[MphsTiger1981]

The nice folks in customer service in Florida sent me a new ejector, spring and screw for my P3AT.

My problem is I can't seem to get the old one out. The screw head is worn and my allen wrenches are just turning, with no shoulders to get a bite on to break the locktite loose. I don't have a grinder or dremel tool at my disposal, but I was wondering if anyone has any other solutions?

I tried using the search engine but came up with zero responses.

Any one have a suggestion for removing the old screw?

thanks in advance,

Tiger.

 

[JFB]

 

[MphsTiger1981]

Lol....

 

[JFB]

the dremal with a cutting disc so you can cut a driver slot is the way to go.
since you don't have a dremal, I guess having a set of thread slot files is not in the tool box either.
a $6 set of needle files is good to have and might get it, but you will also need a driver bit (the ones cut concaved, not tapered) that is a snug fit. also a set with a slot cutting file might be hard to find, but they normally have a V shape

the dremal cutting disc can get deeper than the thread slot file

using a sordering iron to get the screw above 250F will weaken the lock tite

Are you using a 2mm verses 5/64 will get more of a bit and also filling the end of the key square so there is no wasted contact with the wall of the screw fit

 

[MphsTiger1981]

Thanks JFB.

Just as you suspected, I don't have any thread slot files in the tool box. The files I do have are too big for this job.

I probably need to borrow a Dremel tool and see if I can cut a slot using that. Is there another way to heat up the loctite to proper temperature w/o the soldering iron?

 

[oldgranpa]

Yup, I agree with JFB, you need a dremel with the cutting disc to cut a slot for a normal screwdriver. Don't be afraid to cut deep enough, even if it cuts into the old extractor plate a litte, since you have a new one for replacement.
I had this happen on a Buckmark .22 pistol and had to do that to get the screw out.
I like his idea of the soldering iron to weaken the locktite. Alternate methods might be too dangerous and damage the whole pistol. Might even add a little penetrating oil after it gets warm.
If you don't have either, a dremel tool is a great investment. Hunderds of other jobs are made easy with one. Plus, if you do buy one, get the felt tip tool and polishing paste. Then you can polish the feed ramp yourself if you ever need to. Solder irons are cheap too.

Good luck at joining the amatuer gunsmithing ranks!!

og

p.s. If you've never used a dremel tool before, practice on something else first to get the feel of it and the best cutting speed. Too fast is not good. Be sure to have some extra discs on hand. The thin ceramic cutting discs are easy to break if you loose the grip on the dremel. Somehow clamp the slide down and get a strong grip on the dremel. Go slow.

Let us know how you do.  Consider a repatable gunsmith if you don't like the size of the task.

 

[MphsTiger1981]

OG,

You read my mind. I think a Dremel would be a perfect Christmas present for a guy who likes Kel-Tec pistols!

My dad owns one and it looks like I'll be using it again. Lately, I've had it more than he has.

 

[JFB]

Yup, I agree with JFB,.

after that, I feel bad to say,... I desagree with OG

.. a dremel tool is a great investment.

;D
I've had one for who knows how long and can't even remember what I did use it for. but I have several drawers full of files, scrapers, saw blades and reamers

If it is truely striped out, I bet you could hammer a #10 torex bit into the hole. if you could, then take a candle to the torex bit while it is driven in, imediatle put driver on the bit and it will come out

 

[oldgranpa]

OK JFB, I agree there's more than one way to "gunsmith" the screw. But I didn't think he said the screw was "stripped", only the head was worn from using his Allen wrench. I'm a little concerned about hammering anything on the extracter while still on the slide. But if that works, good. I did it once on a broken bolt on an exaust manifold on an old Plymouth years ago. But I had to drill a shallow hole first to get the Torex to bite.
Beginning to look like maybe a good local gunsmith somewhere is a safer way to go. Or even call KelTec and see what they say. Then it's not your fault if something goes wrong. If it was my P3AT I'd call KelTec and try to get them to fix it. The most I've ever done on my own was on the old original 1st gen was to grind the half-moon cut on the feed ramp with the dremel using the pointed ceramic tip. But I'm just a dremel fan and enjoy using it for many small jobs.
The Buckmark I cut the slot on the screw was a lot easier job than this one sounds.
Fun discussion and I'm hoping MphsTiger gets this fixed so he can enjoy his pistol.
Cheers,
og

 

[MphsTiger1981]

Well, you were both right, OG and JFB. I had to resort to the Dremel and a cutting disc. I used some duct tape to cover the areas on the slide around the button screw, but once or twice it slipped off and scratched through the tape. Oh well, just more character.  :-/

Anyway, it's off and the new one is on. I visually compared both the new extractor and the old one, but I can't tell any difference between them. Same for the extractor spring. I put some blue loctite on and now I'm letting it cure for at least 24 hours before I take it to the range to see if this has improved the performance. If this doesn't resolve the issue, I might consider shipping just the upper to Kel Tec and ask them to look it over and see what they think is causing the occasional failure to eject. Maybe that way it might be less than 8 weeks turn around.

Thanks again for your help guys.

 

[oldgranpa]

HoRay! You are now an official amatuer gunsmith. And the first one I know of that has done this task.

Sure looking forward to a range report on the repair!!

Congratulations!!

(If you still have some FTE, consider the trick of wrapping some 600grit emery paper around a pencil and work it around in the chamber followed by a cleaning with a patch.)

og

 

[nashvillemike]

Hey MphsTiger, good work. Whenever you find yourself poking around hardware stores, see if any of them carry a set of screw extractors. Some of the small ones have a screwdriver handle but the tip is like a sharp metal tap screw, only the screw is cut counter clockwise. So if you get a hex screw stripped out, you just put the screw extractor in the old hex hole and twist counter clocwise. The tapping screw will bite in and remove the damaged screw. I've used them a few times, but never on an extractor screw...that would be perfect...to unscrew a stripped extractor screw with a screw extractor  ;D

 

[JFB]

OK JFB, I agree there's more than one way to "gunsmith"..

as for the disagreeing statement, that was just jushing.
Because I probably bought the $30 dremel to remove a similar 10 cent screw. It has to be 20 years since I've used it so it is hard for me to call it a good investment, it was more like an expendable. Some times you got to spend the money to correct your mistakes.

as for the torx, that is a rather brute way of getting it out. I was thinking if the allen key would spin in the head, then the hole had been enlarged to at least 0.090" and the T10 is about 0.110" tip to tip. But my next suggestion, which would be my first method, would be a chisel .

before the eye sight went, I might have tried a punch off center like a spanner ;D

I really don't know what the politically correct term would be for my smithing techniques. You should see the response when I use simialar to a running generator

 

[JFB]

Hey MphsTiger, good work. Whenever you find yourself poking around hardware stores, see if any of them carry a set of screw extractors. Some of the small ones have a screwdriver handle but the tip is like a sharp  metal tap screw, only the screw is cut counter clockwise. So if you get a hex screw stripped out, you just put the screw extractor in the old hex hole and twist counter clocwise. The tapping screw will bite in and remove the damaged screw. I've used them a few times, but never on an extractor screw...that would be perfect...to unscrew a stripped extractor screw with a screw extractor  ;D

The big concern with using these, if you break a piece of that hard tool steel off in the head, it will cause other tools to dance around.

 

[oldgranpa]

this has been a great thread, JFB, thanks to your suggestions and MphsTiger's willingness to tackle the problem. And thanks to you and nashvillemike for setting the record straight. The screw extractor is what I used on the exhaust manifold bolt years ago, not a Torex. Getting too old to remember correct terms for things anymore.
But yzguy should write this one up for the repair in his list of P3AT stuff. What an interesting problem.
Again, more than one way to skin a bear.
Cheers,
og....who is happy to be here with friends!

 

[Bo_Bryant]

It was fun reading this thread! Sorry about the situation with the screw. But then, whether a screw or something else, we all have been there at some time trying to figure out a way to fix something. Makes life interesting to say the least.

Bo Bryant

 

[MphsTiger1981]

It was fun reading this thread! Sorry about the situation with the screw. But then, whether a screw or something else, we all have been there at some time trying to figure out a way to fix something. Makes life interesting to say the least.

Bo Bryant

True That!

Now I know what to do in the future if I ever face this again. Hopefully, I won't have to do it again, but it's there for the next member who needs to research the subject. If someone else can learn something from my mistake, it wasn't all in vain... ;D