brass underlugs

[billd]

What's everyone's opinion on brass vs steel underlugs?  How about soldering the brass to the barrel?

Thanks,
Bill

[Ken G]

How about copper? 

They all hold fine in my world.  I do make mine out of copper.  I seem to have better luck soldering copper to steel than steel to steel. 

[B Shipman]

Brass works fine.

[Lucky R A]

Brass or steel works fine.   That is how you use up all those small pieces of brass that you keep throwing in a jar for when you need a small piece. 

[northmn]

Used brass successfully on smoothbores and rifles.

DP

[Richard Snyder]

Does "TIX" solder have enough tensile strength for barrel lugs?

Richard Snyder

[George F.]

I was wondering if soldering a brass tab, without the "T" shape that the dovetail models have, and just solder the tab on. Less work, but would they hold okay?

[Hoot AL]

I've made brass and copper tenons. Then I always dovetail them into the barrel.

When the tenons are made, I solder them together. Then using a safe triangular file, I make the beveled edges on the tenons.  Cut the dovetails into the barrel with a hacksaw, then file the dovetails using the safe triangular file.

Don't care too much for the staples, because they come loose too often for me.

If you solder the tenons onto the side the barrel only, then if you drop or bang your barrel this can break the solder joint and that is not cool neither.

Hoot AL

[flehto]

Just finished installing 4 bbl lugs on a  .50 cal. 46" Rice bbl, w/ a 1" breech and a "skinny" swamp { ordered thru Kettenburg}. All the lugs were brass and 2 "T" shaped lugs were soldered on using Swif paste. One "T" shaped lug  was dovetailed  and the lug closest to the breech was  1/8" thick, not a "T" and was dovetailed 1/16" deep and soldered in. I requested a 3/32" web at the breech and that's  exactly what it was and so had to use this type of lug. All worked out fine.  The 3 "T" shaped  lugs {.035 stock} were  initially "closed"  w/ high temp  silver solder. That Swif paste sure does work well for attaching lugs.....Fred

[paa]

Hey Folks,  This is Peter Alexander, newly rejoined.  Some know me as "The Gunsmith of Grenville County", and some may have my book.  But let me not be too authoritative here, as I have not examined every original longrifle that I have photographed & measured, down to examining what material the barrel lugs were made out of.  However, I have owned a few pretty nice originals, and have consistently noted the barrel lugs were made of iron - today - mild steel.  If, in examining an original, with the ramrod withdrawn to measure its diameter, if I had seen a brass lug, I would have noted same.  Not once, in almost , actually, more than 30 years of examining.  Brass was very expensive in the 18th Century.  It is a soft metal - copper even softer - why would anyone ever bother to use it then, much less, now?

Regards,   Peter A. Alexander

[Roger Fisher]

Hey Folks,  This is Peter Alexander, newly rejoined.  Some know me as "The Gunsmith of Grenville County", and some may have my book.  But let me not be too authoritative here, as I have not examined every original longrifle that I have photographed & measured, down to examining what material the barrel lugs were made out of.  However, I have owned a few pretty nice originals, and have consistently noted the barrel lugs were made of iron - today - mild steel.  If, in examining an original, with the ramrod withdrawn to measure its diameter, if I had seen a brass lug, I would have noted same.  Not once, in almost , actually, more than 30 years of examining.  Brass was very expensive in the 18th Century.  It is a soft metal - copper even softer - why would anyone ever bother to use it then, much less, now?

Regards,   Peter A. Alexander

Happy for your input and yes I have your book (and use it)

[bob in the woods]

I use brass lugs a fair bit. Especially on oct/round barrels. I got the idea from a post on Eric Kettenburg's site a few years back.  I'm glad you are here again Peter.
I reference your book all the time. Actually, it's filthy, 'cause it spends its days open on my bench.
Even when I'm building guitars!  [ contemplating my next rifle build

[California Kid]

paa-
I agree most original lugs on American guns  that I have examined were of iron. I think today its just easy to form them of sheet brass. I think they originally were done both ways.
On a side note I'm researching to build a Christian Hawken rifle. Do you have pictures of the rifle in your book that you could post. Would like to see them in more detail, as the pics in the book are so small
Jim Hash says Hi!!! I think everyone would enjoy the pics.

[Dave B]

I am new to collecting long rifles and have collected bits and parts to them longer yet. I have found several of the barrels I have come across do have brass lugs on them. Quite a few of them have the Iron stapled lugs vs the dove tailed lugs. I think the pieces that I have that are early have dovetails the later have the staples. Of the barrels that have dove tails  2/3 of them are Iron I would guess.  My Leaman barrel has brass underlugs on it and a Riddle locked long rifle that looks to be from Lancaster as well.

[omark]

PAA, i have your book too, and would also like more / better pictures of the c hawken. maybe you could post in the museum.  mark    PS love your book.

[Stophel]

Does "TIX" solder have enough tensile strength for barrel lugs?

Richard Snyder

TIX is very weak.  I would not use it here.

I do use TIX when drilling frizzens.  I solder them to the pan so that they are in proper position and anchored for drilling, then I simply melt it off and brush it away.

Use lead or tin for barrel tenons.

[Dennis Glazener]

Hey Folks,  This is Peter Alexander, newly rejoined.

Peter welcome back to ALR. This is a new website and new software since you were a member. I still have the data from the old site and can get your post counts and move it here if you would like me to. (most of the guys had me do theirs). In order to do it I need either your old user ID or the email address you used back then.

Dennis
ALR admin

[bob in the woods]

I just remembered....Gunsmith of Williamsburg. Brass barrel lugs.