Help!!! Broken tap issue....

[TLARbb]

Folks, I need some help and I thought you might be able to refer me to someone that can help me.

I have a .25-06 Remington 700 that was in a classic stock (not the original).  My brother wanted a classic stock for his 700 ADL in 7mm Remington mag, so I decided to trade stocks with him, which, of course also meant trigger guard and follower assemblies.  Now, none of this is rocket science and should not have even been harder than taking the barreled action out of the stock and reassembling it.

But the front guard screw did not want to thread into the hole in the bottom of the action.  This is where my problem started.  In my debateable wisdom, I decided to chase the threads in the receiver.  Then, disaster - the tap broke. 

I ordered a tap extractor from Brownells to get the tap out, but I can't get the fingers into the flutes of the tap good enough to turn the tap back out. 

So, now I need professional help and it might need to be exotic as the tap is hard and the receiver metal soft so it can't be drilled out.

Professionals and semi professionals or knowledgable shooters, let me know who to go to in order to get this tap out of the receiver.  I do not have to have the threads repaired as I can just put it back into a BDL or Classic or CDL stock that doesn't use the front guard screw hole. 
I am currently looking for (relatively) local expertise in fixing this problem and it probably exists fairly close by, but this may involve sinking EDM or water jet technology to do this cleanly and I do not know where to look other than begin a phone search of smiths in the area. 

I don't have a problem with shipping to a smith out of my area, if they can do the job. So if you know someone you have experience with and faith in, please do not hesitate to recommend them to me.  Your advice and counsel is appreciated.


EJ

[rebel49]

If you can't get the tap extractor fingers into the flutes you pretty much dead in the water. Also depending on how much of the tap is in the action, you may not be able to back it out. With carbon steel taps you sometimes can break them up and get them out, but high speed steel taps will not break up.
Try finding a Die Shop or Machine Shop in your area that has an EDM die sinker and have them burn it out. I don't think a water jet will do the job without damage to the action.
By the way, after 42 years as a machinist/die maker and doing gunsmithing for 35 years, I have broken my fair share of taps. About 2/3rds of them had to be burned out. Nice thing was we had EDM's available to do it with.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Rebel49

[trotterlg]

If you broke the tap cleaning threads it is most likely a cheap tap and can be broken up in the hole.  I just take a punch and start breaking off chunks of tap, usually works for me.  Can't really imagine how you could break a tap just cleaning up threads however.  Larry

[S.E.Ak]

Try a small punch and hammer to turn it out

[Graybeard]

That's a pretty large screw that fits that hole. I guess I can't imagine how you broke a tap that large to begin with but it's really moot now that it's done. The tap extractor should work. I'd begin by figuring out why you're having trouble getting it to slide down over the tap.

Are you sure you know the correct use of it? Normally those I've used have fingers that slip down the flutes in the tap then you slide down a sliding sleeve that tightens up the remover on the tap. Make sure you have that sliding sleeve all the way at the top of the tap remover while trying to get the fingers into the tap flutes. It maybe there are some fragments of the broken tap that are preventing it from going on. If so try to clean them out to make room for the fingers to slide down into the flutes.

It maybe the tap remover you have is not the correct one or correct size for your tap. Some taps have three and some four flutes. Make sure your remover is the correct size and correct one for the number and placement of flutes. Make sure the flutes are clear for the fingers to go into then make sure the sliding sleeve is all the way to the top away from the tap before attempting to insert it.

If that doesn't work then it's time for more drastic measures.

[TLARbb]

Thanks for your replies.

First, let's talk about the screw size.  It is a #8 screw and I think I used the wrong TPI tap.  I have a fair amount of chips in the flutes; I should have practically none if the TPI was correct.  I am trying to worry enough of them out to get the tap extractor in place, but can only get into one flute very deep (of four total).  I have to find something that is very thin/small to get into the spaces to pick out chips. 

I think the main problem with the tap was that it is a low quality tap to begin with.  But since it is so small, I might not be able to get it to break up.

I know how to use the extractor and they work well when conditions are good, but not so well when conditions are not good.  So far, my conditions are not good enough.  I did have the presence of mind to order extra fingers when I ordered the extractor. 

I'll keep worrying it for a while and see if I can get it to budge.

EJ

[torpedoman]

often you can back out a broken screw with one of the electric engravers they act like a little hammer your not out anything trying it.

[DonT]

Try this then there is a final option at the bottom.

If chips are keeping you from getting the tap remover fingers in the flutes next to the tap then head to your local hardware or big box store like Menards or Home Depot and look for something like a dental pick.  Get a couple and in varying sizes with one beng very small.   Use this to dig out as many of the chips as possible.  The way you are describing things it sounds (this is not meant as a dig just have to go by what you are saying) like you wound the tap in and it jammed with chips or against the bottom of the hole and then snapped even with the hole.  The chips that have not been broken free along with the point of the tap being jammed against the botton of the hole probably have the tap jammed tignt.  Work with the dental picks against the tap not the threads if you can.  If you are able to get the tap removal tool on the tap go slow, you might have to loosen a smidgeon and tight again to get some of the chips to break loose.

Now if this doesn't work, and it usually will it is time to call in the big guns.  Get on the phone and start calling friends and relatives till you find one that is, owns or has an in with a machine shop.  Many of the have "Tap Poppers" .   This is a machine that uses electricity to peck away at the tap till there is nothing left of it.  Since machine shops do a lot of threading many have these available and you would be surprised how well they work.  Usually a 12 pack will get the job done and maybe even get the hole threaded if you ask them nicely...

Hope this helps..

DonT