doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com How to keep forearm iron bolts tight.

My win 23 sheared a forearm iron bolt on friday evening. I was shooting sporting and felt a movement that was not normal. Finished the station and took forearm off and a broken bolt fell out. It was the rear bolt that holds the forearm iron to the latch. I got a new one coming that will be here today. Should a guy put a dab of locktight on it or???

Also the trigger guard screw on the back tang of the trigger guard keeps backing out. This one is in the wood. Suggestions to keep it tight also?

thanks
duckaholic

Locktight or other makers offerings like screw lock, from maker to maker I have found that some potions have a vice like grip while others no grip at all. So my recommendation would be a drop of common or garden super glue to stop the screw undoing its grip can be overcome easily.
Wood Screws working their way out of guns like you describe, do have a simple cure used for many years. I am sure the late Jack Rowe would have used it many times because it is a common fault on some older guns. Just put a few drops of French polish or Rosin dissolved in Alcohol in the hole and while still wet put in the screw, it will act as an adhesive but the bond is easily broken with a screwdriver.

Loctite is very predictable, and a simple guide is available for you to match up each Loctite product with your need. Only a dense person would buy and use any of their products otherwise, or any other product, for that matter.

SRH

Had a feeling what this was about even before I opened it.

I use blue locktite on mine now it is a 20 ga. And ordered a spare after the first one sheared. Friend of mine checks his for tightness every time before he takes it out, he bought it new in the 80's. And has gone through a few of those screws. Eventually the supply of them will run out.

The wood screw can be quickly tightened by putting a piece of thread in the threaded wood hole and then turning in the wood screw.

It is not a wood screw it is a machine bolt. And not of standard dimensions. Both the rear and front, and they both have a habit of shearing if not kept tight.

Edit: missed the second part about the trigger guard screw. Yes several slivers of wood to wedge it to give the threads something to grab work well, usually.

Looking at the broken rear bolt there was rust about a quarter across the break and fresh metal the other 3/4. So it had been cracked for some time before it broke. I ordered 3 front model 23 bolts(midwest gun works was out of Heavy duck fronts) and 3 rear heavy duck bolts. I am not sure what the difference in bolts labelled "heavy Duck" vs the ones that say model 23. My buddies rear bolt from his winchester 23 DU edition(similar to pigeon grade with silver receiver) fit fine in my HD to get me through. I used a dab of blue medium strength lock tight on both of the bolts now.