Removing a bolt with a stripped head

[CleverNickname]

I have an upper with a BCM KMR handguard. I'm attempting to change it out to a different handguard, but I'm having difficulty getting it off. The KMR has a couple bolts at the top rear of the handguard which lock it onto the barrel nut. I don't remember the bolt heads being stripped, but when I used the Torx key that came with the handguard, it wouldn't turn the bolt. I've also tried 1) a different Torx T15 driver 2) using a heat gun to help loosen up the bolt and any threadlocker 3) using a damaged screw extractor kit. #3 may have really screwed me (pun intended), because I was able to drill out the bolt head, but the extractor side isn't catching on the drilled-out head. It's just spinning in the bolt head. Now the bolt head no longer has a Torx slot in it. I don't really care about saving the bolt since it's already damaged, and I can get a replacement from BCM for fairly cheap, but I'd like to avoid damaging/destroying the handguard itself. My best idea right now is to somehow cut a straight slot in the bolt head and use a screwdriver to turn it, but I'm unsure what the best way to do that would be. Just freehand it with a Dremel? Any better suggestions?

[OlongJohnson]

My first thought was to just drill down until you separate the head from the shank of the screw, but you have to turn that screw to disengage it from the notches in the opposing screw. Unless you want to drill the heads off both of them.

A Dremel is probably your best option at this point. They sell a screw kit and clamp block kit separately.

[Wheeler]

What type of screw extractor are you using? I carry the fluted and screw style at work. The screw style tend to work better on shallower holes and the smaller bolts.

You might also try some Kroil and tapping the bolt with a punch and hammer to loosen any thread locker or if the threads have galled.

Is the head of the bolt exposed? If so is there enough there to grab with a pair of vice grips?

[5pins]

Use a dremel cutting bit and cut a slot across the screw so you can use a flat tip screwdriver in it. Put some heat on it if you can and loosen up the locktite.

[Tensaw]

I will second the idea of Kroil and/or PB Blaster (PB Blaster has done some amazing things for me in the past). But make sure to put sufficient heat to it as well. I have had threadlocker hold on like a hair in a biscuit until that one moment when it is “enough” the the fastener then just lets go with no effort. A good heat gun should get you there, although with a bolt that size/small, I have contemplated the use of a soldering gun, just placing the tip on the head of the bolt and let her heat up from there. You might also apply heat to the end opposite the head.

I can’t tell if this would work (maybe not) but an alternative to the dremel would be a small file for cutting a slot.

Thinking on this a little more, it seems to me that at least you should not be fighting rust/corrosion here, just threadlocker on clean threads. So heat is probably what you are after here.

[UNM1136]

Been a fan of Kroil for years. I seem to recall an interview with the Mythbusters guys saying that they kept gallons of the stuff in the shop all the time, and once filled a siezed engine block with it over a weekend and got it all unsiezed.

Crosscutting the screw with a Dremel cutoff wheel is my usual go-to.

pat

[vcdgrips]

I second 5spins approach re cutting a slot across it and using a quality flat blade screwdriver with heat to break any loctite.

I used that precise technique with much success removing a hollered out screw on a Spyderco knife after watching Nick Shabazz on YT and deciding it was a good idea to take apart my 2nd Gen Spyderco CAT (BD1N steel) for some "maintenance."

[5pins]

Sometimes the BCM screws can be a real pain to get out. I started using impact torx bits and a battery impact wrench to remove them.

[mmc45414]

What about gluing the torx bit or extractor into the hole with JB Weld?

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Mark D]

This thread might have some relevant info.

https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....MR-Torx-screws