Broken grip screw in bushing -- Beretta 92FS

[christian]

While replacing the stock grips on my 92FS the last grip screw broke (the head of the screw separated). I have replacement screws and bushings. My question is how should I go about removing the bushing that has the screw broken off in it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[X - Man]

Christian; This is a general suggestion, don't know about the Beretta. I repair machines which often have broken screws and bolts. I use a sharp center punch to dimple the screw shank. Use a center drill mounted in a drill press, and get a hole started. Then chuck up a LEFT handed twist drill and reverse the chuck direction. Often the left twist drill will grab and spin the broken shank up and out of the threaded hole without damage to the hole. These drills are available at machine shop suppliers. Left twist drills run counter-clockwise in direction.

[chalmitch]

What "X-Man" said. Go to Sears and ask for "extractors" or E-Z Outs.

Best regards,
chalmitch

[X - Man]

Screw extractors have their uses, but be careful. As they twist into a hole they tend to grab and expand the broken screw shank, causing it get tighter into the threaded hole. Left twist drill bits are probably not available at Sears, but at places like Carr-McMaster Supply.

[Lycanthrope]

I'd just try using good epoxy (accuglass maybe) to bond a small screw driver to the screw and/or bushing and try winding her out.

Lycanlowrisksolutionthrope

[christian]

Thanks for all the feedback. I should probably just take this thing in but I'm stubborn and sense that I would feel rather useless if I'm incapable of removing a broken screw.

I tried the epoxy idea, but unfortunately too little to work with and it was too tightly in there.

I'm picking up an extractor set with screws and bits -- will let you know how it turns out.

Now my other little adventure is that the beretta 92 replacement screws I got are bigger than the stock ones. Judging from their size my *guess* is that they're intended to go directly into the frame without a bushing...if not, they're the wrong screws. If so, I have to take the bushings out regardless and my busted screw problem becomes a *little* bit more simple.

Anyway, enough rambling -- thanks again for the feedback.

Christian