Impossible to get aluminum scope ring apart...any ideas?

[Trickymissfit]

Thanks for the encouragement and advice.......I have them soaking in some penetrating oil i had on hand overnight and will try to get some kroil oil tomorrow along with some more Torx bits......the only good news is that I have not messed up the heads yet

If I can't get them off by next weekend I'll set them up on the drill press and be done with it.

Too bad I did not use any anti seize, I have a jar of it in my shop that I use on the back of my aluminum wheels on my truck, bet I won't make this mistake again.....now I'm wondering if I'll have this problem with my other rifles set up this way, at least they are all level!

I used to buy Torx drivers buy the handfulls all the time at work, and with the two brands I mentioned you almost never broke the head off one. But the danged things are so small I'd loose them all the time. The bad thing about aluminum is that if the threads are heavilly corroded or maybe a little bit of Loctite in there; you will probably ruin the threads when it does finally break loose. I would use the heat from a soldering iron on the screw heads just to soften the Loctite if there is any. Most penetratings will dry after a few hours, and this won't help much. Chestertons 711 is pretty good as well, but still not in the same class as Kroil. I personally hate working with small screws that are messed up! The screws often have a case that is so deep that they might as well be thru hardened. But these screws are easy compaired to something like a #2-56 allen screw! I absolutely do recommend you use the Never Sieze with Nickel compound (DO NOT use the Loctite antisieze!!) And of course use a torque wrench set at about 25 in. lb.
gary

 

[Trickymissfit]

Based on everything you've said, I'd recommend drilling the heads off of the screws. You will need a good drill bit the size of the screw threads. It will center in the torx bit hole and you won't have to drill very much until the head will come off of the screw. There might be enough of the screw left to get a hold of with a good sharp vise grip. You might be able to loosen it by gently twisting back and forth. Use some penetrating oil when twisting.

That's the way I'd go. But to take this a step further, I'd also push what's left out the bottom side if possible. If the threads are bad the damage will be less. The next problem you'll encounter is finding a tap in that thread size. I just hate threads in aluminum!
gary

 

[Mikecr]

I think he should save the scope & trash the rings.

 

[Pdvdh]

I think he should save the scope & trash the rings.

10-4

 

[Coyboy]

Your fretting over a 5 minute job.

 

[cwinner]

Your fretting over a 5 minute job.

Five minutes to drill them out I'm guessing cause they sure as hell won't turn loose with anything I can put on them.....my latest attempt again after soaking overnight in PB penetrating oil with yet another proto t15 head while lightly tapping with a hammer on the 1/4" breaker after I heated one with a soldering iron and the rifle in my vise yielded yet another broken bit and the **** thing did not even budge!!!

I'm done, I'll order another set of rings drill them out when I get some new ones.

For anyone else using aluminum rings, make darn sure you use some anti-seize!!!

Thanks for all the ideas and words of encouragement......

 

[Sully2]

Drill them out! Get NEW...SHARP bit...slightly ( very slightly) larger than the threaded portion of the screw.

Start at the head end of the screw and progress slowly and then the bit has gone far enough the head comes off. Do it to every stuck screw the the top caps of the rings pull free and you can unscrew the stud section from the ring bottom with your fingertips.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

8" angle grinder and a bit of tlc
It'll take 5 seconds a side. Grind until you see the screw. Shield the scope with metal plate or wood so you don't eat it if you slip.

I'd really probably drill the dang thing but if you're being adventurous....