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Butt plate removal problem

5K views 37 replies 16 participants last post by  Rich D 
#1 ·
I picked up a USGI M14 synthetic stock, cheap. It's in great condition, except for the metal which is rusted. I cut the front swivel off, but am having a rough time with the rusted screws on the butt plate. Any suggestions. It's soaking in WD40 now. I was thinking of grinding the screw heads off, taking the plate off so I can lube them better and using vice grips on the screws. Any other ideas?
 
#3 ·
I'm gonna get flak for this but...


...ForgLube works. I have the paste on hand. Smear some wherever you can. If you have the FrogLube CLP drizzle some of that wherever it will wick down in. Then get the stock warm - out in the sun or in a metal cabinet with a light bulb going inside. That stuff melts and lubes the metals. Then try removing the screws with the whole thing warmed up.

Or try something like PB-Blaster.

I don't use WD-40 on much except removing decals.
 
#5 ·
I wouldn't use any chemical that might damage the stock. Remember it's polyester resin with foam filling.

I have several cheap stocks with the same problem. I'm going to dremel off the screw heads and try vise grips as mentioned above. Always destroy the cheapest part...
 
#6 ·
Sounds like a Synthetic GI project stock purchased on Numrich.com They are cheap and in decent condition but the metal is just rusted together. Try the clp trick doug said or get some of that rust be gone stuff or rustaway stuff from the hardware store. Put the rustaway stuff in a bowl and stand the stock up against a wall or something completely submerging the butt of the stock in that rust be gone. Come back in a couple days or a week.
 
#8 ·
Sounds like a Synthetic GI project stock purchased on Numrich.com
And.. we have a winner! I appreciate all the help, guys. What solvents are a problem?
 
#11 ·
The plan is to put some 3mm square structural carbon fiber tubing under the top lip in the
fore end. I hope to tack it down with superglue, and then fill over the top with epoxy. What think yee?
 
#12 ·
OK this is going to sound a bit crude but it was the only way I could get the bottom screw out on the two stocks I bought from Numrich.
I took a hacksaw and cut down the back side of the swivel and pulled the bolt out, one one I had to cut in the front too because the bolt stuck out far enough it would not come out. After I got them out I fill the saw cuts with epoxy and sanded them flush. after paint you could not tell what I had done.
On another stock I had that the screw had broke off in the stock I took a piece of 1/4" tubing I had with a 1/8" id and put it in the hole and used a long aircraft drill and drilled a 1/8" hole through the broke bolt that allowed me to drill a 1/4" hole into the swivel and get it out.

Casey
 
#14 ·
The "Primitive Pete" approach when all else fails. The "get a bigger hammer" school. That's where I learned everything! I was thinking along those lines as a last resort. On a side note, when in Viet Nam, we had supply problems(surprise!) and had trouble keeping penetrating oil on hand, as everything rusted. We ended up using wintergreen oil a lot. The docs had plenty, and it worked well.
 
#13 ·
Put the oil for the lower screw on the sling swivel. RNGR2

Assuming you haven't already stripped the head of the lower screw, you can carefully use a plumber's torch to heat up the rear swivel. Tape some asbestos cloth or similar to the stock, surrounding the swivel.

The top screw can be removed by grinding off the head.
 
#15 ·
If your is any thing like mine there aint no oil that will break that bond, I swear if I had not known better I would have thought they were welded. I heated mine with a heat gun until it was almost red [good heat gun] NO SOAP! that when the hacksaw came out.

Casey
 
#16 ·
I've given up on mechanics to remove the screws, and will submit to my evil chemist Hyde alter ego! HCL (hickle), AKA muriatic acid is my next tool. Method is still under consideration. Probably cut the top off a plastic bottle, stand the stock on end in the bottle in the old chicken coop, and add acid. Update will follow.
 
#18 ·
I already cut the heads off, and got the plate off. The screws are fused by rust, especially the bottom. The stock should be inert to acid, as most plastics are. It's no big loss if I totally screw it up. I will post before and after pix. Just heading out to get some acid. I've got phosphoric acid on hand but hydrochloric is cheaper, and the phosphoric will be used for bluing some time.
 
#20 ·
I'm surprised that nobody has suggested KROIL, it is the best thing on the planet for loosening rusted screws and bolts.

Rich
I tried it on mine and it did not work, I even set my battery drill on a heavy screw ratchet setting and used a screw driver bit and tried it as a impact of sorts, it would not break loose so that when I used the hacksaw. What was funny was the butt plate did not have any rust on it, in fact one of them was a very nice KMT.

Casey
 
#27 ·
I got diverted by my new BULA girl from Jon Wolfe, but got back at this today. Here's where it's at. About $9 @ Ace for muriatic(don't get "new improved"). Started at 3:30pm today, and hung a piece of fence wire in the acid, as an easy check
 
#28 · (Edited)
A quick update, D-day(dunk day)+ 2.5, With the buttplate removed by grinding the screw heads, the metal remaining is about 50% dissolved by muriatic acid after 2.5 cool days. The stock doesn't appear to have been touched by the acid. I'll update again when the screws come out. I'm surprised that they still won't loosen.

If you try this, know what you are doing. Muriatic acid is dangerous, and always have a supply of fresh water handy. The fumes given off are acidic and explosive. Never add water to acid. "Do as you ought ter, add acid to water"
Sidenote: While doing nitrogen analysis in a lab, I was pouring digested product(concentrated sulfuric acid) from a test tube to a flask. As I poured the last drop, it hit the flask and splashed. I watched a hot drop of concentrated sulfuric acid
fly out of the flask, over my safety glasses and into my eye. I flew to the eye wash station.
 
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#29 · (Edited)
Here ya go. I was able to unscrew the top screw yesterday. I cut a notch in the top of the bottom screw today for a screwdriver, and it was hard, but broke loose. I turned the stock upside-down, and will let the acid work on the front ferrule. I think its been near a week. This appears to be a viable method. If I was gonna do a bunch of them, I would start with concentrated HCl. If you do this, I suggest soaking for a bit in warm soapy water when you're done. Oil on the metal will make it take longer. Cost for this totaled about $35. Metal still needs to be purchased. Wish someone sold a fiberglass stock metal kit. I've got enough acid left to do 2 or 3 more stocks.
 
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#35 ·
Yep. The hardware is the killer $$$-wise.
 
#36 ·
I threw a quick 3 color Rustolium camo job on it. The carbon fiber rods stiffened up the forend after gluing with CA glue, and covering with JB Weld Epoxy. I would use 4 or 5 mm square carbon fiber tubing if I did it again. I've got some very nice Windy City metal for it after it spends a few hot days baking in my truck cab. If you want to try the camo, it's real easy. It is just the opposite of regular camo as the light color goes on last, and dark first.
Do it in this order:

Darkest base
Lighter tree leave
Lighter fern type
Lighter grasses

Basically you are working from trees in the background to grass in the foreground. Lay the leaves on the stock, and spray! Proceed to the next lightest color.
 
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#38 ·
I basically got it to mess with. I've got more stocks than rifles. It will get used as a beater stock for my scout. I've got the OEM SAI plastic stock for my Scout with a similar paint job that I probably will sell.
 
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