Removing front grip screws

[GoatBoy]

So the cheap ULE automags arrived. As expected, rust everywhere, but I was really surprised at how good the ULE bodies actually looked.

Problem: I cannot get the front grip frame screw off.

I actually sawed a slot into the front grip frame to stick a piece of metal or something in to get more leverage as the hex parts are partially stripped, but anything I stick in there to try to turn the screw either breaks or bends. That's set that screw is. I'm suspecting rust or something.

Any ideas, hopefully which don't involve destroying the CF grip frame?

[lobo_fuerte]

Buy an easy out kit or drill out the screw there's YouTube vids on how to use easy outs hope that helps a lil bit

[C_losjoker]

soak it over night or for couple of days, see if that might loosen up the rust. I had the same deal, could not fit an easy out in there just no room. I tried to jb weld, did not hold could not break loose. what I ended up doing is filing the head of the screw completely off, it let me take the frame off, had enough of screw left that I put a vice wrench and finally busted loose.

[Nobody]

in addition to the mentioned above.

you can take a dremel and slot the screw, then using a regular screw driver to unscrew it.

also, pics...

[Spider-TW]

what I ended up doing is filing the head of the screw completely off, it let me take the frame off, had enough of screw left that I put a vice wrench and finally busted loose.

Sounds like you are halfway there anyway.

[GoatBoy]

Yeah, I meant to say that I had filed a slot in the front grip frame *screw* and tried to get it off there, and anything I managed to fit in there broke, bent, or didn't budge it. There's not enough space in there to get leverage.

I'll probably have to go ahead and file the cap off. Annoying...

Here's one that I haven't started taking apart yet.



Pretty good condition, should clean up nicely. Some annoyances with their specific configuration though (no QD or macroline is not cool).

[debruynda]

They probably got them as a field package from AGD. A field I used to work at a long time ago got a couple rental's as a package from AGD and they were set up vertical the same way with no quick disconnect. We installed QD's so we could actually clean the valves without taking off the body/grip/etc. If I had to guess the field that sold them were too lazy to clean them. Just a thought.

[need4reebs]

was the grip frame screw on this one stuck as well or just on the first Mag??? the mag in tha pic looks pretty nice man…looks like it just needs either a QD or a couple macro fittings and macro line? have you decided if you will mod one or both of them for the FS rounds?

[GoatBoy]

Yeah this one's screw is a little less stripped at the cap, but still equally impossible to remove.

There are a few oddities about the guns -- particularly the double-bushing on the back of the grip frame. I had never seen that before. And the rails have a dovetail on the front. The guns are in good shape; I think the rails strangely took most of the beating. But you can tell whoever owned these guns didn't know what they were doing and took a lot of bad advice.

One of the guns is earmarked for a friend. The other one... will probably become the defacto buddy gun. Probably not another FSR mag. I'm actually working on a followup project that's going to be significantly more complicated... Mostly because I'm trying to do it with mostly commodity parts.

[need4reebs]

nice!!! tha double bushing could be cause the frames were either made for/drilled for a RT classic?

how much longer till tha follow up project it done?

[Spider-TW]

I think those are "longbow ready" rails. I had Luke put one of his curvy RT rail profiles on the one I have, so it has extra flats on the sides in the back.

I think I still have the pair of stainless covers for the screw holes if you need them.

No QD is probably a rental "feature". Between that and the frame bushing business, they probably got a good discount for taking the less popular varieties of the parts. Even at that, I'm sure that anyone that doesn't like their purchase from that deal can unload it easily.

[Justus]

I'm glad to hear that people receiving those mags are at least pretending to be mildly disappointed. Makes me feel better for missing out. Thanks.



Honestly, though, I expected the front grip screw to be seized up. Might have even used red loctite in there. Wouldn't be the first time I have seen that. As for the failure to have a quick disconnect, I kinda expected that as well. In all the maintenance videos, TK didn't have a QD on the test marker. When removing the valve, it just kind of hung from the braided steel line attached to the duckbill ASA. Quick disconnects, staubli disconnects, macro lines and fittings, on/off ASAs... we're a spoiled bunch of paintballers, really.

Besides, using these things as rentals, the last thing you want is for the gun to be aired up and then some idiot kid deciding to fiddle with that on the field, causing him to be air-flogged with the hose under 850 psi.

[debruynda]

Besides, using these things as rentals, the last thing you want is for the gun to be aired up and then some idiot kid deciding to fiddle with that on the field, causing him to be air-flogged with the hose under 850 psi.[/QUOTE]

Is this possible? I've never tried it for obvious reasons...

[Spider-TW]

Is this possible? I've never tried it for obvious reasons...

Well, the kid is a paying customer, so you can't flog him for your own entertainment.

[GoatBoy]

Oh I'm so happy with the deal that I'm tempted to not actually give the 2nd to the friend. (I haven't seen the other threads of people mildly complaining about them; this is all just me.)

I'm just really annoyed at how they couldn't make the guns actually work in a rental capacity, and I'm certain it was based on really lousy advice. (The kind you find on a certain other forum full of morons who routinely dispense really, really stupid "advice".)

Rentals still need to be cleaned. Lack of QD isn't a rental feature, it's a rental liability. I'm sure they thought it was a "feature" though. If you're afraid of the hose flogging the player, there are some obvious ways to secure it to the gun. Namely just screwing a retainer into the useless and vacant sight rail holes.

There are steel parts on this gun. You can't just "dunka dem in water and hanga dem up" as your cleaning procedure. This is responsible for the majority of damage on this gun.

I'm pretty sure someone thought it was a keen idea to use an adhesive to attach the rubber grips to the grip frame.

I would not at all be surprised to find red loctite on that front grip frame screw once I get it out.

The gun survived fine, it's just all the stuff done to the gun was clearly based on really shoddy "advice" and didn't need to happen at all. Otherwise beautiful guns tarnished by stupidity.