Resoldering Damascus double barrels

[msellers]

Ok, time for a nervous newbie question. I am working on repairing a double barrel shotgun I bought from a member here, and have discovered an are of the underrib that needs to be resoldered to make the barrels sound again. However,  I am looking for guidance from someone who has done this before. I have read a fair amount of the information I can find on how to perform this task. Yet, I am still unsure of how to proceed with this. For some reason, this definitely makes me nervous about my soldering abilities.
Thanks for any help and guidance.
Mike

[mark brier]

I have done this a few time on shotguns and double rifles. I used soft rosin core solder. You more than likely need to take the rib completely off and clean it and barrels up. Just wrap some tie wire around in the barrels in however many spots you thing necessary. Cut you some long sloped steel wedges, 1/8” thick is good enough. Place wedges under wires and as your running heat down the barrels tap the wedges in pushing the rib down onto the barrels.
Mark Brier

[T*O*F]

Mike,
As I recall the section you refer to is only about 6" long and is behind the rear lug.  It fits tightly and there is adequate solder already there with the addition of some while heating.  I would say to clean and degrease that area, apply some all purpose rosin flux like Oatey's.  Lay a thin strand of regular solder on each side of the rib and starting at the rear work your way forward once it starts to flow.  You have to be careful not to overheat it and burn the flux out.

[msellers]

Mike,
As I recall the section you refer to is only about 6" long and is behind the rear lug.  It fits tightly and there is adequate solder already there with the addition of some while heating.  I would say to clean and degrease that area, apply some all purpose rosin flux like Oatey's.  Lay a thin strand of regular solder on each side of the rib and starting at the rear work your way forward once it starts to flow.  You have to be careful not to overheat it and burn the flux out.

You are correct, thank you for information on how to properly do this.

[msellers]

I have done this a few time on shotguns and double rifles. I used soft rosin core solder. You more than likely need to take the rib completely off and clean it and barrels up. Just wrap some tie wire around in the barrels in however many spots you thing necessary. Cut you some long sloped steel wedges, 1/8” thick is good enough. Place wedges under wires and as your running heat down the barrels tap the wedges in pushing the rib down onto the barrels.
Mark Brier

Thanks for the guidance on how to go about this. The wedges for pressure seem like a great idea and tip.

[Curtis]

Mike, if you run into troubles with the rib, perhaps this thread will help a bit: https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=46068.msg452809#msg452809

Curtis

[msellers]

Mike, if you run into troubles with the rib, perhaps this thread will help a bit: https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=46068.msg452809#msg452809

Curtis

Thank you for tbs link. I searched everything I could think of, but was sure I had seen this discussed before.
Mike

[Curtis]

I went back to look for it after reading your post, found and the pictures were missing, so I fixed them.  Makes a lot more sense with photos!


Curtis

[jerrywh]

I have done this and also made double barrels from scratch. It is difficult to unsolder one rib without unsoldering the other but it can be done.  I made some open clamps to hold one rib tight while unsoldering the other.  I'm don't do  this stuff anymore  but still have the tools. As said before remove the loose rib and clean up both  surfaces , the barrels and the ribs surfaces. Then I used paste solder and applied it to the rib and the barrels.  I used stainless hose clamps to hold the rib or ribs in place while soldering. I placer a small piece of rod between the clamps and the ribs to force them down on the barrels. If this is a muzzle loader you can solder the RR thimbles on at the same time using the same method. Then you can slowly heat the barrels with a heating torch until the solder melts.  Heat evenly and slowly until the solder melts. It doesn't matter is there is some excess solder you can wipe most of  it off with a damp rag before the whole thing cools. Don't be in a hurry ans watch the barrels for color. There is no need to get them over a blue heat, What ever do not get them red hot. That's not good.  Don't be afraid. If you do what I say you will have no trouble.
   I still have all the photos of doing this on a thumb drive. 

[Dave B]

I have not done this very much but it worked very well each time I have had to solder under ribbs in place. The last on was made much easier by use of a trick of using a Heated copper slug screwed to the end of a steel rod. Here is the Thread. https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4863.msg45722#msg45722

[jerrywh]

Here is a photo of a set of 28 ga. barrels 32" long I made for a custom shotgun all wired up and the way they came out of the furnace after silver soldering on the ribs and RR thimbles. All that black stuff is furnace flux and washes off with hot water. Notice the 1/4" steel square rods that hold down the ribs. These barrels were soldered at 1550°F. The silver RR thimbles would melt at about 1700°F

[Long John]

Friend,

When I soldered up the barrels for my double gun I used the method Jerry has outlined.   It worked very well.

I use short sections of aluminum tubing under the screw-type hose clamps to hold the ribs in place against the barrels.  Where I had ramrod pipes I used the pipe on one side and a piece of aluminum tubing on the other.  Also the under lugs for the barrel wedges need a clamp.

Sliver/tin low-temp solder does not stick to aluminum so if there is any solder flow onto the tubes it is easy to deal with.  The tubing does not absorb as much heat as rod, making it easier to get the whole barrel set up to soldering temperature if you are using something like a propane torch,  I found that having two torches and playing them back and forth onto the barrels continually allowed me to get to soldering temperature.

If you take Jerry's advice you will do fine.

Best Regards,

JMC

[Craig Wilcox]

I have the same problem with a mid-19th century 10-bore - the 6" piece of rib towards the breech of the barrels is un-stuck.
So, much appreciation for all the how-to's above - thanks!

Did any of the gun builders of old make over/under smooth bores?

[jerrywh]

 Yes I believe Joseph Manton made some over under smooth bores. If it wasn't him it was another English maker.  See the photo I posted in the for sale section called super book   One photo is a 4 barrel flintlock.

[Daryl]

Here's a 4 bl. swivel breech, but in caplock - 2 rifle barrels, 2 smooth barrels.

[Craig Wilcox]

Daryl - that is a "one-word" firearm:  WOW!

Is it yours, and can you elaborate a bit on the rear sight?

[Daryl]

Sorry - I have no information on this gun.
It is a VERY "desirable" piece.