All Play and No Work Makes Bob Fall Behind

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Despite what many of you may think, I actually own and shoot long guns on occasion. I used today to catch up on some rifle tasks that I had been putting off for a while.

The first, and easiest, was simply installing a second charge handle (left side) on my Ruger PCC. A little blue Loc-Tite and an Allen wrench and we're all set.

The second task was no more difficult, but more involved. Quite a while back, I came across and interesting CZ rifle with their mini-Mauser action. It was chambered in .223 and the twist rate was correct for the heavier bullets normally used in an AR. This was a 527 variation called the 527 Royale. Interesting looking and relatively rare. I don't think they ever cataloged  it in the US and sources vary as to how many were imported. It came with the CZ rings that mate with their dovetailed receiver. One screw in one of the rings was stripped. I bought a set Burris rings, but had yet to remove the scope and remount it. So that got done this morning too.

The last project wasn't difficult but it was frustrating. I have a Howa 1500 Axiom. This gun shoots terrific, but had a horrendous trigger (this was from before Howa's HACK trigger). I shot sub-MOA groups with the old trigger, so I figured I could probably do better with a better trigger. I ordered a Timney 1.5# trigger. Really simple one-screw installation, after you get the action out of the stock. That required purchasing a long .25" ball-end Allen wrench. Then came the frustrating part (my bad). The action screws appeared to be socket head Allen screws, but I couldn't find an Allen wrench to fit. I ended up going to Harbor Freight and buying a huge set of all kinds of bits (China - cheap). Still couldn't find one - then I looked a little closer at the screws....waaaaiiit a minute - those aren't Allen head, those are Torx. Sure enough a T30 bit had them out in a jiffy. While the action was out of the stock I also converted it from an internal mag with a floor plate, to a detachable box magazine. The kit came with one magazine - I got a ten-rounder - and then I ordered a second five-round magazine. Pretty slick. What I found was that the action screws weren't torqued anywhere near spec - so that got taken care of upon reassembly.

That takes care of the long gun tasks. Later this week I have to sight-in my new Ruger GP100 Match Champion so that I can christen it at Saturday's IDPA match at Lower Providence.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[Maksim 1,504]

5 hours ago, Pizza Bob said:

Despite what many of you may think, I actually own and shoot long guns on occasion. I used today to catch up on some rifle tasks that I had been putting off for a while.

The first, and easiest, was simply installing a second charge handle (left side) on my Ruger PCC. A little blue Loc-Tite and an Allen wrench and we're all set.

The second task was no more difficult, but more involved. Quite a while back, I came across and interesting CZ rifle with their mini-Mauser action. It was chambered in .223 and the twist rate was correct for the heavier bullets normally used in an AR. This was a 527 variation called the 527 Royale. Interesting looking and relatively rare. I don't think they ever cataloged  it in the US and sources vary as to how many were imported. It came with the CZ rings that mate with their dovetailed receiver. One screw in one of the rings was stripped. I bought a set Burris rings, but had yet to remove the scope and remount it. So that got done this morning too.

The last project wasn't difficult but it was frustrating. I have a Howa 1500 Axiom. This gun shoots terrific, but had a horrendous trigger (this was from before Howa's HACK trigger). I shot sub-MOA groups with the old trigger, so I figured I could probably do better with a better trigger. I ordered a Timney 1.5# trigger. Really simple one-screw installation, after you get the action out of the stock. That required purchasing a long .25" ball-end Allen wrench. Then came the frustrating part (my bad). The action screws appeared to be socket head Allen screws, but I couldn't find an Allen wrench to fit. I ended up going to Harbor Freight and buying a huge set of all kinds of bits (China - cheap). Still couldn't find one - then I looked a little closer at the screws....waaaaiiit a minute - those aren't Allen head, those are Torx. Sure enough a T30 bit had them out in a jiffy. While the action was out of the stock I also converted it from an internal mag with a floor plate, to a detachable box magazine. The kit came with one magazine - I got a ten-rounder - and then I ordered a second five-round magazine. Pretty slick. What I found was that the action screws weren't torqued anywhere near spec - so that got taken care of upon reassembly.

That takes care of the long gun tasks. Later this week I have to sight-in my new Ruger GP100 Match Champion so that I can christen it at Saturday's IDPA match at Lower Providence.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

HAHAHA,  Torx!

Hopefully it was not Security Torx!

I think anyone who does not work on a German car takes for granted that the majority of americans have never seen Torx bits/heads.

I think my first, before buying my Beemers was the Torx head deck screws used by USPSA in CJRPC... I will say, have become a fan of Torx and have 2 or 3 sets of Torx bits... both in security and standard varieties. 

You can at times, use regular allen keys for some Torx... or was it the other way around?

[gleninjersey 2,139]

Hiw does the CZ shoot? I've heard nothing but good things about CZ rifles.

[djg0770 481]

6 hours ago, Maksim said:

I think my first, before buying my Beemers was the Torx head deck screws used by USPSA in CJRPC... I will say, have become a fan of Torx and have 2 or 3 sets of Torx bits... both in security and standard varieties.

They're all over deck screws right now. I encountered them at least 20 yrs ago on an American car. Might have been headlight adjusting screws...

[Shocker 150]

My Ford is riddled with Torx as well. I wonder if a patent expired or something.

[fishnut 2,358]

Torx has been in American cars for a while. My 94 Ford ranger had torx for the window cranks and my 06 jeep wranglers roll bars are bolted down with torx. 

Yes pretty much all deck screws are torx now. Torx is better than Phillip's but I liked square drive better. 

[Zeke 5,504]

“T-20 T-25 whatever it takes “

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

8 hours ago, Maksim said:

HAHAHA,  Torx!

Hopefully it was not Security Torx!

I think anyone who does not work on a German car takes for granted that the majority of americans have never seen Torx bits/heads.

As has been pointed out, Torx head fasteners have been used in American cars for quite a long time. I was in the automotive industry for 35 years before I retired and encountered them a long time ago. This particular one was just hard to see clearly (couldn't be that my eyes are getting older....nah.) I probably already had a T30 bit lying around somewhere - but what the heck, now I have a full set, including security bits.

While most people know about Torx, who knows what used Whitworth fasteners (no fair Googling)??? Or how about Huck bolts???

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[silverado427 10,660]

9 minutes ago, Pizza Bob said:

As has been pointed out, Torx head fasteners have been used in American cars for quite a long time. I was in the automotive industry for 35 years before I retired and encountered them a long time ago. This particular one was just hard to see clearly (couldn't be that my eyes are getting older....nah.) I probably already had a T30 bit lying around somewhere - but what the heck, now I have a full set, including security bits.

While most people know about Torx, who knows what used Whitworth fasteners (no fair Googling)??? Or how about Huck bolts???

Adios,

Pizza Bob

I know what huck bolts are.. I did container repair in port newark. Back in the day.

 

 

[Maksim 1,504]

32 minutes ago, fishnut said:

Torx has been in American cars for a while. My 94 Ford ranger had torx for the window cranks and my 06 jeep wranglers roll bars are bolted down with torx. 

Yes pretty much all deck screws are torx now. Torx is better than Phillip's but I liked square drive better. 

Square? Heh, never used.

Did not recall if I had them or not but my first experience with square drive was only a few days ago.  Bought a Kreg pocket hole jig and the Kreg screws were actually cheaper than regular screws.... BUT they are square drive. 

What's the advantage of square?

My understanding is that Torx/Star is least likely to cam out or to strip a head....

Security Torx is just evil though... very evil... 

[djg0770 481]

23 minutes ago, Maksim said:

What's the advantage of square?

MUCH less cam out.

[fishnut 2,358]

45 minutes ago, djg0770 said:

MUCH less cam out.

This! 

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

No takers on "Whitworth" yet. You must have been deprived teenagers - or not as masochistic as I was. Remember - no Googling.

[Mr.Stu 1,913]

10 hours ago, Maksim said:

HAHAHA,  Torx!

Hopefully it was not Security Torx!

I think anyone who does not work on a German car takes for granted that the majority of americans have never seen Torx bits/heads.

I think my first, before buying my Beemers was the Torx head deck screws used by USPSA in CJRPC... I will say, have become a fan of Torx and have 2 or 3 sets of Torx bits... both in security and standard varieties. 

You can at times, use regular allen keys for some Torx... or was it the other way around?

My 1997 Jeep Cherokee had Torx all over it.

[Mr.Stu 1,913]

When I was a kid my Dad had 3 types of spanners (wrenches) - BSF, Metric and Whitworth. The transition from English to metric was painful as many things from cars to household appliances had a mix of English and Metric on the same  object  for years.

[CMJeepster 2,777]

2 hours ago, Pizza Bob said:

No takers on "Whitworth" yet. You must have been deprived teenagers - or not as masochistic as I was. Remember - no Googling.

I cheated.  Fascinating though.

[Zeke 5,504]

Embrace the metric system!

torx are great! But it’s a disaster switching so many tips on the job. Square, philips, 10 different torx, metric and standard. 

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

2 hours ago, Pizza Bob said:

No takers on "Whitworth" yet. You must have been deprived teenagers - or not as masochistic as I was. Remember - no Googling.

I know some British armour used Whitworth fasteners, all I know is "normal" tools don't work and if you mess one up good luck replacing it...

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

3 hours ago, Mr.Stu said:

When I was a kid my Dad had 3 types of spanners (wrenches) - BSF, Metric and Whitworth. The transition from English to metric was painful as many things from cars to household appliances had a mix of English and Metric on the same  object  for years.

That's not fair - you ARE British. My first experience with Whitworth was when my father bought a set of Whitworth wrenches (OK, spanners if you will) for his Triumph TR3. They came in handy when my buddy and i bought Austin Healeys - him a '62 3000 Mk II and me a '58 100-6.

Anybody that has owned a British car with Lucas, Prince of Darkness, electrics will understand the masochistic comment. My ex- BIL had an MGA that quit on him in the middle of the Holland Tunnel. Everybody needs to experience a British sports car at least once their lives - it builds character.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[Ray Ray 3,566]

If you have a set of Torx screwdrivers you can take your whole JK (Jeep Wrangler) apart.

[CMJeepster 2,777]

14 hours ago, Ray Ray said:

If you have a set of Torx screwdrivers you can take your whole JK (Jeep Wrangler) apart.

Except for the lug nuts.

[raz-0 1,259]

On 4/23/2019 at 10:33 AM, Maksim said:

Square? Heh, never used.

Did not recall if I had them or not but my first experience with square drive was only a few days ago.  Bought a Kreg pocket hole jig and the Kreg screws were actually cheaper than regular screws.... BUT they are square drive. 

What's the advantage of square?

My understanding is that Torx/Star is least likely to cam out or to strip a head....

Security Torx is just evil though... very evil... 

Square, aka robertson bits, resist cam out a LOT, as others have said. Their also as far as I can tell are harder to strip than torx. The first place I ever encountered them were shitty zinc screws for window AC units. They were impressively durable for a screw that would not have survived a screw gun in philips. 

The reason square drive isn't everywhere and torx is is that robertson seemed to be carpentry oriented at the start, and thus only specified a handful of sizes appropriate for use with a manual screw driver.  Torx goes up to t100 which is pretty frikin big for what it is. 

PErosnally I hate the double square screws. Look like torx. Not torx. 

[Maksim 1,504]

@Pizza Bob I am sorry we turned this post into Torx/Robertson central. =)

[Zeke 5,504]

On 4/23/2019 at 1:34 AM, Maksim said:

HAHAHA,  Torx!

Hopefully it was not Security Torx!

I think anyone who does not work on a German car takes for granted that the majority of americans have never seen Torx bits/heads.

I think my first, before buying my Beemers was the Torx head deck screws used by USPSA in CJRPC... I will say, have become a fan of Torx and have 2 or 3 sets of Torx bits... both in security and standard varieties. 

You can at times, use regular allen keys for some Torx... or was it the other way around?

@Rob0115 this is where it keyholed.

#notmyfault

[Rob0115 1,105]

19 hours ago, Zeke said:

@Rob0115 this is where it keyholed.

#notmyfault

Eeh Ghad this went way off.  

 

BtW HD motorcycles all torx. 

 

Funny i just upgraded the SSD today in my Mac Pro cylinder and it was security Torx.