When you have a reciever that is pitted and want to fill in the pits waht is the best way?

I know that I can clean out the pits and weld them full and then grind the surface flush just like bolt welding. But do I need to re heat treat afterwords or is there something I can do to heat sink the reciever to avoid re heat treating?

The reciever in question is a Small Ring Mexican that has pitting on the front ring.

Any help of info would be greatly appriciated.

I just tig them in; I don't think that small amount of localized heat penetrates enough to change the heat treatement of the lug recesses. I have done a few that way; I am talking about small pits here and there, not 1/8th inch deep ones.

Stone the pits out (no possible peach-pun proffered), (alliteration intended) and end up with a flat-forward and aft-receiver ring in the process. Don't fret about pits below the wood line. Only you and your stocker will know. For some of the really tiny ones giving you fits I suggest bead blasting the action for a satin look. Many pits will diminish significantly. Welding of any kind usually will require re-heat treating. Good stones in various grits can be had on several sites and remember to use lots of oil. You can stone the balance of the receiver, also, and have a really slick action with nice flat surfaces and no rounding or cratering unless purposeful. Make it an enjoyable and learning experience.

FYI, Pacific Metallurgy in Seattle will do the heat treat for you for $75.00. Just inquired this week. They will do several for that price. A bargain versus letting a perfectly good action languish.

I know, I know, more than you wanted, but it's free.

Luck,

Stephen

Thanks guys that is exactly the type of input that I am looking for.

I have already stoned the recievr and it still has some pits that need to be filled. I don't want to take it down much more. Not a lot of pits but a few that need to be cleaned up. It was a project gun of mine when I was a teenager, it is OK but my skills have progressed and I think that it is time to rework it and clean it up a bit. This was the first gun I ever built and has some sentimental meaning to me.

I do not have a TIG welder so I am guessing that I will probebly have to re heat treat. I usually Gas weld with the 2% Nickle rod from Brownells. I have had good success with that rod.

Do you have the contact info fo Pacific Metallurgy?

Thanks again for the input I really appriciate it.

PACIFIC METALLURGICAL INC.
925 5TH Avenue South
Kent, Washington 98032
T 253.854.4241
F 253.854.4475
800.428.9436
http://pacmet.com/contact.html

Thanks,

I just pulled it out of the safe and there is no pitting. I guess that I was remembering it worse than it is. The action is in realy good shape. The front ring has a slight nick that can be stoned out. But I will keep this info for the future. Thanks for the helpw guys!

Sounds like a win win. Wahoo.

I had the same thing going with a 98 action I polished a couple of decades ago. Finally pulled the thing out of an old sock after storage in a cardboard box in a carport here in the Pacific Northwet. Lo and behold, no rust, just moss. I am very pleased.

Stephen

don't gas weld please - go find somebody who does decent heliarc work. it won't be that expensive