Abstract: A low profile screw terminal block is provided with a split plastic barrel which serves to prevent screw stripout and to anchor the terminal screw when the terminal screw is pressed into the barrel and is advanced so as to form corresponding self-tapping threads in the smooth barrel, thereby to leave the terminal screw in a raised position ready for immediate wire insertion, to prevent the screw from vibrating loose during assembly and shipping and to securely hold the screw when the screw is tightened against a wire. The terminal block may be mounted to a fixed panel or like structure through the utilization of the split barrel at the end sections of the block by either a bolt running through the split channel and through the fixed panel or by a self-tapping machine screw inserted up through the fixed panel and into the split channel, with the split barrel design permitting overtightening without damage.