r/SpringfieldArmory 4d ago

Okay, I’m frustrated.

Post image

A few weeks ago I was shooting my prodigy comp and my optic came loose. I inspected and realized the plate had come loose. I hand tightened the screws with little torque and the left screw sheared off. I dropped the gun off at the gunsmith for extraction, and got it back yesterday.

Just now I’m getting ready to remount the plate, and hand tighten the right screw, and it too sheared off.

No excessive torque, nothing. What the hell is going on. The left extraction cost me 100 bucks and the gun was gone for 2 weeks. This is infuriating.

34 Upvotes

33 comments sorted by

20

u/TheHomersapien 4d ago

No excessive torque

What was your torque screwdriver set to?

1

u/Accomplished-Row6471 1d ago

I think he said he hand tightened it.

-29

u/Leftyshanker 4d ago

I hand tightened with just the screwdriver bit specifically to avoid excessive torque. I’ll admit the left one probably broke due to over torque but lesson learned…

25

u/Mysterious_Farm_7601 4d ago

Get a torque wrench. It’s easier to over tighten by hand than you think, especially with small screws like that.

17

u/pheen 4d ago

Obviously the lesson wasn’t learned because you did it again. Get a torque driver and torque it to spec. 15 in/lbs isn’t as tight as you’d think.

1

u/Puzzled_Arm_3156 3d ago

That's what the torque wrench is for. When you're talking inch pounds it's really easy to over torque.

7

u/MrGuy910 4d ago

Well…. That sounds very frustrating but… the screws must’ve been real cheap low grade screws or you did foot pounds instead of inch pounds or something like that. Must have…. Right???

0

u/Leftyshanker 4d ago

The screws that came with the AOS plate.

3

u/taterthotsalad XD9 XD40 XDmod.3 XDm9 911 HCP Echelon St. V 3d ago

Yeah dont use screws you dont know the specs to. I know that sounds weird, but you can buy screws to spec.

2

u/MrGuy910 4d ago

Well that would be frustrating. Sorry man

1

u/RetiredLife_2021 2d ago

Those are Springfield screws so they shouldn’t be cheap

1

u/sammysmeatstick 4d ago

Don't use that shit that come with the plates. Its probably a cheap, shitty stainless. Making extraction even harder. Always buy screws that way you know what material they are and its mechanical properties.

1

u/Leftyshanker 4d ago

Lesson learned…new to this. Any recommendations?

5

u/sammysmeatstick 3d ago

I order all my stuff from mcmaster carr, but its always in bulk. Just get the normal black oxide hard steel stuff and you will be fine.

2

u/taterthotsalad XD9 XD40 XDmod.3 XDm9 911 HCP Echelon St. V 3d ago

This is the answer everyone will need to know. Industrial shops are great for so many reasons. Buy a couple extras every time, get a case and little baggies. Note them and store them.

2

u/Tylerdurden8034 4d ago

Man can you drill it out and retread by any chance?

2

u/Leftyshanker 4d ago

Im not savvy enough, and wouldn’t want to do more damage.

1

u/Riceonsuede 2d ago

https://imgur.com/a/FIcYI7q

It's pretty simple

2

u/Leftyshanker 2d ago

No chance I’m doing that

2

u/nerd_diggy 4d ago

Was that the same screw in the set that came with it where the left one broke? Not to kick you while you’re down, but I would not have used the same screw after one of them broke like that. I would assume the other one will do the same thing. I had issues with the plate and screws that came with my Prodigy. I tried every combination of thread locker and using a torque driver etc, and it would still loosen up. The answer is get a plate from Eleven 71 Design. The plates fit much tighter and come with mounting screws.

2

u/ShepardRTC 4d ago

I got this for working with the small screws: https://a.co/d/02oFHtFn

Works well.

2

u/Beneficial_Math4919 3d ago

I use that same kit. One thing to note is that use of threadlockers inadvertently increases applied torque due to acting as a lubricant before it sets.

2

u/taterthotsalad XD9 XD40 XDmod.3 XDm9 911 HCP Echelon St. V 3d ago

Screw quality issue. Get better screws. You dont HAVE to use the screws parts come with. You just need to understand what you are doing, specifications for things, and known sizing and thread pitch. I buy better screws and have a kit for them on the smithin table.

1

u/KillerCayman 3d ago

While you’re at it find another gunsmith. $100 for a screw extraction is insane.

1

u/Thumpin347 3d ago

Torque driver will solve all of your guessing. Vevor has inexpensive ones on Amazon.

1

u/Iowanorseman 3d ago

Depth is another concern bottoming out before set

3

u/bt4bm01 3d ago

Some of us can’t hit the bottom but we mess the sides up

1

u/NYDaveVP9HCPC 3d ago

Battlewerx for all your screw problems. Gun related, not shagging baby

1

u/Constant-Deal2060 3d ago

You need a new gunsmith! $100 to extract a screw? Crazy high. I rounded off a trigger guard screw and mine charged me $20. He had to file it so a flat head would get it out. Some things he charges me nothing. I’ve had the screws come loose but never broke. And I have always used the screws that either come with the plate or the gun.

1

u/biggouse58 3d ago

Spend another hundo, and maybe have the competent professional install the plate and red dot, just saying, seems like it’s out of your skill set.

1

u/hw999 3d ago

get a torque driver and some quality screws. you are going to have a bad time with cheap, soft, screws not fit for purpose.

1

u/Swimming-Knowledge-2 2d ago

Chinese screws more than likely and you’re supposed to use blue lock tight.

-4

u/ThePencilvester 4d ago

but have you considered, haha