Barrel lugs

[Uncle Alvah]

Is it feasible to solder all barrel lugs to the barrel to avoid having to cut the barrel itself?

[rich pierce]

Yes, if you have enough web and you keep the bases thin.  It's recommended at the waist of some svelte swamped barrels.  There it's not a problem as the web is thicker where the barrel diameter is smallest.  But I like doing dovetails for underlugs as after doing them my sight dovetails are clean and quick.

[California Kid]

Use a low temp solder such as stay- brite. You don't want to get that barrel too hot. As Rich says its a good idea on some of the thin waisted swamped barrels.

[Dave Dolliver]

I have been soldering all my lugs to the barrels for quite a few guns.  For a lug I use a piece of mild steel 1/8 x 3/16 ( I use a 3/16 minimum stock web) with an area cut into the side to go next to the barrel as deep as the thickness of the barrel pin or key and the width of the fastener plus at least 1/8.  I use the 430 degree solder from Brownell's and an acid flux.  I've found it best to "tin" the surface of the lug  but haven't needed to tin the barrel.  All have proved satisfactory.

The solder-flux mix that Brownell's has melts at a slightly lower temperature but isn't quite as strong and, for some reason, didn't work as well for me.

The only caution is to apply the torch heat to the BARREL not the lug to avoid a "cold solder joint".  Let the heat go from the barrel to the lug to melt the solder.

Dave Dolliver

[Benedict]

Dave,
That is a cool idea.  It eliminates cutting into a barrel and filing a slot in the lug.  I like it and will try it myself.

Thanks,
Bruce

[northmn]

I have made several fowlers and other thin walled round barreled guns with soldered on lugs and used 50-50 plumbers solder with success as they have held for years.  I have also soldered on the front sights.  Using low melting point solder is not a bad idea, but plumbers solder also works.  You can file the bases of the lugs paper thin and they will still hold very well as the surface area of the solder is the same.  Use the techniques of tinning as suggested.   One reason i like 50 50 is that it can be made to "suck in" when soldering.

DP

[caliber45]

Though not "kosher," I bend a piece of hardware strap steel at 45 degrees and solder one wing to the next-to-bottom flat of the barrel, with the "lug" extending down into the web between barrel and ramrod channel -- to the right side of the bottom flat. This gives me a whole flat's worth of solder "hold," and doesn't require any invasion of the barrel's integrity. -- paulallen, tucson az

[Dave Dolliver]

Please note!!

Should you try for extra strength to use 900 degree silver braze to attach the lugs, you are almost certain to scale the bore of the barrel.  Been there, done that.  I haven't found or heard of any way to prevent this.

Just provide enough solder area and use the 430 degree solder.

Dave Dolliver
 

[ramserl]

you could try purging argon through the barrel?
works on high purity stainless steel pipe

[northmn]

There are ways to seal a bore  and coat the work area so that no oxidation occurs when using higher temp solders.  Lot of fuss for nothing as the low temps works fine.  I havenot had a good low temp solder joint fail for underpinning.  Had a bad joint  fail once but redid it and it held.

DP