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My postWWII .Model 63 is all original and in pretty good condition. But before I rescued it from a consignment rack, a pilgrim with a Harbor Freight screwdriver buggered the two forearm screws situated on either side of of its steel forearm cap.
None of my Woodpecker SAE gauges fit the threads and my old Starrett thread gauge requires younger eyes.
A. Does anyone know the size and thread count of these screws?
B. Could someone please suggest where I might go to secure decent replacements or reproductions? Gun Parts Corp said they had some but didn’t.
Thanks
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
The thread pitch is 6×48. Weaver makes a bevel head screw for their old style rings which is just about a perfect match. Any gunsmith worth his salt should have a few of these laying around.
I spoke too soon. Couldn’t find anything on eBay but I just found Homestead Parts, a new and reproduction parts seller that seems to be straight up. I still don’t know the specs of the Model 63’s 
cap screws but the seller had some for a reasonable price (at least, reasonable to Winchester enthusiasts who are numb to price when they want/need something. ) Homestead catalogued “orginal” Model 63 cap screws as well but they were “temporarily unavailable.” As long as the repros are accurate in dimensions and the same in appearance, I’m not that picky.
The pilgrim used a BIG tapered blade and they are pretty much FUBAR. I do have a Nylon parts anvil and Brownell’s slot files but these particular screws would need additional steel welded onto their heads, which would then have to be shaped, slotted, and reblued. I’ve done that but it takes me a long while and, assuming Homestead sends me honest merchandise, I’d rather solve the problem with plastic for less than twenty bucks.
I’ll report what happens. I’ve attached some photos so you can see the cap screws issue. The rifle is #90,703 and was serialized in 1950.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Erin Grivicich said
The thread pitch is 6×48. Weaver makes a bevel head screw for their old style rings which is just about a perfect match. Any gunsmith worth his salt should have a few of these laying around.
Erin, Thanks very much. I’ve likely got some of those in my “trading scope” box and I’m not even a gunsmith. I’ll check first thing in the morning.
I’d already placed my order with Homestead Parts and will let it stand to see what kind of merchandise they’re selling, against future need.
I’m also going to look for my Optivisor so I can read a 6-48 thread count again.
I really appreciate your taking your time to help me.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 7, 2015
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I’m a big fan of Homestead Parts, they even have an interesting gun for sale now and then. If they don’t have the part you want or need they offer the option of a “waiting list” for parts that they expect to come in eventually. They sent me a notice several months back that a used inner magazine tube for a 1903 (predecessor of the 63) had come in and I gladly paid a silly price for it, even though I’ll probably never fire it. The locking pin was a bit long but it was an easy fix. The quality of their repro parts varies, somewhat better than average in my opinion.
Mike
Mike, I’m glad to hear you’ve had some luck with Homestead. Let’s hope my order will fall into the “for the most part” side of the ledger.
As you may have seen on another recent thread, I needed a 10-36 cylindrical nut for the other end of a replacement bedding screw for a Model 70. Repro parts dealer on eBay sold me a repro bedding screw assembly, i.e. the screw, stud, and escutcheon, and then a set of the mounting screws/nuts for a Super Grade forward swivel base. From the latter, I just needed one of the nuts to replace the bedding stud. Anyway, his stuff was nicely done and worked fine – except the escutcheon was blued. I didn’t need it because the original white or plated metal escutcheon was still in place in the counterbore. So I asked Lou Luttrell about it, he pulled out and checked his mint ’48 Super Grade and, sure enough, the escutcheon wasn’t blued. All this to say my dealer made good stuff but was still off on the finish accuracy of one piece. At one time I would have said “nobody will notice” — but that was before I joined WACA…
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
November 7, 2015
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Bill-
It appears the Pachmayr Master Gunsmith Screw Kit item #03054 has the screws Erin described. It’s actually made by Lyman and has saved me several times-even though I’m no gunsmith. It’s very useful for moving scopes around but didn’t think about them for your 63. I think I got it from Brownell’s but may have been Cabela’s. You’re welcome to a couple if my friends in Tucson let us down.
Mike
TXGunNut said
Bill-It appears the Pachmayr Master Gunsmith Screw Kit item #03054 has the screws Erin described. It’s actually made by Lyman and has saved me several times-even though I’m no gunsmith. It’s very useful for moving scopes around but didn’t think about them for your 63. I think I got it from Brownell’s but may have been Cabela’s. You’re welcome to a couple if my friends in Tucson let us down.
Mike
Mike, That’s mighty thoughtful of you. I think I’ve got a lesser version of what you’re talking about. At least, it’s a Pachmayr screw kit and I’m going to check it in a few minutes to see if it’s got what I need. I got this one for the same reason you did. I’m an inveterate mover of my little Leupold inventory, as things to mount them on have come and gone over the years. I haven’t had a chance yet to go through my parts box to see if I’ve got some of the old bevel-head 6-48 Weaver screws. If not, maybe my Pachmayr kit will work- although I seem to remember most of the contents are flat or barrel head screws for scope mounts. Thirdly, Homestead avers it’s mailed what I bought, which USPS will eventually float down the Trinity’s West Fork… But, if all the foregoing fail, I’ll prevail on you and buy lunch.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Mike, you were certainly right. I have the same Pachmayr screw kit and it has the Weaver style oval head 6-48 screws in several lengths. The 5/16 is the same length as the factory originals. The only difference is the kit screw heads are a matte black. I need some touch up blue anyway to fix where the pilgrim’s screwdriver slipped.
Thanks for the very useful advice.
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
Guys, if you are in the DFW area (Mike, I know you are), give Lee’s Gun Parts in Irving a try.
Jeff Lee has an amazing amount of vintage parts, and somehow he know where most of them are!
I have personally rummaged through his tub of Win 03/63 parts.
Prices are much better than Homestead, but he’s often quite busy, so best to go when you’re not in a hurry.
You can purchase online a “Screw Chek’r” for checking the thread of smaller screws (5/16″ or smaller). There’s also a metric version.
Ace Hardware has a couple of trays in their screw dept devoted to gun screws (mostly 6-48 & 8-40), but also in that tray they sell a “Gun screw thread gauge” – basically a 1″x3.5″ rectangular steel block with 9 threaded holes of the most common gun screw threads, including 6-48. Last I checked it cost about $3.
November 7, 2015
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Thanks, has no idea Lee’s was still in business! He helped me out quite a few years ago but can’t recall the exact situation. Good guy. Thanks for the tip on the thread checker, eyeballs need a little help on those tiny screws these days.
Mike
Likewise. Didn’t know Jeff was still around. I’ll certainly keep him in mind.
I’ll check out the Ace thread checker block. My father’s Starrett thread gauge is a beautiful tool made in the Thirties but it’s getting tough to use on small, fine thread screws. Woodpecker offered a big set of SAE and metric, male/female.thread checkers strung on stainless ropes like beads. I love them for my shop but they’re skimpy from size 10 and smaller stock.
Thanks much for the tips!
- Bill
WACA # 65205; life member, NRA; member, TGCA; member, TSRA; amateur preservationist
"I have seen wicked men and fools, a great many of both, and I believe they both get paid in the end, but the fools first." -- David Balfour, narrator and protagonist of the novel, Kidnapped, by Robert Louis Stevenson.
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