Welding 4150 Ordinance Steel

[wv109323]

I have a Kart Match Barrel for the 1911 .45 ACP that was fitted in another gun previously. I have it installed in another pistol that I made up from Parts. Of course the barrel is not properly fit to the new 1911. What I would like to do is weld up the bottom lugs and fit it to the new gun. I have the proper lug cutter to do the job.
The material is 4150 Ordinance Steel. My question is what is the best media and what is the type of rod/ wire to use. Many of the Colt barrels were gas welded using the spring wire from a magazine. What would you use for this project?
Gas, Mig and wire/rod?

[W.R.Buchanan]

Tig weld using 4130 Cromoly rod. Readily available from any welding supply. Needs to be done with as little heat as possible.

Randy

[JIMinPHX]

Why 4130 wire & not 4150? Availability? Intermediate material?

[W.R.Buchanan]

After talking to some of my Weldor buddies this morning it is the concencus that 4150 filler rod is probably not available unless "maybe" by special order, I've never seen it, and neither have they.

Also the actual difference between the two is so minute you'd never know it, especially for the job he's got.

What he wants to do is going to take very good weldor. I'm talking a real artist! Anyone of lesser talent is just going to make a mess which will take a long time to clean up if it can be cleaned up at all. Also since they aren't that good, they will probably overheat the part which is why you need the artist in the first place.

If the guy or girl can't weld two razor blades together edge to edge, they aren't good enough to do this job.

I am pretty good at heliarc welding, been doing it for 30 years. I can't do that.

Randy

[Harry O]

I have welded a lot of thin-wall 4130 tubing through the years. Oxy-acetylene with very small tips. It is not difficult to weld. A bit harder to weld than mild steel, but not much.

I have welded a little 4140 steel and found it considerably harder to weld than 4130. There is a serious problem with "hot-cracking". I have not welded any 4150 steel, but I imagine it would be even more difficult.

The main difference between 4130 and 4150 is the amount of carbon in it. There is more carbon the higher the number. The more carbon, the more difficult it is to weld and get it to stay together. An artist with a welder could probably do it. I don't know if I could (and I kind of doubt it).

[Marvin S]

I certify on .040 wall 1" dia tube in 6g posistion in various materials. I think the low carbon steels are the easiest to weld. Small tig torch with .040 tungsten. If you use a 4130 filler that is coated sand it off. I always use Hastalloy W rod as its an outstanding rod for all steels. It is difficult to machine.

[Jim]

I certify on .040 wall 1" dia tube in 6g posistion in various materials.....

I'm retired from thirty years as an industrial pipefitter. I got 'certed' on stick, but never made it to tigging. I watched the 'prima donnas' tigging stainless process tubing and I know how difficult that is. If you've got a ticket for the procedure you mentioned, you're a dang good weldor.

I'd be honored to fit for you!

[Marvin S]

Jim I'm sure you better with the SMAW process than I am. I do have the papers and pocket card for TIG in stainless, titainum, aluminum, inconel, and low carbon steel.

[Jim]

Lord, I have no idea how many MILES of black pipe I have 'sticked up'. From 1/2" socket to 24" schedule 120 1200 lb. boiler headers. I doubt a tractor trailer would carry all the 7018s I've burned, nevermind the 6010s I rooted with.

I miss those days and those boys I worked with.

[jmsj]

I may be wrong but back before there were a lot of custom barrel makers wasn't it common to weld up the feet to fit a barrel to a 1911?
I don't know about the compatibility of 4140 /70S-6 tig rod to 4150 but 70S-6 is commonly available copper coated or bare. The heat treat properties might also need to be addressed but I am not sure about that either.
Good luck, jmsj