Brazing - How hot is too hot?

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Jessesky

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A few smithing projects at home.

I am about to heat up the rear sight base on a rifle to loosen the solder beneath it. Hopefully I can get it off. I am also going to braze on a barrel band sling swivel.

How hot is too hot before I start messing with the metallurgy of the barrel? Do you use a heat sink?
 
By definition Brazing requires higher temperatures than soldiers. One reason one is more commonly used on firearms than the other, 100 – 450°C for solders and 450-1,600°C for brazing.
 
You might want to solder that barrel band as opposed to brazing it, temperature is considerably lower.
 
Brazing is too hot for that IMO. Brownell's High Force 44 silver bearing solder is plenty strong enough for a barrel band and works at much lower temps than ever regular silver solder. So easy "even a cave man can do it!"

And the heat control paste is no magic bullet. While it does work really well to prevent heat propagation beyond the work site, does nothing to reduce the chance of damage at the spot you are applying heat.
 
brazing is melting 2 metals together, dont do that on a gun barrel. their are low temp silversolders that are i believe 700 degree solders, that should work. make sure the metals to be soldered are very clean and you use a good flux. watch the colors of the metal so you dont get them too hot. i would band or dove tail a barrel. i would never heat one. may cause stress that ruins accurecy. ive silversoldered tangs to breechplugs on muzzleloaders but that is a whole different thing. putting heat on a barrel can bend it if it isnt even all the way around. talked to a gun smith once where he has seen someone heating a barrel once to solder on something on it and the barrel aquired a nice curve in it. had to be thrown away. do at your own risk.
 
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