Bubba works on factory guns too! Botched savage 24.

[firebyprolong]

So a savage 24 22/410 followed me home from the show the other day. Nice looking little gun other than the fact that someone thought that the lug needed to be welded to the barrel. Either the silver solder had failed or there was just a gap that someone didn't like I don't know. Bubba fired up the stick welder and just laid in a bead across both sides and up the side. Splatter and false starts all over. Even left the extractor in place. Then he goes after it with a flapper wheel to clean up his mess. Only bright side is I don't think the fool ever got it hot enough to do any actual damage other than cosmetic. Guy ground enough of the weld off that the weld he did get in is cracked.

I've gone over it and cleaned up his hack job as well as I could. Now I'm wondering how to proceed. First thought is to go in with the mill and cut a bevel to remove his floundering and lay in a tig or mig bead. I'm thinking this is going to be the easiest as I have to touch up and recut the pivot to tighten it up. Second is nock the lug off clean it up and re silver solder it back on. Ideas?

[rmcc]

I would leave lug in place and mill a small filet on each side just deep enough to get a good bead in. Doing that, you preserve the alignment. If it is that far out that the lug needs reworked, you don't have much to lose either way.

rmcc

[nagantguy]

Takes all kinds; never ceased to be amazed by the quick fixes I've seen. Most recent being an old Krag carbine with thumbtacks epoxyed into some badly done home style scope ring holes.

[Jeff Michel]

I'd can the old barrel lug, acquire or make a replacement. If the original was soldered, go with Brownell's Force 44 solder. Wide heat range, not much higher than 50/50. Plenty strong for this purpose and a snap to use. Silver brazing is a bit difficult if you have never done it before, special flux and a ton of heat. If you decide to silver braze, I'd recommend something with at least 50-56% silver and if it contains cadmium, do it outside or make sure you have plenty of fresh air.

[dubber123]

Tig would be nicest, but Mig will do also. Most people believe gun steel is hard. For the most part, it really isn't.

[Hardcast416taylor]

About the craziest `BUBBA` smithing that I`ve encountered was on an 1917 Enfield `06. He had removed the rear sight from the protection ears location and then cobbled up an aluminum piece for a scope base and then just epoxied this in the ears! Don`t know if this was ever fired, might have been interesting to see?Robert

[firebyprolong]

Have a local guy here that is a menace to society a king bubba if you will. Was given a small ring mauser that this guy had drilled and tapped for a scope mount by annealing the ENTIRE FRONT RING. Did it with a cutting torch, you can tell because you can see exactly where the oxy cone burned the surface. Have that action cut from the bottom hanging in the shop with a sign saying " this is why we can't have nice things" . Guy needs his hands broke before he hurts someone.