New Rifle ~ Magazine Ring Screw Snaps

[fxdrider]

After my new Rossi 92's first range trip(.45 Colt - 20" barrel, blued), I noticed the front of the magazine tube had "twisted" in relationship to the barrel. Instead of sitting directly under the barrel, it was now sitting off to the left a bit. Needless to say, that annoyed the living heck outa me! Genius that I fancy myself to be, I get the idea to remove the screw from the forward barrel band (what Rossi calls the Magazine Ring.) and see if I could re-orient the mag tube to the correct 6 o'clock position. It worked - but when I replace the magazine ring screw, in order to line the threads up with the hole I have to move the mag tube back to its previous (misaligned) position. Hmmm.

So, I figure I'll deal with it at another time and just snug down that screw and call it a day. The screw, however - had other plans. As I was snugging said screw (not super-tight, just snug) I hear, "SNAP!" Ruh-roh! The shaft of the screw had snapped in half, leaving the threaded portion stuck in the magazine ring. Now I'll have to find a screw extractor and try to remove it without buggering up the magazine ring or anything else. I'll be on the phone with Rossi today as well. I'm hoping they'll have the screw in stock.

It probably sounds like I'm complaining about the gun, but I don't mean it to sound that way. I like the gun a lot. Just not a fan of soft metal screws. Or twisted magazine tubes.

Any one else ever run into these issues?

[Ranch Dog]

I don't see it as complaining. I just bought a couple of the screws so hopefully they are still in stock. I have not had an issue with the tube or the screws but have had to adjust the relief in the barrel on a majority of my R92s so that the Forearm Tip Screw could be secured without it being under unnecessary pressure from contact with the barrel.

In that the screw snapped in half, I suspect that is what the issue is; too much pressure against the barrel.

Here is one of the topics that I described how I do the fitting: R92 Forearm vs. Band Fit

As a note I have two years of shooting all five of my R92s under max loads and I have not experienced any issues with the rifles.

[fxdrider]

Thanks for the topic reference, Ranch Dog. I suspect that is indeed the issue here. I just got off the phone with Rossi/Braztech Customer Service. They are sending me a new screw on their dime. Gotta love that. Now the touch part - extracting that screw without messing up the magazine ring. I already priced it, just in case. $19.95.

Thanks again.

[akuser47]

Def. Not complaining you are explaining. I'm glad they are sending it to you. Im not much help on the broken screw removal. Keep us posted.

[fxdrider]

I bought the smallest screw extractor Lowe's had - a "Grabit" #1. It was too big for the magazine band screw. So, I figured I'd drill this one out just to free up the magazine band. I assumed I'd probably end up messing up the band, and that I'd have to call Rossi and order a new one - no worries. So I picked a drill bit that was smaller in diameter than the stub of the screw that was left in the band - 1/16" I think. I used a punch to put a little pilot divot in the exposed end on the screw, then chucked the bit in my variable speed drill and started to slowly drill so that the bit wouldn't climb out of the divot and maybe damage the barrel - 'cause then I might have to cuss! Anyway, as the bit was slowly turning, the cutting surface caught in the end of the screw and it started turning too. So I just went with it and drove it out the other side. That was too easy! Saved me from having to buy and wait for a new band - not a mark in it!

Now I'm just waiting for the new screw to arrive.

[rman]

Don't you love it when a plan comes together?

[akuser47]

Love it when things work well.

[fxdrider]

It doesn't happen often for me, so it really surprised me. Very thankful for it though.

[fxdrider]

Minor wrinkle - my screw arrived today...in stainless. Unfortunately my rifle is blue. I'll call them tomorrow and inform them of their error. In the meantime the gun is back together using the stainless screw.

[Ranch Dog]

I just had the same thing happen with a screw assortment order I made. They made it right.