soldering underlugs

[billd]

I'm using a Rice Reading barrel, it's a .50 cal. with only a .730 waist.  I don't want to dovetail the center underlug because of wall thickness.   To solder one on do I just use a regular machined underlug, clamp it fast and solder it to the bottom flat?  Is this as strong as a dovetail or should I use 4 instead of 3, "just in case"?

Thanks,
Bill

[Harnic]

A well soldered lug is AT LEAST as strong as a dovetailed one Bill, I prefer solder myself.  I've used Brownells Hi-Force 44 solder for over 30 years on all sorts of guns & even when used where one would think it might not hold, I've never had a joint fail.

[B Shipman]

I agree with Harnic.  A flat to flat joint, even with a soft plumbers solder, is exceeding strong. What I do is cut an extremely shallow dovetail, just enough to hold the tab for soldering. Put some of Harnic's solder or just soft plumber's solder on the side of the dovetail, heat from the other side and draw it through. File all flush. Neat and strong. You can take a cold chisel to it and you will easily shear off a steel tab before you disrupt the joint. The base of the tab can stand proud of the barrel.

[J Shingler]

I second the Hi Force 44 solder. Best stuff I ever used. Easy and strong. Best of all it is low temp. I do have the next higher temp that Brownells sells and although good prefer the lower temp. Make sure you have clean parts first and you can't go wrong. I have had underlugs pop off at the muzzle end on smoothbore barrels using plumbers solder. Usually when the maker did not slot the under lug. Clen them up, slot the pin hole and reinstall with hiforce 44 and never had one come back.

[billd]

Thank you for the help!!

Bill

[northmn]

Bill, I think you are about the first that has mentioned that lead plumbers solder works ok too.  I built a few smoothbores and used it on other guns and found that it held.  It also seems to be less fussy than some of the others.  I believe all the better British double shotguns were soldered with lead solder.

DP

[Dennis Glazener]

The last couple of underlugs that I solder I used acid core solder that my dad had back in the 1960's. It held fine.
Dennis