Soldering lugs

[Wayne Holcombe]

I'm getting ready to solder lugs onto a round barrel.Any thoughts on the type of solder.  95-5,50-50 Or radiator solder. I don't want to put any more heat than I have to onto the barrel. Any thoughts ?

[gunmaker]

any low temp 375-425 deg.  will work.  I use Alpha solder & flux paste from Ace hardware, never had one come off--and I beat on 'em to see how strong it is. .   Unless you plan on hot tank blue, then get it from Brownells.  Oil barrel bore after to stop rust.....Tom

[galamb]

Agree, I just use the solder that I don't use for plumbing fittings anymore (since those neat push-fit things came out).

[jerrywh]

 Stay bright work real well. Melts and flow about 450°.  Comes with the proper flux. 500° or 600° won't hurt the bore at all. Don't quench. 

[David Rase]

Stay bright work real well. Melts and flow about 450°.  Comes with the proper flux. 500° or 600° won't hurt the bore at all. Don't quench. 

Ditto what Jerry says about stay bright.  It is an easy to work with low temperature silver bearing solder.
David

[WKevinD]

An area of concern is the forward lug and it's relationship to the front sight. If they are both soldered connections you may want to think about heat sinks or different temp solder for the sight vs the forward lug.

[satwel]

I agree with Jerry and Dave. I have found Stay Bright easy to use and very strong. Just last week I used it to solder four barrel lugs on my Chambers English fowler.

[JBJ]

Ditto Stay-Brite which melts at 435. Might also consider Hi-Force 44 which melts at 475. The melting temp differential between the two products that may be advantageous. Make it easy on yourself and do not touch the area on the barrel or the lug with you fingers once you have cleaned those surfaces. Also, favor the barrel with the heat as the lug will heat quickly and it is easy to foul up the flux and prevent a good joint if you over heat.
J.B.

[mattdog]

I use Alpha solder & flux paste from Ace hardware, never had one come off--and I beat on 'em to see how strong it is. . 

I've used this stuff hundreds of times.  Simple, inexpensive, works great.  I pound them with a copper hammer to test them, never had one let go yet.  Flows at 425 deg. so only turns straw color, no excessive heat.  One tub  (about $12.00) will solder hundreds of lugs or sights.  Best of all, it is a paste and only goes where you put it.  No fluxing 'cause it is already in the paste.   

[Acer Saccharum]

In reference to your concern with front sight and lug being close to one another, there is a possible approach:

tin BOTH areas for your soldering ahead of time, both the lug and the sight locations. Tin means flow solder on the steel to coat it. heat and flux, while rubbing the barrel areas with a little piece of steel wool spreads the solder -oh-so-nicely.

Heat ONLY enough to melt the solder. Too much heat will cook the flux, and you'll need to start over again.

Then tin both the front sight and the lug. All you need is a thin coat.

1) solder the lug on first, as it is probably the bigger of the heat requirement. With both parts tinned, you may not need to add solder. Clean off all flux. As long as there is no flux, the solder is not going to re-flow.

2) clean front sight location, and re-flux. solder the sight on with as little heat as possible. Remove heat once the tinned parts 'suck down'.