Hot gun?

[LLF]

Please excuse the provocative title.
I'm looking for advice on how to use heat to loosen Threadlocker on a blued gun. I have a Browning Buck Mark and I want to replace the front iron sight with a fiber optic sight. The instructions say heat can be used to loosen the screw but I don't want to damage the finish.
Thank you.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Use a heat gun. No open flame. Jack.

 

[Mountain]

Per Mr. Jack's advice- use a heat gun. If you are anywhere close to a Harbor Freight, their heat gun is actually of decent quality and easy on the wallet. Of course there's online too.

Most importantly, you need a top quality flat ground screwdriver to remove that screw. This is not the tool to go cheap on- it will mess up the slot on the screw and then... you're screwed! I use Grace, but there are others. At least use a Wheeler insert type screwdriver.

 

[Asaltweapon]

An old fashioned large soldering iron will also work. Yes, don't forget to use a good hollow ground screwdriver.

 

[FPrice]

Where do you apply the heat? To the top of the screw?

 

[StevieP]

Do a few mag dumps. That ought to heat it up...

 

[22lr]

What if you wrapped the barrel with tinfoil and made a little hole just where the screw is? At least that way most of the heat will just be hitting the screw

 

[gscott]

Not sure on guns but working around rusty cars and farm equipment you heat around the bolt or screw you want to remove . Seems like hearing the screw itself would make it expand and harder to remove

 

[BaldAssCat]

If it heat removed thread locker it doesn't matter where you apply heat, just that it's heated enough to be softened.

 

[Mountain]

What if you wrapped the barrel with tinfoil and made a little hole just where the screw is? At least that way most of the heat will just be hitting the screw

I would not use any open flame. Maybe a butane torch but keep the torch quite a distance from the part. May cause problems for the bluing. A heat gun will get it hot enough to soften the threadlocker but won't otherwise cause any finish problems.

I do like the mag dump idea, LOL.

 

[greencobra]

is that an anodized finish on that buck mark? I wouldn't put any flame near it, direct or indirect. dry, heat gun heat shouldn't hurt it. i doubt it's permanent thread locker on that front sight.

 

[Asaltweapon]

Where do you apply the heat? To the top of the screw?

Yes

 

[Arto]

did you try it before using heat? maybe give it a squirt of Kroil If it's an Allen screw you might be able to do with out heat.
If you do need heat, try a soldering iron tip just on the screw itself... the loctite & air gaps should act as enough of an insulator to get only the screw hot quickly

 

[firestorm]

Not sure on guns but working around rusty cars and farm equipment you heat around the bolt or screw you want to remove . Seems like hearing the screw itself would make it expand and harder to remove

He's trying to melt the threadlocker, not use heat to fix it. From what I was taught the heat on parts like you are talking about makes the threads a little softer and thus easier to remove.

 

[LLF]

Thanks for the advice. I used a heat gun and the screws came right out. Got the new sights on and off to the range.