bull in china shop syndrome at work

[bothenook]

putting a Traditions Trapper kit together. Piece of expletive deleted, and i'll never buy anything from that company again after the recent dealing with this kit and the company trying to deal with boogered up parts NIB. It was like they emptied the reject barrel filling orders, and my kit was one of those.

So here I am, fitting the parts to determine just how much wood a wood chuck would chuck if he was shaping a stock, and decided to just "tweek" the trigger guard to make it fit better in the pre-cut stock. Beeeeg mistake, broke the damned thing right at the screw hole. Imagine my dismay, since the force exerted was nowhere near what should have been the brittle fracture limit.

So...any ideas on repair or replacement? I am having the devil's own time finding a place that carries replacement parts. The bow is big enough to accommodate a double trigger (why I got the kit in the first place). Brass has too much lead in it to heat it hot enough to solder/braze it together without getting brittle, if my dusty old metallurgy class memory is valid.

Checked the usual suspects, Traditions, Track, Dixie, Mid-South, Numrich, Brownells, Midway, and a number of others that I followed down the google rabbit hole. I even looked at Cabelas, which was a mistake, because I saw a sweeeeeet 1858 that looks like it might have my name on the box...

I'm thinking I'll have to get a double trigger guard casting for something like a hawken, and cut it down and bend it. Yeah? Nope? Hoping for some expertise.

some days it just makes me wish I was interested in stamp collecting instead.......

 

[Kevin H. Evans]

I would try brazing it together, I use brass rod to braze cast iron, and I silver solder brass sheet when making models. I have not experienced brittleness or hardening in either process.

After the parts are reconnected, take the assembly, heat it to a dull just detectable red. Then throw it in cold water, which will anneal the brass and bring it back to a malleable condition.

My two cents,
Kevin

 

[BCRider]

It was likely brittle because it came that way from the casting. I'll bet if you anneal it like Kevin suggests that you'll be able to braze or silver solder the parts back together AND reform the loop as needed.

I'd say since it's broken already that you start by annealing it. Then reform it. If that goes well then I'd go with silver soldering the part back on. I found that silver solder is "brassy" enough in colour that it should go unnoticed for the very thin line that you'll have for a repair of this sort.

Another option is to run over to a welding supply store and ask about a lower temperature brazing rod option. The stuff comes in a variety of alloys after all.

 

[4v50 Gary]

The Trapper has a mystery brass. I'd solder it together instead of braze (I brazed mine about five times to lengthen it). BTW, I'd cut it off short above the hole, attach a longer piece of brass that goes down to the gripcap, and then drill out the brass for a screwhole.

No one in my class likes the Trapper. We called it something less flattering. The folks at Traditions knows its a PoS too.

 

[Kevin H. Evans]

If there is room under the guard, you might try a shim of copper or brass to strengthen the joint. That would give a larger surface area for the solder to grab.

Another option is to go to a good hobby shop, buy some thick strip brass and fabricate a custom guard.

Regards,
Kevin

 

[Loyalist Dave]

WAAAAY TOO MUCH WORK.

Buy another trapper kit. Swap out the broken part. Send the second kit back with the first trigger guard, as having a damaged part, for a full refund, not a replacement.

The company where you ordered it from will send it back to Traditions, so that company won't be at a loss either.

I believe you about the part... many years ago I ordered a longrifle from them... the lock was BENT during shipping...BENT. Good luck getting them to replace it...

LD

 

[north east redneck]

Had a similar problem with Philly Derringer. I think I found something that would fit at Dixie. Lost interest and the kit sits unfinished.
I agree with above post, order another send the broken one back. It sounds wrong at first to me, but what's the difference? You are swapping like for like without jumping through all the hoops.

 

[Jaymo]

4V50 Gary, are you saying Traditions got the C mixed up with the T when they named it?

 

[Ephraim Kibbey]

Try Ebay/Sporting Goods/Hunting/Gun Parts. They often have people who are "parting out" the good pieces from damaged firearms. Good Luck with your kit. I tried to build a brass frame Remy back in the early '60's. It shot OK but looked disgusting. I had better luck at Bannerman's buying surplus Sharp's parts and assembling my own carbine (not bad for a kid in High School thinks I.)

 

[PCFlorida]

Bannerman's, that brings back memories.

 

[bothenook]

buy a second kit, swap out parts and get a replacement that way? Not only nope, but hell nope. I will not spend another penny on traditions junk, except maybe a replacement part for the lock along the way.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Jaymo - that's the nickname my class gave it. Someone wanted to put a laser light on theirs and a picatinny rail. He never got around to it.