Darn Allenhead Bolts

Amazing, ain't it?

R.G. Robinett said:
Pete, a few weeks ago, Al came down to shoot with us, and brought me one of the orange die lock-rings - works great! :D Al advised that they are laser printed . . . RG
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A lad who shoots with us does a bit of laser printing as well. Limited by only one's imagination it appears. Well beyond what's left of my brain function.

Pete
 
I am tempted

antelopedundee said:
My understand is that the proper way to use an Allen wrench is to insert the long end into the socket. That's fine for small stuff like adjusting triggers, but useless for stuff like crossbolt die lock rings.
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to buy a box of appropriate Torx head screws and re-sell some to those who want them. I haven't seen that Torx wring out nearly as readily as Allen heads do.

I bought a new 8 hole Turret press recently and have made an effort to set my dies so they don't require Gorilla tactics to use them :). So far, so good.

Pete
 
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Pete Wass said:
to buy a box of appropriate Torx head screws and re-sell some to those who want them. I haven't seen that Torx wring out nearly as readily as Allen heads do.

I bought a new 8 hole Turret press recently and have made an effort to set my dies so they don't require Gorilla tactics to use them :). So far, so good.

Pete
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Works for me. I've seen people do that on eBay with Leupold screws. For 7 or 8 cents apiece I'd swing by my local supply store and get a couple 5-40 screws and see if they are the right ones. McMaster-Carr has 5-40 x 3/8 Torx for $9.07 plux tax and shipping. No 5-32 in Allen type either.
 
A flat bladed screw driver will ruin a screw slot in nothing flat. Make sure you get a blade that fits, stash it and don't use it for anything else "except" your die lock rings.

Scope ring torque head screws? Keep an extra wrench (that fits) each size in your rifle or range bag.
And if you take it out to use it, PUT IT BACK when done.
 
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OP,
The next allen head cap or set screw that you have issues with- shock it prior to attempting to loosen it.

A pin punch is inserted into the hex drive...& not a press fit...& tap the punch...loosens easily.

If the hex drive is buggered up..take a larger than hex size punch to displace material...tapped on w/ a hammer to tighten up the hex drive.



If one has to use allen head set screws on vibrating/rotating parts....double stack 2 set screws....leave the Loc-Tite in the tool box drawer.
 
Dans40X said:
OP,
The next allen head cap or set screw that you have issues with- shock it prior to attempting to loosen it.

A pin punch is inserted into the hex drive...& not a press fit...& tap the punch...loosens easily.

If the hex drive is buggered up..take a larger than hex size punch to displace material...tapped on w/ a hammer to tighten up the hex drive.



If one has to use allen head set screws on vibrating/rotating parts....double stack 2 set screws....leave the Loc-Tite in the tool box drawer.
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Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I've heard that you can fix sloppy dovetail connections by squeezing the Holy Bejeezus out of them in a vise. Not sure if it was for the dovetail on the ring or the hole in the base. Never worked for me. Except for what comes on the screws that come with the scope rings I don't have a drop of loctite on the premises.
 
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antelopedundee said:
Our local machine shop supply house has oodles of screws, but none the size 5-32 that Hornady told me it was supposed to be. Said that there are no 5-32 size. Google SOCKET CAP SCREWS and nobody offers 5-32 size.
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How about #5-40 x 3/8" ???
Oh, I now see the post above. Anyway. That's the size.
 
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antelopedundee said:
My understand is that the proper way to use an Allen wrench is to insert the long end into the socket. That's fine for small stuff like adjusting triggers, but useless for stuff like crossbolt die lock rings.
Click to expand...

You use the end that gives better clearance around the socket.
Using the short end can get you increased leverage.
The entire wrench is heat treated for hardness.
If the wrench or recess are not correctly hardened you will
quickly damage the softer piece.
 
Very true!

brickeyee said:
You use the end that gives better clearance around the socket.
Using the short end can get you increased leverage.
The entire wrench is heat treated for hardness.
If the wrench or recess are not correctly hardened you will
quickly damage the softer piece.
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...and probably more common these days. Most hardware store fasteners are crap. Most allen wrenches are also crap. You can blame "imports" but there's a lot of domestically produced garbage as well. I order fasteners from McMaster, because they still list a spec. It turns out that "Carlyle" from Napa (no, I didn't believe it at first either) makes a good quality allen (and torx) T-handle wrench. Lots of junk on the market these days and it pays huge dividends to seek out the good fasteners and tools.

GsT
 
GeneT said:
...and probably more common these days. Most hardware store fasteners are crap. Most allen wrenches are also crap. You can blame "imports" but there's a lot of domestically produced garbage as well. I order fasteners from McMaster, because they still list a spec. It turns out that "Carlyle" from Napa (no, I didn't believe it at first either) makes a good quality allen (and torx) T-handle wrench. Lots of junk on the market these days and it pays huge dividends to seek out the good fasteners and tools.

GsT
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Agree completely.
Bondhus is nice and consistent.
And not a lot of money for a set and a plastic keeper.
Pays to shop around. $8 to around $25 for a set.
Shorter sets are less expensive, and most com with ball ends on the long side.
Very handy in crowded places.
 
GeneT said:
...and probably more common these days. Most hardware store fasteners are crap. Most allen wrenches are also crap. You can blame "imports" but there's a lot of domestically produced garbage as well. I order fasteners from McMaster, because they still list a spec. It turns out that "Carlyle" from Napa (no, I didn't believe it at first either) makes a good quality allen (and torx) T-handle wrench. Lots of junk on the market these days and it pays huge dividends to seek out the good fasteners and tools.

GsT
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We'd likely be worlds ahead had they used square head drive instead of hex head, but that's neither here nor there. Anyways 5-40 threads don't work either. Die ring screws in my experience need to be turned kind of tight in order to keep them in place on the die. Easy enough to strip out the hex heads if one isn't careful. I may see if Hornady can shake a couple loose otherwise no biggie, I'm not short on lock rings. If I have one that I need to change the lock ring position frequently I'll just use a friendlier lock ring.
 
antelopedundee said:
We'd likely be worlds ahead had they used square head drive instead of hex head, but that's neither here nor there. Anyways 5-40 threads don't work either. Die ring screws in my experience need to be turned kind of tight in order to keep them in place on the die. Easy enough to strip out the hex heads if one isn't careful. I may see if Hornady can shake a couple loose otherwise no biggie, I'm not short on lock rings. If I have one that I need to change the lock ring position frequently I'll just use a friendlier lock ring.
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Have you put a piece of shot (7-1/2 works well) under the set screw?
That small piece of lead works very well.
 
brickeyee said:
Agree completely.
Bondhus is nice and consistent.
And not a lot of money for a set and a plastic keeper.
Pays to shop around. $8 to around $25 for a set.
Shorter sets are less expensive, and most com with ball ends on the long side.
Very handy in crowded places.
Click to expand...

Bondhus isn't what they used to be... They're still correctly sized, but their hardness now varies quite a bit, particularly in the small sizes. I have one that I twisted into a barber pole on a screw that came right out with a properly hardened wrench. I have some older sets that are great, but the newer ones have been disappointing. No more Bondhus for me.

GsT
 
antelopedundee said:
I usually don't use the set screw rings that come with factory dies unless it's with a die that won't ever be changed like a decapping die.
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And yet you complain about hex screws and such. For me, the best way to set a lock ring is with the lead ball and hardened hex socket screw. And I don’t complain about that set up.
 
FBecigneul said:
And yet you complain about hex screws and such. For me, the best way to set a lock ring is with the lead ball and hardened hex socket screw. And I don’t complain about that set up.
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I like the Hornadys for the wrench flats. I've used them plenty without messing up an Allen wrench or the hex screw itself. Doesn't mean I can't complain about hex head stuff tho. You can't use a set screw in a cross bolt manner. When I position my size die where I want it and set/tighten the lock ring I can't screw the die back out by hand it's that tight. I either use a wrench on the Hornady lock rings or a pliers [with padding] on the round kind. Also I hardly ever adjust most of my other dies.
 
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When we sell a ring or wildcat forming die, and we sell many, we throw out the brass hex socket set screw that comes with them and install a hardened steel screw and lead ball is in the plastic bag. You could do the same-minus the lead ball- with a cross bolt locking assembly.
 
FBecigneul said:
When we sell a ring or wildcat forming die, and we sell many, we throw out the brass hex socket set screw that comes with them and install a hardened steel screw and lead ball is in the plastic bag. You could do the same-minus the lead ball- with a cross bolt locking assembly.
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What would stop the set screw if there was no bolt head on it? It would keep on turning and come out the other side of the lock ring. It's hard enough to find the right size replacement socket head screw much less trying to find it in a harder grade like grade 5. Can't say that I've ever seen a brass set screw in a die lock ring.
 
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