VA wont come off rail

[Andrewliu6294]

the VA on my AM/MM rail is loose, but when I try to unscrew it, the screw wont budge.

the rail is secondhand, and the previous owner replaced the screw with a flathead screw.

the screw wont come out, no matter how hard i try to unscrew it.

Any suggestions before I go and get penetrating lube and an easy out?

also, if someone has a rail and or VA they want to get rid of, i'll gladly take it.

[Spider-TW]

Start with the pen oil. It may have some thread locker on it. If you have it all apart, you can try heating the VA with a heat gun or torch (carefully). Red thread locker will come out ok once you melt it, but can be pretty impossible otherwise. If it is bad enough, I would drill the head off to save the rail and get better access to the screw.

Keep the pen oil away from the heat source if you do that.

[Madmarx]

I'd stay away from the torch for now.
Overheating aluminum is a bad idea.
Try some PB Blaster and let is soak in for a few hours.
If that doesn't work then drill or dremel the head off and just work with the asa off the rail.

[athomas]

Heat will work. You don't need much. Hold the VA in hot water under the tap. Then try the screw.

[Andrewliu6294]

alright, heat didnt work. I tried running it under hot water, heating it with a blowdryer on hottest setting, and it didnt work.

which leads me to believe that its not locktighted on. I pretty much rounded off the screwhead trying to unscrew it, and it wont budge. I think it actually might be rusted on.

In that case, penetrating oil should be the next thing to try, right?

if it doesnt work, and the easy out doesnt work, I'm just gonna get a new rail. Anyone got a rail and VA for sale?

[rb211]

Don't replace the rail. Drill the center of the screw. Use a bit size that is the same diameter of the head. Drill into it until you pop the top of the screw head off. Then all you have to do is replace the VA if you cant get the screw out of the VA.

[Andrewliu6294]

well, drilling the head is turning out to be a lot harder than it seems. The steel head is deep, and I've wasted a couple hours and one full battery charge for my drill on it, and i'm only about halfway through.

[Spider-TW]

A dremel would be faster, but you would probably hack up the rail in the process.

As long as you are making some clean progress, just keep after it. It's cheaper than playing paintball, even when you buy new drill bits. :)

[athomas]

well, drilling the head is turning out to be a lot harder than it seems. The steel head is deep, and I've wasted a couple hours and one full battery charge for my drill on it, and i'm only about halfway through.

Don't use a cheap high speed steel bit. Use carbide, or if you don't have access to carbide, use a coated bit. Always use a lubricant as well, to help with the cutting process and to help keep the heat down. A good bit will speed the process up alot.

[Smoothice]

alright, heat didnt work. I tried running it under hot water, heating it with a blowdryer on hottest setting, and it didnt work.

which leads me to believe that its not locktighted on. I pretty much rounded off the screwhead trying to unscrew it, and it wont budge. I think it actually might be rusted on.

In that case, penetrating oil should be the next thing to try, right?

if it doesnt work, and the easy out doesnt work, I'm just gonna get a new rail. Anyone got a rail and VA for sale?

Let me know if you still need a rail.