I need some good advice. I'm working on welding up some swiss cheezed screw holes in a Model 30 Remington receiver. Somebody drilled the receiver sidewall with about 5 screw holes. I've successfully welded up two screw holes on the right side of the rear bridge, but the ones on the left action rail are Pitting out on me. I'm using a syncrowave 250 with a pulser and 30 Amps with a fine electrode. Every time I add filler, the thing blows small pits. Without filler, I get craters. It acts like the metal is contaminated, but I cleaned it thoroughly before welding. I'm trying to minimize the grinding on the rail as it's hard to keep things straight and I don't want to touch the markings. Give me some learned suggestions. This is not a a restoration project. I want the receiver for a big nasty Big Bore. I plan to have the whole thing re-heat treated after I'm done.-Rob

Robo--

Pits are caused by contamination. Rust blue is a BIG one. So is phosphorus, carbon, silica, oxygen, and oils.

Use a triple de-oxidizing rod and put the action in a box so that the entire atmosphere around it is inert.

I understand the tape of my two hours welding seminar is available now from the ACGG.

Rob,

You have to take the area back to clean metal. Usually if I am filling a screw hole, I will drill it out to completely remove the threads which are a great place to trap and hold impurities. You need to remove every trace of pollutant that is in and around the hole. I would also try increasing the gas flow to perhaps 20. After I break and regrind the tungsten, I usually will dunk it in acetone to remove any trace material. If I should stick or experience anything out of the ordinary in and around the tungsten, I will break it off and regrind every time. Even under the protective cover of the Argon, absolute sterile conditions are required.

Good luck,

Malm

Jack,

I tried to get your tape before but don't see it anywhere on the ACGG website. Do you have a contact I could call?

Thanks,

Mike

The original holes were 6-48. Should I drill them out , then insert small metal studs a little larger than the holes and weld them in place in an inert gas box or just try and fill the holes directly? Where do you get tripple de-oxidizing rod? I was using some Brownells Nickel-Steel welding rod. I'm very meticulous with my Tungsten electrodes and always degrease them. No trouble at all with sticking the electrode. I've had quite a bit of TIG welding experience and have run into this problem before, but not in such a delicate area that I really can't clean my way around it. I cleaned the holes with acetone before I started, but It sure acts like contaminated metal ( I agree with that completely). Thanks.-Rob

[ 04-23-2003, 22:26: Message edited by: Robgunbuilder ]

Rob,

I had the same problem using the Brownells rod. I switched to the rod Jack recommended and problems magically disappeared.

The rod is called Tartan G or Tartan Tig. Same rod they just call it different for some odd reason. It cost me a little over $100 for the rod.

-M

Where do you order that Tartan G Rod?-Rob

RobG I suppose that it is fun polevaulting over mouse turds, but in my advanced age I'm tired of that. Jack B has mentioned in other postings that it is a good idea to ream the holes with a taper pin reamer and make a plug out of similar metal, forced in place and dubbed off.
That has served me well for 55 years. Keep in mind I could do stuff like that because there was no one around to tell me to do otherwise. A bolt handle removed from a Rem Or Eddy '14 or '17, straightened,so's you can turn it is good stuff. The Winch versions are liable to be made of 3 quite different Nickel steels and the blued receiver will show the color difference.
If you leave about .040" projection, you simply fuse it over into the surrounding metal, Torch draw to second temper color range where the pink starts to get gray and you can file it. If you didn't have enough parent metal then get some
OXWELD CMS 32 rods, it comes in 1/16 th dia, and add a dab. The Brownell rod may have a place in a gun shop, my sample soon ended up in the scrap barrel. Inflation has probably run the price up to $ 1.50 per lb. for the OXWELD. I also use their HT #1 on Mausers. Substitute brands don't seem to be near as good. The Enfields and ,30and 720 were hardened on bridge and ring. Mid section was left at what machined best. Hardening of them,works rather well when quenched from about 1395 F, Not near my notes and probasbly couldn't find them in 3 days but I suspect that was the 2nd AC level ( For your Heat treater. Tell him it is ostensibly
aisi 2340) First quench in a medium at 375 F and when at ambient temp with that medium further quench at the usual 125 in oil to achieve transformation. The draw is about 850 F to reach, a nice 46. Some Militaries went to 50 and more Rc.
Heat treater can tell from the as quenched about how high to go on tempering, and if you havent molested the receiver by cooking it, simply putting it back to what Rem had ought to be jes fine. 2340 isn't and exotic. For some lucky reason using a skimpy on the chrome moly rod doesn't make for problems, welding OR bluing.

Rob,

Here is the link to the discussion I started a while back. JBelk posted the contact info.

http://www.serveroptions.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=5;t=004100#000002

Rob,

When I use the 3% stuff from Brownells, I sand the finish off the rod down to clean white metal. How much finish did you remove around the holes?

I have plugged holes both ways, by inserting a tight fitting plug with a stub protruding like stated by Mr. Burgess, and by merely welding them shut using nothing but fill rod.

Looks too me like there is sufficient information in these posts to get it done one way or the other.

Good luck Rob,

Malm

Robgunbuilder---

I do a LOT of hole repairs. I use the tapered plug method as well as welding. Usually by the time I get them they NEED welding.

How I prep the hole depends on where it is and what's around it.

First step is to remove all blue, grease, etc around the hole. I do that chemically when possible and prefer to carefully file or scrape and NOT sand. Consider everything that's not the gun and the filler rod as a contaminant.

I usually run an 82 degree countersink in the hole until there's only a couple threads left.

I strike the arc right in the bottom of the hole and do a fast spiral outward and upward with the arc and filler.

I like to preheat to about 250 F and weld fast.



VERY nice, as new Banner Mauser bought for $100 because of the Stith holes in both rings.



The value of the action is going up.......



After re-engraving the lines in the Banner the customer was very satisfied. The rear ring came out as well.

JBELK-- I followed your advice last night and rewelded the holes. It came out much much better. I used a .045 2% thoriated tungsten electrode and some 70-S2 Rod. I still have a few small pits left though.I ordered the Tartan- Tig rod and their area rep called me and said that they have a new tartan- B rod that's even better for this purpose. I'll get it next week and use it to fill the remaining pits once I clean them out with a carbide burr. It looks much much better now! -Rob

JBELK and Systeme98

I have found a horrible BRNO 21 which could be bought for less than 30$ the trouble is that some missguided idiot has drilled and tapped the recevier for weaver bases. I admire them in a sort of way, because they choosen to fit the weaver bases after the recveiver and not the other way around. The squarebridges are still there.

Is this something to bother buying and fix up or just leave is behind. The rifle is well used and basicly it just the receiver that is useable. What to do??

Annother question, Is it hard to swap the ZG-47 trigger to a mauser 98? The ZG-47 trigger is soo damn big and uggly. It looks like they are the same and some claim that is just a matter to swapping over?

/ JOHAN

[ 04-26-2003, 16:01: Message edited by: JOHAN ]

Johan. Answer your damned mail!
Lots of the 21's got drilled and then holes plugged and the squiggles replaced with Strippling between the dovetail "rails". Question is WHERE did the misguided Dumkopf in Swerige put the holes in the ring? The normal abnormal is the rear one in the ring is centered in the locking seat abuttment, and not forward of it. 12.7 m/m toward the barrel from the back face of ring and you are OK. No sweat on the bridge.

JOHAN---

JOHAN---

Grab that action!!!! That's the kind of thing a gunsmith goes to gunshows for!!!

To change the bottom metal you take out the trigger guard screw, then the two tang screws. remove the whole unit (and send to me......don't forget the sear) and screw on any M-98 bottom metal. You'll need another trigger. I strongly reccommend Blackburn's.

JBelk
Take it easy..The stock looks like crap and so does the barrel, but it like the undertakers say "a nice stiff" just for the action, but the price is some how a bit much in my opinion.

I forgot to say that the bolt is missing, but I have one in my drawer

Soo you are keen on the floorplate, any suggestions

Is it easy to swap the tigger on the ZG-47 to a mauser ?

systeme98
I have.. and you would have it by now I have been tired because of my damn allergy season just started, I hate all these pollens flying around

The holes are on the stippled area nicely between the sides of the bridges. How can this be fixed plugging or welding??

/ JOHAN

J.B., your restoration of that Banner Mauser is superb!!

JOHAN---

I have a drawer FULL of brand new bolts......I DON'T need a stock..........and could care less about the barrel. The holes are welded up and the peckertracks re-engraved... In fact I have a M-30 Remington here now to do exactly that to.

To replace the trigger you drift out the sear pin and remove the old and replace it with the other trigger and tighten the wedge screw. That's it.

z1r---

The blurb in the newsletter says to contact Jan Billeb.......you can do that through the web site's email. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for delivery....we have to copy them one by one.

JBelk

You missed my the MARK, how about the bottom metall ? I never asked if you were interested about the rest, NEEED glasses

I know that the stock, barrel etc are just to throw away

/ JOHAN

JOHAN--

I'm not *real* interested in the bottom metal... I have two of them now. They're great trading material because it fits any M-98. There's nothing finer than double set triggers with a shotgun guard on a Continental rifle.

Thanks JBelk!!!

Johan-

How bout you send me that stock? I'll pay shipping, and won't throw it away!

Johan-

How bout you send me that stock? I'll pay shipping, and won't throw it away!

Todd

Johan just send me a list of all the Mauser stuff that you have squirreled away & I'll let you know which of it I need more than you.
i'll be more than glade to pay shipping of course.