Stripped Elevation screw hole

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ThomTender

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
173
Location
Cape Coral, FL.
Any recommendations, the screw hole in the frame for the rear sight elevation screw on my 357 Blackhawk is stripped, Screw has no more threads in the frame hole. Have no idea how this wore out. Have never overtightened the screw. Just then usual up and down small amounts for elevation corrections. I e-mailed Ruger and they want me to send the Blackhawk back. My fear, I have heard they will take off any non stock item, This Blackhawk has a SBH Hammer and Trigger, Wolf springs, Magna Ported Barrel, custom grips etc what do you think. Its a Stainless Steel made in the mid eighties
 

daveg.inkc

Hunter
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
Messages
2,503
Location
Kansas City, MO
I would look into a Helicoil. Or Keensert. A good machine shop can help you. I don't know about hammer or magnaported barrel, but Ruger will toss your Wolff springs.
 

contender

Ruger Guru
Joined
Sep 18, 2002
Messages
25,138
Location
Lake Lure NC USA
Any non factory parts will be removed & the gun returned to a condition "as originally shipped."
As noted above,, any good gunsmith or machinist dealing in small stuff can fix it.
 

ThomTender

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
173
Location
Cape Coral, FL.
Its the elevation screw, the one with the notches on it. A bigger screw would also require drilling the sight bigger and then finding a bigger notched screw
 

NikA

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Nov 2, 2014
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Yrisarri, NM- high in the Manzanos
I could not find a Helicoil or other thread insert available in 6x48, which is apparently the thread size for the Ruger rear sight screw. Brownells sells a kit for oversize 6x48 screws, but they're obviously not notched. I think your options are (1) custom thread insert, (2) thread for some other readily available sight screw, or (3) TIG weld the hole up and redrill from scratch. All of these are best done by a professional; given the difficulty of the work and the quality of the current crop of "gunsmiths", I'd lean towards a machine shop.
 

daveg.inkc

Hunter
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Nov 14, 2015
Messages
2,503
Location
Kansas City, MO
One idea is, helicoil to 6x32, use a Low cap screw. Low head may fit sight base just fine. If it should move, maybe. Nylok screw with a Low head. One suggestion of Heliarc or TIG is an option. Maybe previous owner used a Weaver 301 mount and tried a wrong thread screw.
 

ThomTender

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
173
Location
Cape Coral, FL.
I brought it to the Gunsmith I have been using, He looked at it and said he thought he could fix it. I asked what he was going to do , he replied first he would try to move some metal back and then redrill and tap. If that didn't work there were other options. He did not elaborate how he was going to move the metal back. Will keep you all posted
 

woodsy

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 5, 2012
Messages
958
Location
Seymour, CT
Hope he doesn't mean center-punching around the hole to displace metal into the hole. That result would last a very short time.
 

Hondo44

Hawkeye
Joined
Apr 3, 2009
Messages
8,040
Location
People's Republik of California
I don't like the sound of the gunsmith's "cure", sounds lame.

Request your gunsmith (or you if you can): to drill out the hole for a larger standard SS screw thread like 10 x 32, red Loctite in the larger screw, and grind off the head flush with a Dremel tool. Then drill and tap the larger screw 'hole plug' 6 x 48 and use an original Ruger elevation screw. Ruger will send you a free new elev. screw if you need one.

Ruger will not fix anything, they'll replace the frame and even if they do the work under warranty which is likely (you'll know if they agree to send you a free UPS or Fed Ex shipping label). Then they'll send it back thru your local dealer and you'll still have to re-register the new frame and maybe pay a transfer fee. But you'll have the gun back in no longer than 2 weeks or sooner.

Keep your grips and gut all your action parts out and keep them, they won't be needed for the sight screw repair.
 

z1r

Single-Sixer
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
121
Hondo44 said:
I don't like the sound of the gunsmith's "cure", sounds lame.

Request your gunsmith (or you if you can): to drill out the hole for a larger standard SS screw thread like 10 x 32, red Loctite in the larger screw, and grind off the head flush with a Dremel tool. Then drill and tap the larger screw 'hole plug' 6 x 48 and use an original Ruger elevation screw. Ruger will send you a free new elev. screw if you need one.

Ruger will not fix anything, they'll replace the frame and even if they do the work under warranty which is likely (you'll know if they agree to send you a free UPS or Fed Ex shipping label). Then they'll send it back thru your local dealer and you'll still have to re-register the new frame and maybe pay a transfer fee. But you'll have the gun back in no longer than 2 weeks or sooner.

Keep your grips and gut all your action parts out and keep them, they won't be needed for the sight screw repair.

I'd second this.
 

SGW Gunsmith

Blackhawk
Joined
May 15, 2010
Messages
966
Location
Northwestern Wisconsin
I think Hondo's remedy for a fix is the best. I wouldn't use red thread-locker though but instead, this is what I use for badly stripped or holes drilled off location:

i7tCcohl.jpg


Clean the threads both in the screw and in the receiver with spray "brake and parts cleaner" before applying the liquid steel. If you have access to a metal lathe, I'd recommend a "spotting drill" to get a starting spot started for the #31 tap-drill so it doesn't wander off location when it starts to cut.

Trying to find the correct size combination heli-coil will be a very difficult excursion, and even if you do, the O.D. of the helicoil most likely will be too big for the area involved anyway.
 

ThomTender

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jun 25, 2015
Messages
173
Location
Cape Coral, FL.
Yes so far so good, Gunsmith said he filled the hole and drilled and retapped. Adjusting screw seems harder to turn then my other Rugers but it works. Shot about 50 full power loads thru it yesterday and it seemed fine. I did not ask how he filled the hole
 

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