of the slot...And once that happened I was able to to unscrew the screw because the head was no longer binding against the sides of the pocket.. I don't know if the replacement screws are any harder, but I've noticed the heads are smaller in diameter and don't bind in the pockets.

[Bruce]

Well, I finally gave up and went to my gunsmith. After apologizing for bringing him the buggered heads, he gave it a try. He could not remove them either. He asked for my help and between the two of us, we finally got them out. He put the rifle in his vice, tapped the proper bit into the head and then placed his body over the screw and pushed with all his strength while I took a cresent wrench and turned the srew driver. After we got them loose from the springs, we still had to tap them out. That is when I discovered that the screw(s) do not screw into the receiver (frame), just the springs. There may be something bonding the two metals and/or as mentioned, it may be oversized heads. However, the other screws that were not recessed were all hard to remove also. It may remain a mystery.

When I got home, my VTI screws were there and they worked like a charm. Very fast service from them BTW.

The rifle is back together and I will hopefully get it sighted in today. Thanks for the help.