G'day guys.

Am putting together my 500AR project and i need to attach a second recoil lug. There is not enough meat in the barrel to do a dovetail or anything so i am going to have to silver solder/braze a lug on.

What is the correct percentage of silver i am going to need in my rods?

Have seen anywhere from 5% to 45% of silver content available here.

Was told the higher percentage of silver the lower the melt temp, is this correct?

I did a search and had seen the Brownells "Force 44" is recommended heavily, though being in Australia i don't have it available, it is 4% silver, 96%tin.

Paz

Force 44 would work and is a lower temp solder. Around 475 degrees F
I've also used Silvaloy 56% but it is a high temp solder at 1100 Degrees F.

I'd stick with force 44 so I wouldn't ruin the temper of the parts.

quote:

Originally posted by kcstott:
Force 44 would work and is a lower temp solder. Around 475 degrees F
I've also used Silvaloy 56% but it is a high temp solder at 1100 Degrees F.

I'd stick with force 44 so I wouldn't ruin the temper of the parts.

Mate wish i could, we do not have a Brownells here in Australia .

Paz

How much room do you have? If you are only going to use solder to hold it in place, you might consider a barrel band lug set up. It would require turning a shoulder for the band and lug to contact along with the solder. I would stay away from high temp stuff.

TIG weld the lug on for a permanent attachment.

I cut a dovetail in the barrel and make the lug to fit and then solder using a 3% silver alloy solder.

since you can't find the force 44 in Australia, try a refrigeration shop they will often use a 5% silver low melt point solder for their copper line work

Hey Paz You pay for it. I'll ship it.
Simple as that.
I'll even order a spool and just cut off enough for you project and a bit more and ship it out.

quote:

Originally posted by Dans40XC:
TIG weld the lug on for a permanent attachment.

You serious about tig welding..what? about 4" in front of the chamber? You'll end up with a "hard boiled egg"

Like to hear your reasoning on this

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:

quote:

Originally posted by Dans40XC:
TIG weld the lug on for a permanent attachment.

You serious about tig welding..what? about 4" in front of the chamber? You'll end up with a "hard boiled egg"

Like to hear your reasoning on this

I've TIG welded lugs to barrels with no problems. In fact I have welded lugs directly under the chamber area prior to chambering with no problem. It's an acquired skill. Like anything else, you have to know what you are doing. You have to carefully prep the area so you can get in and out quickly so as not to overheat the area. There are things you can do to protect the bore. You can flood it with Aragon or like me, use a good heat control paste. You do have to normalize the weld afterwards to reduce stresses. There is a line I will not cross with regards to welding on a lug. But I would have to see the actual job to determine if that is it. What has been your experience using TIG?

I'd like to know what action needs a second lug even for a large capacity cartridge like the 500AR?
A good friend of mine had a Ruger M77 MKII Mag rebored to 505 gibbs. No second lug installed on that rifle but it did come with cross bolts.

Tig welding is an option but as wespac stated you need to know what you are doing and how it will affect the barrel. and take proper precautions to prevent excessive heat.
Pre and post heating would be required. along with a back purge to protect the bore and normalizing after the fact

Wesrpac: Guess I'm kinda shy about either welding on a barrel...at least closed to the chamber; or welding on the receiver ring.

I'm just echoing opinions of a welding engineer.

If you want to be extra careful, a secondary lug such as on the Ruger big rifles would seem pretty effective

quote:

Originally posted by Duane Wiebe:
Wesrpac: Guess I'm kinda shy about either welding on a barrel...at least closed to the chamber; or welding on the receiver ring.

I'm just echoing opinions of a welding engineer.

If you want to be extra careful, a secondary lug such as on the Ruger big rifles would seem pretty effective

Duane,

I'm a little shy myself and that's what makes me extra cautious at times. Like I said, there are lines I won't cross.

How does your welding engineer explain those successful makers of custom Contender barrel who routinely TIG weld lugs to their barrels, and directly under the chamber at that.

I don't like the idea either but T/C seems to do it every day on the Encore and the Contender barrels.

A brass heat sink & purge w/pulse has worked on numerous shotgun barrel lugs in the past 25+ years.

Keep the area atmosphere free & don't raise carbon from the parent material.

Dissimilar materials will take extra heat.

TC lugs are electron beam welded.

quote:

Originally posted by Dans40XC:
TC lugs are electron beam welded.

But not the after market barrels which was my point.

I am not impressed if that was done with a electron beam. I could do a better job with a Tig welder. I have to think it was done that way for production purposes. I have read here that A-square ran water thru the bore to weld recoil lugs.

quote:

Originally posted by kcstott:
I'd like to know what action needs a second lug even for a large capacity cartridge like the 500AR?
A good friend of mine had a Ruger M77 MKII Mag rebored to 505 gibbs. No second lug installed on that rifle but it did come with cross bolts

The action i am using is a M98, actually it is a R.Famage action.

The stock will most defiantly be getting two crossbolts installed and a wrist pin plus Devcon bedding.

Stock I'm using is a Boyds laminate.

Does it need the second recoil lug after all?


Thanks to all those who have offered to send me over some Force 44, will keep you posted if i need it.

Paz

I'd say it a good idea but if a Gibbs don't need one why would a 500AR.

quote:

Originally posted by kcstott:
I'd say it a good idea but if a Gibbs don't need one why would a 500AR.

I'm going to put one on i think, be good practice for the next one if nothing else .

Paz

Yep chalk it up as a learning experience