Stripped T-10 torx screw in XDM Elite optic plate

[ex13F]

Received the Torx screws sent by Springfield today. Wrong ones so I called CS back and asked if I could send the slide to them and have them remove and replace the stripped screws. The lady was nice and said she was sending me a label to return the slide and they would take care of it. She also told me they no longer ship those little Torx tools with the pistol. So I guess until this is resolved I will just shoot something else?

 

[Tinyman]

I’m trying to picture the part where you carry your pistol across the airport looking for an aviation mechanic. In my head you are played by Will Ferrel and the mechanic is John C Reilly.

Note the key word "general" in the general aviation shop. I worked in one and carried IWB at work. Another idea would be to leave your piece in your car, gain entry and ask around. Tell the mechanic your problem and go from there.

And no, I didn't look like John Wick.

 

[RickAnderson]

Ugggh!
It just happened to me....
And yes, I used quite a bit of blue loctite on the threads....

This is my SA XD-M Elite OSP Tactile....
Getting ready to do some Cerakoting, so while I was at it, I wanted to Cerakot the Optics Adapter Plate on my XD-M Elite....
1 of the 3 screws, the torx head stripped out.... ...I had the torx driver inserted straight and all the way into the head...

Looks like the problem is the SA screws have a loose fitting torx head.... T15 doesn't fit, but T10 is pretty loose...

BUT, I was able to fix it myself....
I soaked the area with acetone several times hoping for it to seep in and soten/loosen the loctite....
Rapped the screw head several times with a punch and hammer that fit inside the torx head, the shock helps break the loctite grip and break the screw free.....
Then I took a T15 driver bit and hammered it into the stripped T10 head, drove it all the way down, attached the driver and pushed hard and turned, it broke free and I was able to remove it....

Went to Powder River Precision and ordered a new set of screws, they should be here Monday...

PRP® 3 Screws for Optics Plate

PRP Screws for Optics Plate Mounts

powderriverprecision.com

 

[Keystone19250]

Although I own (2) Elite SA handguns with optics and have had no issues removing the screws in the slide cover plate to mount the Holosun’s on either one I want to share something a Springfield C.S. Representative told me when I called to order the correct optic mounting plate for my 1st
I hadn’t taken the cover plate off my elite compact 10mm yet, the CS Rep. told me as I start to remove the screws it was important to slightly loosen each screw evenly and NOT to remove one screw at a time until all the screws are loose, if one screw is loosened and removed before the other two are broke free it puts stress on the plate and makes removing the other two screws more difficult resulting in the screw heads stripping out or the screws breaking.
Following this advice I had no problem with removing the screws in my 10mm
and my new Elite compact 45ACP

Just wanted to share.

 

[Bassbob]

Although I own (2) Elite SA handguns with optics and have had no issues removing the screws in the slide cover plate to mount the Holosun’s on either one I want to share something a Springfield C.S. Representative told me when I called to order the correct optic mounting plate for my 1st
I hadn’t taken the cover plate off my elite compact 10mm yet, the CS Rep. told me as I start to remove the screws it was important to slightly loosen each screw evenly and NOT to remove one screw at a time until all the screws are loose, if one screw is loosened and removed before the other two are broke free it puts stress on the plate and makes removing the other two screws more difficult resulting in the screw heads stripping out or the screws breaking.
Following this advice I had no problem with removing the screws in my 10mm
and my new Elite compact 45ACP

Just wanted to share.

Either way there are enough examples of manufacturer provided screws ( not just SA by the way) that if I was going to use plates I would either get the screws from the optic manufacturers or someplace like PRP to insure the screws weren't Chinese pieces of trash. Which most of them seem to be.

 

[RickAnderson]

...the CS Rep. told me as I start to remove the screws it was important to slightly loosen each screw evenly and NOT to remove one screw at a time until all the screws are loose, if one screw is loosened and removed before the other two are broke free it puts stress on the plate and makes removing the other two screws more difficult resulting in the screw heads stripping out or the screws breaking...

I did that, and still stripped out the 2nd screw....
Its a good general advice for removing fasteners holding down a plate or flange on anything...

I think the problem is the screw SA selected for this.... ...the torx socket is just not the right size, and thus does not get a good grip and thus strips out...

The Powder River Replacement set of screws, from the photos, appear to be different screws than those that came OEM from SA with a much better formed torx socket in the head......

And my additional problem was I used way to much loctite,
For such a tiny screw trying to apply a drop from the tube of loctite, always results in excessive loctite...
When I removed the screws, the loctite formed crud all over the screw, plate and optic, below the screw head...

Since this particular pistol, I have been applying loctite by putting a drop of loctite on a paper plate, then dipping a tooth pick in it and then apply a much tinier drop to the female threads the screw goes into....

 

[Keystone19250]

Either way there are enough examples of manufacturer provided screws ( not just SA by the way) that if I was going to use plates I would either get the screws from the optic manufacturers or someplace like PRP to insure the screws weren't Chinese pieces of trash. Which most of them seem to be.

For that reason I was impressed with Holosun as the optics I bought came with screws, they also came with an adapter for mounting the optic to a picatinny rail.

 

[RickAnderson]

For that reason I was impressed with Holosun as the optics I bought came with screws, they also came with an adapter for mounting the optic to a picatinny rail.

Vortex comes with a low profile picatinny rail adapter... ...but, the set of screws are for the picatinny rail adapter that goes deeper than an adapter plate, meaning the crews are a few mm longer than will fit an adapter plate.... ...its just a few minutes to file them down to the proper length... ...you can order the correct length screws from Vortex, at least according to the instruction....

Trijicon, Leupold and EOTECH come with proper length screws, but no picatinny rail adapter, although Leupold does sell one as an accessory, as well as there are many, many 3rd party adapters all over the market...

Of course, since the industry hasn't settled on a single mount standard, it results in so many different possible combinations that you can't blame a manufacturer for not having correct screws included for all possible applications...

 

[RickAnderson]

They are almost certainly metric. 8-32 or something.

Metric, M3 x .50 x 5mm

I can only find these at the hardware store in flat/philips screw heads in silver and none as short at 5mm. I had to order them from Powder River Precision. I'm sure if you call Springfield Armory Customer Service they will send replacement screws. The Powder River Precision are stainless steel, so they are silver, but the torx socket in the head fits T10 drivers properly....

 

[Keystone19250]

Vortex comes with a low profile picatinny rail adapter... ...but, the set of screws are for the picatinny rail adapter that goes deeper than an adapter plate, meaning the crews are a few mm longer than will fit an adapter plate.... ...its just a few minutes to file them down to the proper length... ...you can order the correct length screws from Vortex, at least according to the instruction....

Trijicon, Leupold and EOTECH come with proper length screws, but no picatinny rail adapter, although Leupold does sell one as an accessory, as well as there are many, many 3rd party adapters all over the market...

Of course, since the industry hasn't settled on a single mount standard, it results in so many different possible combinations that you can't blame a manufacturer for not having correct screws included for all possible applications...

The Holosun came with correct length screws as well as one’s slightly longer.