Why do most guns still use slotted machine screws?

Question

when most of the world is using phillps, square and other types of screws? is it because of torque or tradition ? the only place you still see slotted screws is in old doors and tools....ohhh yeah and guns haha

Answer 1

Field stripping a firearm to perform basic repairs usually happens "in the field". When you don't have a toolbox full of assorted tools with you.

Most firearms are built with this in consideration.

A dime can come in handy....when you need strip a rifle "in the field".

Answer 2

Tradition may play a part, but I'd think its because (a. its easier to find slotted s***w drivers in the field. (You can substitute a coin, a knife blade, or if you're lucky you might even have a slotted s***w driver built into your knife blade.) With those other kinds of screwdrivers you need to have a specialized driver with you. (b. they work well enough and so there is no need to change.

Answer 3

The slotted s***w, IMHO, is from tradition and functionality.

Coins, knife blades, and yes the rim of a spent casing can extract the s***w.

For example on the need to strip one in the field.

M1 Carbine charging handle jumped track one day and left a live round in the chamber. All I needed was a spent casing to remove the stock so I could get the charging handle back in place so I could remove the live round.

Answer 4

I think ohgerr probably has the best answer. He's getting my vote. Slotted screws are good for high torque and with a proper design (recessed and tapered head) can be fairly easy to lock on to. They can also be held nicely with a crew launcher for inserting into tight places. Philips have decent drive and can be driven at angles but they don't have the drive of a slotted s***w and can round out making them difficult to remove. They look much nicer though. Allen look nice but are subject to stripping out easy (especially if seized from a prolonged installation) and require a large tool assortment as the fit must be perfect (some 30+ tools compared with the 4 or 5 screwdrivers that would be needed). Torx are an excellent choice for both appearance and torque but again require a larger more complicated tool assortment. On the plus side, both philips drive and Torx can be improvised with things like small slotted screwdrivers in a pinch. Pozi is just an overly complex philips design, not something you'd want in the field.

btw - I like the imperial measurements ... they fit the real world better. The world is not divisible by 10's but the metric system treats it as if it was. Personally, I don't have a problem dividing by 2,3,4 or 12.  ;-)

Answer 5

OMG slot driven screws are soo bloody old its rediculous.

New rifles should all be built with Phillips, Allen, Pozi drive, or Torx driven screws, in my order of preference of least to most. It's a no brainer.

Companies still producing rifles/guns with slot head screws are generally building to a price and  have probably been left behind by companies building newer more accurate products.

Take it from a guy who screws things for a living (Electrician) slot head has to go, just like the cumbersome imperial system.

Cheers, Witty