Another Bone-Headed Move

[TMan]

Sigh, I drive me crazy. That is really my wife's job, but since she is thousands of miles away...

It was late, I was tired, but I wanted to see how the Set Trigger worked on the CZ-453. The screws holding the stock were a bit tight, but I had the right screwdriver bit, so there wasn't any problem with that.

Looking at the manual, I identified the screws/adjustments for the trigger. The "screws" are really just threaded rods with a slot in the top of the rod and a nut below. I decided that I should unscrew the adjustment for trigger pull. I didn't have the right size nut-driver and since I'd have to go hunt through the garage for a nut-driver or wrench, I figured if I turned the screw counter-clockwise, it would probably loosen the nut too.

The screwdriver slipped out of the slot. Wrong!!! No more slot, I had broken it off. What a stupid, bone-headed thing to do.

Lessons Learned:

1) If you are tired, don't decide to tinker with a gun.

2) Don't try to take short-cuts.

3) If you don't have the right tool, go get it or leave the gun alone.

Incidentally, the Set Trigger is rather cool the way it works.

["DoubleAction"]

TMan; Reminds me of one of several episodes involving my Father, his guns, and myself.

When it comes to reliable gun sources, my father relies on the lady at the public library or his local deputy sheriffs department ( anyone who answers the phone at either). If I tell him something, he immediately calls the library or sheriffs department to obtain verification.

One day my brother and I went up to visit him and after we arrived he mentioned having a problem with the movement of the cylinder crane/yoke on his Colt Cobra. Upon looking at the revolver I noticed the screw driver slot of the retaining screw for the crane was badly burred. I asked what had happened and he told me that he and my youngest brother attempted to unscrew it. After looking at his choice of screw drivers I understood why. I asked him to retrieve every avaiable screw driver he had and found one which I could get a firm seat on. I fixed the rust inhibited crane but could not repair or replace the screw at the time.

This was a one time rare episode where I was allowed the priviledge of touching one of my father's guns, and only then was I allowed this priviledge after the fact that he almost screwed the gun up himself. I explained to him about the gun smith screw driver sets available and how I could order him a new screw but he was satisfied with the burred screw which seemed to work just fine for him. The burr was so bad it could rip a cut in a holster or finger. Everytime I see anything about a burred screw, I think about his Colt Cobra.