AR Sponsor
Posted: 4/23/2005 2:56:59 AM EDT
|
I've got a 14.5" barrel. I've got a Vortex. I've got a torch and silver solder. Now what?  How do I use this properly - preferably without ruining the finish...?
|
What kind of torch? Do you have stick silver solder or silver solder paste? To get the silver solder hot enough, it had better be a MAPP or oxy/acetylene setup. Propane will not cut it. I'm sure this could be done with stick silver solder, but I sure wouldn't want to try as it has the potential to be pretty messy. Silver solder paste is much cleaner. You need to thoroughly clean the parkerizing off both the barrel and FH threads. Some people file a notch lengthwise through the barrel threads, for a place for silver solder to flow. Generously apply the silver solder paste to the barrel threads, thread on, tighten and index the FH, if necessary. Heat the FH to dull cherry red and hold that heat for approx. five min. to allow the silver solder to flow. It may be recommended that you use some type of cooling medium in the bore. Welders at work use a continuous flow of compressed air when welding on temp sensitive equipment, like valve internals. This will remove enough heat to prevent bore damage. |
| Hey Mongo - how do you know if the silver solder flowed? I silver soldered a FH on a barrel awhile back - I heated it to a dull red and stopped(about two minutes) when I seen the solder beading up around the washer I used, I was equalily bummed when I noticed I also flowed the solder into the barrel crown, I since cleaned up the crown( not easy when you can't take the FH off) I tried to test the job by clamping the barrel in a set of leather pads in my vise - I couldn't hold it solid enough to turn it off(60ft lbs) I just don't know if it flowed well enough into the threaded areas of the barrel. What would be a good test to tell or how do you tell if it is solid? |
If the silver solder is moving, like you described, it probably set up right. I would suggest holding the barrel with the muzzle up to help prevent the solder from flowing on the muzzle, but the solder may go wherever there is flux, so carefully applying the paste so that the muzzle is absolutely clean may help also. I'm not to familiar with paste, but standard silver solder pretty much goes and sticks wherever there is flux. |
Beat me to it. Use thermal paste everywhere you're not soldering, and go down the barrel atleast a few inches down from the thread. |
He is correct, this is the best way not to screw up accuracy in your barrel. You can just mig a small bead on the pin-hole and grind it down smooth. But you have to wonder what temper you are losing at the very exit point of your barrel when its cherry red from a mapp gas torch. I would only recommend mapp gas if you have no way to do the drill, pin and weld process. |
Do you just drill deep enough to go through the muzzle device or does the hole have to extend a little into the barrel?
|
AR Sponsor