Short Trigger Guard Lug

[QuanLoi]

I'm at the point of inletting the trigger guard and would like to pin the lug through the lock mortice.  However, the lug is too short.  What is the best way to solder an extension to the lug? 

Thanks in advance...

[B Shipman]

File most of the lug thinner , fold a piece of brass and place it over it, and braze or silver solder into one piece. File to length, thickness desired.

[eddillon]

Or, drill the hole inside the lock inlet. Drill at a downward angle to secure the lug.  Drill a larger counterbore over the hole so you can use needle-nose pliers to remove the pin if you need to.

[Jim Kibler]

In this case, I just cut the old lug off completely and silver braze on a new one of the desired length.  The silver braze is strong enough that all you need is a butt joint. 

[satwel]

I used the technique B Shipman described above on two rifles with excellent results. It's fast and easy.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

From time to time, I cut up trigger guards and then mix and match to form something that I'm after, and I save the left overs for just such a job as this.  It's not hard to tell when you have a piece of sand cast, or investment cast brass, so match ups are not difficult.

[B.Habermehl]

Bill's technique works well. Here's another variation, I have allways used soft solder. There is ample surface area for a strong joint. Not having had a torch that was hot enough for hard solder work has taught me that given enough "wetted" area in a soft soldered joint is plenty strong enough for many applications.
 

[bgf]

Bill's technique works well. Here's another variation, I have allways used soft solder. There is ample surface area for a strong joint. Not having had a torch that was hot enough for hard solder work has taught me that given enough "wetted" area in a soft soldered joint is plenty strong enough for many applications.
 

If you are belt and suspenders type, a small rivet (and I'm always tempted to do two, because they are small will add to peace of mind with "soft" solder.  The "silver bearing" solder nowadays, though technically a soft solder, is a lot stronger than old 60/40, but nowhere near braze/silver solder.  Sometimes it is easier to add the rivet after soldering.  Joints done like this are pretty strong.

[T*O*F]

would like to pin the lug through the lock mortice.

Why go thru the lock mortise?  Just pin it thru the reveal of the lock panel.

[Karl Kunkel]

I used Bill's method on the rifle I've been working on for the past couple of years. The gun's not finished yet, but the trigger guard seems to be holding on fine.

[Acer Saccharum]

I like a lug that is long enough to hide the pin in the lock mortice and under the sideplate. This doesn't always happen, but that's my preference for the pin for the guard.

[QuanLoi]

Thanks to all who replied. 

[Sawatis]

Well I'm a little late into this story but I figured I'd give y'all what I've done (an bust fit it last week ona real slim Early VA rifleim building. Took about 2 minutes to do..het the lug to just barely a glow. Quench in wetter put the lg over the square heel of the anvil, vice or whatever and draw it out with a small crosspein. dress it a bit with the ile and inlet. I pulled the one I'm workin on about 3/16 and pin landed right where I wanted it. Hope this helps
John

[ken]

If the lug is to long will it interfier with the ram rod and channel. I really dislike ram rods that are too short in empty guns and have to be turned upside down to get the rod out.  Just a thought!

[Bernard]

I like to fasten the trigger guard to the trigger plate with a machine screw into the trigger bow pedestal at the front of the guard and I form the rear lug into a hook type extension. The guard and trigger plate are installed as a unit and secured by the tang bolt into the trigger plate. Really solid. No pins to get mangled or chip out and no problems with interference with ram rods.