Stuck Carcano action screw HELP!

bigmancrisler · Aug 21, 2020

So I just received a Italian Carcano M91 TS from PSA. I have started to strip it down to inspect it and clean it up. However, as I started to try and separate the barrel and receiver from the lower stock. The rear action screw towards the trigger would not budge at all. I put a little bit of lubricating oil on the top and bottom of the screw and left it over night and through the day today. I tried to unscrew it again but it would not budge still. I accidentally started to strip the (flathead) screw a little bit but I’m scared to try it more. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to fix it? Or know where I could take it to have it fixed?

Please see attached photos

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ohen cepel · Aug 21, 2020

Need to put a penetrating oil on it, I like Kroil. Let it sit with that on it for a night or so, get a screwdriver that fits it perfectly. Grind one to fit if needed. Should come out then.

Order a new screw if it bothers you.

bigmancrisler · Aug 21, 2020

ohen cepel said:
Need to put a penetrating oil on it, I like Kroil. Let it sit with that on it for a night or so, get a screwdriver that fits it perfectly. Grind one to fit if needed. Should come out then.

Order a new screw if it bothers you.

Lube both ends or just the bottom?

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Arcamm · Aug 21, 2020

I would do both ends.

JamesDong · Aug 22, 2020

Good hollow ground or precision HG screwstick, lean on it with all your ass and turn counterclockwise. Tapered blade will often get you in trouble.

rifelman · Aug 22, 2020

ohen cepel said:
Need to put a penetrating oil on it, I like Kroil. Let it sit with that on it for a night or so, get a screwdriver that fits it perfectly. Grind one to fit if needed. Should come out then.

Shock also helps, after penetrating oil has been sitting a day or two, get your good fitting screwdriver in the slot and give it a couple good whacks straight down with a small hammer.

bigmancrisler · Aug 22, 2020

I’m going to pick some up today and I’ll keep y’all posted with the results.

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My Toy · Aug 22, 2020

In addition to applying penetrating oil if you can apply some heat to the area that will help the oil seep in to the male and female threads. I use a heat gun if all parts are metal but in your case with the wood stock the heat gun will damage the stock before it does any good for the fastener. I would use a hair dryer on high. This should help. I've used this method many times.

ohen cepel · Aug 22, 2020

Gunsmith screwdriver as the screws aren't cut for hardware store screwdrivers, or grind yours to fit. Should have clarified earlier.

JimB · Aug 22, 2020

Kroil will take care of it. Like everyone else said, good screwdriver with tight fit.

GuitarmanNick · Aug 23, 2020

Cannot stress the importance of using the proper tool as already stated by others. Get a gunsmithing screwdriver set! Well worth the investment and will save lots of buggered screw heads.

bigmancrisler · Aug 23, 2020

Just ordered the gunsmithing screw driver set, and the oil should be delivered either tonight or tomorrow (screw driver set will be delivered tomorrow as well).

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Doco Overboard · Aug 23, 2020

Worst case scenario and the screw gets egged out from repeated attempts to free it.
Get a large fitting screw driver and adjust it to fit the elongated screw slot.
Remember to adjust the slotted tip to remove any taper and strike the handle with a mallet to help the kroil penetrate the frozen area. Try to tighten the screw and then anti clockwise a few times even if it doesn't seem to budge. Let the penetrating oil work even if its for a few days.
The shorter the screw driver the better.
Let the kroil seep in around the area where the screw is seated. Steel screws that have become rusted inside wood or a stock ferrule will require an extra bit of leverage. You need to get some kroil in there and let it work.
Sometimes you can carefully set the rifle up to a drill press, fit a screw driver bit to the quill/chuck and then turn it by hand to get a little more leverage.
What you don't want to do is break the head of the screw, strip out the slot or gash your thumb or the stock.

j8064 · Aug 23, 2020

Agreed. Proper tools - always. :thumbsup:

The tang screw on that model Carcano goes up through the trigger guard. The threads at the end of the screw engage the receiver tang. That’s where the issue is. Could be dried cosmoline, rust or the screw end could be peaned in place. Kroil will take care of cosmo and rust. If the rifle was on my bench I’d try some heat at the tang/screw connection. But be careful to not to scorch the stock. A soldering iron on the screw tip may work.

Good luck.

:thumbsup:

atblis · Aug 23, 2020

I'd try a cordless impact with a tight fitting bit. Part of the problem I've found is that it's hard to hold a screw driver perfectly straight and turn it at the same time. The cordless impact alleviates that. There are other tricks such as screwdrivers you can put a wrench on.

j8064 · Aug 23, 2020

Agreed. And getting some penetrating oil and/or heat down into the threads is going to make the job easier for the impact screw driver.

lazarus · Aug 23, 2020

atblis said:
I'd try a cordless impact with a tight fitting bit. Part of the problem I've found is that it's hard to hold a screw driver perfectly straight and turn it at the same time. The cordless impact alleviates that. There are other tricks such as screwdrivers you can put a wrench on.

That. But you have to be POSITIVE that the bit is a perfect fit. Start with really light torque on the impact wrench.

Obvious try with the penetrating oil and proper but in a regular screw driver first.

bigmancrisler · Aug 24, 2020

Thanks everyone for the advice, amazon says the oil should be here tonight so as soon as I get it I will oil both sides and let it sit over night, I will try to give it a couple taps in the morning and maybe add a little more oil and let it continue to sit throughout the day and work on it some more tomorrow night. As for the cosmoline, there is definitely some really old and crusty cosmoline. When I get hone I will post photos of the bolt and rest of the rifle to show the shape of the rest of it.

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DutchV · Aug 24, 2020

There's an "old tech" manual impact screwdriver that works pretty well. Twenty bucks at Home Depot.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-3-8-in-Drive-Impact-Screwdriver-Set-7-Piece-2905/205674679

bigmancrisler · Aug 24, 2020

DutchV said:
There's an "old tech" manual impact screwdriver that works pretty well. Twenty bucks at Home Depot.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-3-8-in-Drive-Impact-Screwdriver-Set-7-Piece-2905/205674679

How do they work? I’ve never seen one before. I have a dewalt impact driver if that will work.

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Stuck Carcano action screw HELP!

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