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I recently got a stripped lower back from being re-anodized. Before I sent it in, I had tapped the rear take down spring hole for a small 1/2" long, 4-40 Allen head set screw as I do on most of my lowers.
Here's where the trouble started: I didn't run the tap back through the hole before trying to put the 4-40 screw back in and it got about 3/4 of the way in and got stuck. I either wasn't paying attention or fate simply wasn't with me because I got it in there far enough that I couldn't get it all the way in and couldn't back it out.
More trouble ensued: I tried to get a tiny set of vice grips on the part sticking out and crushed the end of the set screw closed. I used a 1/16" bit to open the head up a bit and tried the smallest screw extractor I could find... which promptly snapped off.
I tried drilling the center of the set screw out with a 1/16" bit with the idea of working my way out to a #43 bit (what you use with a 4-40 tap) but ended up with a broken drill bit in the hole. I worked the take down pin out and got the spring and tiny brass detent out the other end.
The hole is now oversized on the rear of the receiver and still has part of the set screw and part of a drill bit stuck in it.
I'm done with it since everything I try seems to make it worse, but can a REAL gunsmith do anything for me?
Please avoid pointing out the obvious dumbass things I did to get here... my ego is quite fragile today.
Here's where the trouble started: I didn't run the tap back through the hole before trying to put the 4-40 screw back in and it got about 3/4 of the way in and got stuck. I either wasn't paying attention or fate simply wasn't with me because I got it in there far enough that I couldn't get it all the way in and couldn't back it out.
More trouble ensued: I tried to get a tiny set of vice grips on the part sticking out and crushed the end of the set screw closed. I used a 1/16" bit to open the head up a bit and tried the smallest screw extractor I could find... which promptly snapped off.
I tried drilling the center of the set screw out with a 1/16" bit with the idea of working my way out to a #43 bit (what you use with a 4-40 tap) but ended up with a broken drill bit in the hole. I worked the take down pin out and got the spring and tiny brass detent out the other end.
The hole is now oversized on the rear of the receiver and still has part of the set screw and part of a drill bit stuck in it.
I'm done with it since everything I try seems to make it worse, but can a REAL gunsmith do anything for me?
Please avoid pointing out the obvious dumbass things I did to get here... my ego is quite fragile today.
Ar15 barrels just had a comment about this yesterday in another post. I believe he is fairly close to your posted location. Give him a pm 
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