doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DIY Gunsmithing @ doublegunshop.com Safety dovetail insert and tang screw

Fixing a Chas. Osborne BLNE. Haven�t seen a safety indicator dovetailed into a tang before. Was this common? Any one happen to have one? Mine is missing.

Also, is the tang screw a fairly standard part for A&D boxlock�s? If so, anyone have a spare screw for this purpose? I could make one, but would prefer not to.

Pics here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11N5kFl4P1knIsxynSj9wlK-5fedUr4pa

Thanks!

The 'SAFE' insert is common and is usually a piece of 10 or 14k gold fitted to the dovetail. Then the word SAFE engraved on it.
Not something you'd just buy and install.
Easy for an engraver to fix up for you. But not that hard for the handy craftsman to fit a small insert of gold, brass or silver.
If you don't trust your inlay techniques to hold it in place any more securely than this one did, lock it in place with a dot of Locktite underneath.
Or simply tin it and sweat solder (soft solder) it in place. The tip of the tang where it's going will solder easily and nothing to worry about heat damage, ect. A quick to do job.
Trim it off flush and polish.

The actual lettering job is last. A simple 'S' would do I guess and for that a stamp can suffice if a friendly engraver isn't at hand to do the entire job.

I've seen more than a few of these tiny inserts gone from Brit & Euro guns of late. I think they were the victims of the great gold rush of a few years ago when every scrap from every source was fair game for the melt value.
Or maybe they just fell out a lot lately.

The tang screw,,,,length, dia,,thread ?? lots of different sizes around. The screw itself as a part is common. What particular size & thread you need may not be an easy find.
Making one is usually the way to fix it.

I would run a tap in and recut a fine SAE thread to simplify making a replacement for that screw.

Thanks. That�s what I did. Worked out well.

I hate to rain on your parade, but tapping out a screw thread because you don't have the proper die, or lathe lore to make a proper screw threaded to fit the existing threaded hole is not craftsmanship. The English used BA threads, and dies to cut those threads are available in this country.
Now when an SAE thread is cut to expedite things, what happens should the gun find it's way back to the UK and for some reason needs a new screw? the gunsmith called to do the repair wonders what the "new" thread is, he either must make a new SAE screw, or maybe using the "easy way' logic, drills it out and retaps a larger BA thread in the hole, now the threads may larger than the screw shank. I just think it is not ethical to retap holes to a size you may have, unless it is necessary. Proper tools are available, an internet search should bring them up.

And, the original screw was case hardened for strength, is the replacement?

I am very impressed with your knowledge of both proper machining techniques, and from other posts in this sector of the website, your abilities at TIG welding to repair, and/or build-up various gun parts.

You are 100% right about the "expedient" re-tapping some gun repairmen do-- not quite right. I would love to compare notes with another skilled TIG welder- I try to learn something every day.

The English didn't always use BA threads in their guns - the threads are all over the place. I've amassed a not inconsiderable pile of taps and dies in 30 years of making pins and screws - BA's, UNF's, metrics, BSF's and so on - you never know what's going to match up right. It's usually the one you don't have.....

This gun is not any any kind of condition to make this worth worrying about. It may never be restored to usable condition.