Bill in Oregon, medieval gunsmith ...

[Bill in Oregon]

OK, so I decide I'm going to drill and tap the tang of my Savage 30G Favorite my own self and save some clams. I get the hole started with the receiver in a vise in the drill press and take it slow and easy. Things are going well. Nothing to this, I tell myself. Then there's a little crunch. Gee, that must be a good sized chip. And it is. It is the tip of the drill bit, down in the hole. RATS! Is there a face-saving way out of this or do I take it to my smith and let him have yet another laugh at my expense as I 'splain how my smithing went awry?

[Modoc ED]

Take it to the Smith. You'll only screw it up worse (much worse) if you have no experience removing a broken drill bit from a hole -- especially a bottomed out screw bit.

[jdad]

Bill,
Here's the guy Marlinman93 and I use. He's up in WA.
www.johntaylormachine.com

[2ndovc]

At least you tried. I've got a nice Lyman tang sight for my Marlin LTD and am still to chicken to try to D&T it.


jb

[Bill in Oregon]

Thanks guys. Jdad: I just had John Taylor rebarrel a Marlin to .25-35. He does good work.

[jdad]

Thanks guys. Jdad: I just had John Taylor rebarrel a Marlin to .25-35. He does good work.

I think you meant to say "excellent" work. John's done some "magic" on one of my rifles and I've seen some undetectable relining and welding work he did for Marlinman93.

[bsaride]

I know broken drills can be burned out (shop machinist sends it out to edm shop)
I would try putting a couple pieces of wire on either side and carefully try some
vise grips on it (might come out easy) if not send it out.

[Marc]

I would carefully transfer the location of that hole to the underside of the tang and drill a hole to meet the broken bit so I could drive the broken bit out.

[m.wun]

If it was stuck in a engine block that would de easy but in a gun could be tricky.Any time you drill
something like this try to get a quality bit (colbolt) and also turn at proper speed,go slow and if drilling through
slow up when busting through.Also you could use cutting oil.I might be gung ho but I would try
to pluck or reverse tip with tweezers or a pick and start over.

[Griff]

Having broken bits in projects before, I've had just so-so results in removing same. Cobalt bits are needed for hardened steel, but when THEY break, you're going to the 'smith. And hopefully they know a trick that I haven't been able to find. (Yep, been there, done that).