I have a vintage Savage that was drilled for a scope at some time in the past and I'm considering restoring the rifle. What is the best method of welding in the holes prior to a reblue? I know that certain welds will blue a different shade of color (such as tig)... but is that the case in every instance? I am a crack gas and mig welder, and I am leaning towards mig as the way to go, but would like to hear some comments. Gas would tend to be too hot on the metal, causing deformation of thinner pieces, whereas mig is fast and clean. But how would it blue when standard wire is used? Also, is there a way that stamped lettering can be restored after the weld?
Filling holes
- Thread starter Lee Davis
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Longhorn 76
Member
Brownell's sells a special filler rod for what you want.
Jim Watson
Member
I know nothing about welding, but will say that a full restoration with replaced or refreshed roll marks is usually done by engraving (Unless you send a popular model to Turnbull who has a collection of proper stamps.) The collectors and speculators will tell you they can identify a restoration by looking at the logo to see if it is stamped or cut.
Kp321
Member
+1 on Brownells welding rod. They market it as 3 1/2% nickel rod. It is 1/16" diameter and works very good. It blues exactly the same as most gun metal so if properly done it makes an invisible repair after bluing. You really need to use TIG to do the repair, oxy-aceteline would put way too much heat into the workpiece. I am afraid that any wire you would use with MIG would come out of the blue tank purple.
Zeke/PA
Member
I would do EXACTLY that!
More than likely, the screw holes are 6x48's and after a peen/drawfiling effort the hole/s would be un-detectable.
I really don't like the idea of a welding type heat on a receiver.
Jim Watson
Member
There is a picture of a re-sporterized 1903 done that way.
It has slotted plug screws, not filed smooth so it looks like dashes have replaced part of the receiver ring markings; but the screw threads themselves are almost invisible.
It has slotted plug screws, not filed smooth so it looks like dashes have replaced part of the receiver ring markings; but the screw threads themselves are almost invisible.
rangervoss
Member
I do not tig myself, however I have another guy that does that. I would recommend the tig way and using 3.5% nickel rod. The heat you apply will not be enough to hurt the receiver and when properly done will look great. I assume you are refering to hot bluing and that will be no problem and you will not notice it. Good luck!
shooter1niner
Member
Not a welder but... had a good tig welder friend weld up some holes for me. Gun was an old .22 beater which had been drilled wrong a few times.
Started out by putting a screw in the hole and welding from the outside edge of the hole to center. That method always left a little pin hole in the center. The welder thought trapped gas. Next he welded from the center out and it worked great on 4 holes.
Started out by putting a screw in the hole and welding from the outside edge of the hole to center. That method always left a little pin hole in the center. The welder thought trapped gas. Next he welded from the center out and it worked great on 4 holes.
A good MIG/TIG welder can usually fill up holes without getting the receiver too hot, but filling with plug screws or plain screws and then filing off the head can work very well also.
FWIW, plug screws will usually look OK, and are easy to put in. After all, that is what most new rifles come with.
Jim
FWIW, plug screws will usually look OK, and are easy to put in. After all, that is what most new rifles come with.
Jim
Chili_pepper917
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I have done a little work on some revolvers recently and was surprised how little heat can cause distortion in the metal. I think I'll lean tward screws next time.
entropy
Member
+1. Besides being easier, it won't ruin any collector value any more than putting them in did.
ApacheCoTodd
member
I like button head cap screws.
The hole's already there. If restored value doesn't follow the expense of "restoration" - I pass.
Getting welds, plugs and screws to match often does not exhibit failure until after the expense is incurred.
I like to polish - refinish BHCSs for deliberate contrast. On a radiused face, I custom shape and size a washer for a more perfected look to the finished product - sometimes yet another deliberate contrasting finish. "Nuthin' to see here folks..."
Todd.
The hole's already there. If restored value doesn't follow the expense of "restoration" - I pass.
Getting welds, plugs and screws to match often does not exhibit failure until after the expense is incurred.
I like to polish - refinish BHCSs for deliberate contrast. On a radiused face, I custom shape and size a washer for a more perfected look to the finished product - sometimes yet another deliberate contrasting finish. "Nuthin' to see here folks..."
Todd.
hoghunting
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carbine85
Member
I wish I had 1/2 of what he has in his shop.
ApacheCoTodd
member
Great link. I like that he sounds like that Disney narrator from the 60s/70s...
"Uh oh... Ol' Blue is about to meet Mr Skunk... at the wrong end..."
I'd never seen anyone use those templates for lettering before - clever.
Todd.
788Ham
Member
I've got an older Rem. rifle my Pop had, removed a scope and left the screw holes open. I bought a box of gunsmith screws form some outfit, probably Brownells, put some blue Loc Tite on them, screwed them in to level, still there, doesn't look bad either.
ApacheCoTodd
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