round barrel lugs

[bob hertrich]

Probably been asked before but any advise for making mounting lugs for round barrels.

[Hungry Horse]

Pinched, and soldered, sheet metal, soldered to the barrel. That’s the way I do it.

  Hungry Horse

[Mike Brooks]

Some places even sell them already made, just solder them on.

[Clark Badgett]

My soldered on lugs popped off after a year.

[Dan Fruth]

Remember...solder does not fill gaps....the lug must be formed to the section of the barrel...all surfaces to be joined be abraded, fluxed, and heated to the CORRECT temp where the solder will flow. The best method I have found is to tin the lug, wire it in place against the barrel, and heat the barrel until the solder on the lug flows....Don't put the flame on the lug.

[jerrywh]

Heat the barrel not the lug.

[Jeff Durnell]

Excellent info. I have an octagon to round barrel to work on eventually and I'm going to jot this info down in my notes. Thanks guys.

[smylee grouch]

When heating the barre for the soldering job I have had good luck heating a brass rod then putting in in the barrel right under the lug and then heat the outside of the barrel too, this done after you have the lug tinned and clamped or wired to the barrel.

[Nhgrants]

I have cut out a t shaped steel lug and then grooved the bottom with a chainsaw file.
Open the groove with a larger round file. I then put apiece of sandpaper on the barrel
And rub the bottom of  the lug on the sand paper unit the groove matches the radius of the barrel.
I then soldered with silver plumbing/bearing solder.  Lot of file work.

[Pukka Bundook]

Good advise here.
Heat barrel not lug, and all.
Only thing I do different, is tin both parts, then fix barrel horizontal in vise lug uppermost, then put a wire with a weight on it, fairly heavy, over  the lug to pull it down into position as the solder runs.  You can watch it being sucked down by the weight.
Play the heat on  the under side of the barrel under where lug is sitting.

[B.Habermehl]

Clean is the word. The barrel and the lug must have freshly filed and fingerprint oil free surfaces. Most soldered joint failure is due to improper prep. At least for me anyway. Plus tight fits. BJH

[David Rase]

Why not dovetail them in?  I have found that most modern barrels have enough wall thickness that you can cut a .030" deep dovetail, install the lug, hit it with a dab of solder and then file the lug base to match the barrel diameter.  I cannot remember the last time I soldered on a barrel lug.
David

[Craig Wilcox]

If you do solder them, remember that solder will not fill voids. wrap a piece of sandpaper around the barrel and use that to mate the lug to the barrel.  Don't try to make the barrel match the lug!
As Pukka says, tin both parts.  A welding chalk rubbed around the area, or pencil lead rubbed around, will keep the solder from going where you don't want it to.

[bob hertrich]

OK, Thank you very much for the info.