Hi, how would I go about welding a lug on a barrel for a contender? I'm thinking about milling a piece of 4140, then turning a barrel blank to size and putting them together. I could then use factory parts for the locking bolt and extractor, or try and make my own also.
My TC barrels have a tiny little bead inbetween the barrel and lug. On JD Jones site he mentions Electron Beam welding. Never heard of it. Could I use a regular Mig wire feed, then normalize after welding??
Thoughts?

For whatever its worth, the Marine armorers TIG weld the recoil lugs on their M40 sniper rifles.

I’m not a professional welder, but I would assume that TIG is preferable since it’s a faster process that doesn’t keep the heat there as long as other types of welding.

Bullberry and TC TIG-weld the barrel lugs.

Mike Bellm did a good write up on welding on the lugs, including what filler rod to use and what to make the lug out of. I don't know if he posted it on his website or not.

You might want to search the single shot pistol forum, because I know the issue has been discussed in the past. Hopefully the thread is still in the archive.

It's a heliarc job, and as I recall requires so pre-heating and post weld controlled cooling. I'm afraid a mig would put too much heat in the barrel, and not produce a narrow enough weld.

As far as I know, all the aftermarket shops TIG their lugs on the barrels, only T/C does the electron beam weld.

It is more difficult than it sounds.

You need a TIG welder, but more than that, you need to have EXPERIENCE and lots of it.

It would be very difficult with a MIG welder because you can easily burn the chamber/throat area because the metal got too hot.

You will see this sometimes on early Japanese black powder Kentucky Rifles. Traditionally on these rifles, the ramrod holders were dovetailed and staked onto the bottoms of the barrels. The Japs thought they could do one better and weld these pieces on.

Needless to say the guns were beautifully made but when you look down the barrel, you would often see two or three scorch marks in the bore.

-Spencer

electron beam welding is a modified laser process. DO NOT MIG it requires entirely to much heat in concentrates it to much. TIG is the correct process, but as it has been said - only by someone who knows what they are doing. Heat blocking paste the area around the barrel will help lots.