Bolt handle fell off - Silver Solder or weld?

[gtgeorge]

I have a model 770 Remington in 7mm mag my wife bought for me a few years back. It turned out to be very accurate with hand loads and has taken many deer and hogs. I decided to try some Boolits and my first shot that day the handle fell off in my hand when I went to eject the old case. The load was a light Trail Boss load that was very mild.

What is the best way to repair this? I read about silver soldering and could probably do that myself but was told by another rifle enthusiast it could/should be welded. This is new ground for me and I am just getting over the shock it fell off so easily in the first place.

BTW no barn burner loads have been fired in this rifle as I shoot 162gr SSTs at 2900fps as it's hottest load to date. It spends more time in the woods than at the range.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have read this is a common problem with the 770.

While many people might try to have Remington fix it, you'd likely end up with a new bolt of similar quality and you 'may' lose the very good accuracy you have now. I would probably have a professional TIG weld it, if I were in your shoes.

[bdicki]

http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools-supplies/rifle-tools/bolt-tools/bolt-welding-forging-tools/bolt-welding-jig-prod378.aspx

[gtgeorge]

The professional Tig weld sounds more and more like the answer to me. Should it be done by a gun smith or is that something that could be done in a regular weld shop?

I worried about sending it to Remington when the sling post broke off the stock and they sent me the stock which was a plus. It also doesn't hold on to cases very well so I just live with it not wanting to muck with the tiny under 1" groups at 140 yards. I may try to fix that as well when I disassemble the bolt.

[bangerjim]

Do not attempt it yourself, unless you are a good TIG welder! Let a smith fix it. And I would be very leery of the local "Bubba's Weld-n-Fixit Shop". They are mostly used to welding car and truck frames & exhaust systems. You need someone used to finer quality precision work. Shop around.

Good luck!

banger

[blademasterii]

Where are you located? I am a tig welder and if you are in the area I will weld it up no charge. Literally only takes 30 seconds.

[bstone5]

A lot of the bolt handles are brazed on by Remington. In the past after indexing handle and removing the brass and beveling the handle edge the handle can be TIG welded.
A lot of High Power shooters brake the handle off shooting rapid fire strings.

[gtgeorge]

I am in east GA right off I-20 and know a couple good welders but not sure what is involved with making sure it is lined up properly. I can fix most things but I only have a regular wire welder and oxy/acy torch which neither I felt were a good choice and really not very good at welding anyhow.

Thanks for the offer down there in Fl. but doubt I will make it down your way any time soon. I really appreciate the offer though.

I am pretty sure this handle was originally silver soldered and it is left on the bolt with nothing left on the handle. I worry what the handle is since it looks like the center shaft of the bolt is surrounded with a porous metal that looks like cast to me and an odd color.

[bangerjim]

If you do attempt "silver soldering" remember.......there is silver-bearing solder (soft plumbing low temp) and REAL silver solder (hard wire/sheets high temp metal joining). I use both. I use oxy-propane for silver wire solder.

Talk to Goodsteel.......he is a good source for info on this.

But even real silver solder has a limited strength........around 60K# tensile if I remember. Hard, but nothing like good welding! And if you are butt-joining things with solder, that creates more problems. To make it secure, you need to put a pin in there to increase strength, then solder.

Good luck on getting it fixed.

banger

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

snip...
I worry what the handle is since it looks like the center shaft of the bolt is surrounded with a porous metal that looks like cast to me and an odd color.
If you hadn't made this statement, I would have said, "anyone with a TIG and some experience should get it done. But now, I'd highly suggest finding a Gunsmith with a TIG...I'm wondering if the best thing would be to do is get a new bolt handle and throw that remmy bolt handle in the recycle bin.
Jon

[runfiverun]

I'd give Remington a chance to fix it.. with a note of ummm,,,, hmm,,,,, "your junk sucks" or something nice like that.

[gtgeorge]

Well called Remington and they said they would fix it under warranty although it is well out of the original warranty. She wants me to send the whole rifle as she said it isn't as easy to loose. Other option is a replacement bold assembly sent to a LGS for $84 since they do not sell the body separate

So now I have several choices and leaning towards sending it in since it has never extracted worth a darn and I have had to resort to using the pistol to take any extra game when it wouldn't extract. Sometimes have to close and open the bolt a couple times before it would grab the rim even without firing.

I will mull it over over the weekend to make a decision. What would you do if it was yours?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Well called Remington and they said they would fix it under warranty although it is well out of the original warranty. She wants me to send the whole rifle as she said it isn't as easy to loose. Other option is a replacement bold assembly sent to a LGS for $84 since they do not sell the body separate

So now I have several choices and leaning towards sending it in since it has never extracted worth a darn and I have had to resort to using the pistol to take any extra game when it wouldn't extract. Sometimes have to close and open the bolt a couple times before it would grab the rim even without firing.

I will mull it over over the weekend to make a decision. What would you do if it was yours?

well, with that above added info (highlighted), I guess I'm leaning with you on sending it to remington.

[UBER7MM]

Here's how I see it:
OPTION 1
1) Remove braze/solder before TIG welding.
2) Purchase heat paste and heat sink for bolt to avoid warping.
3) Engage certified welder that knows guns.
4) Grind a chamfer or bevel on weld areas of bolt for maximum surface area during weld.
5) Weld and let cool. No quenching.
*) Make or buy a new trick bolt handle to customize your gun.

OPTION 2
Send it to the manufacturer.

[searcher4851]

If I needed it in a hurry, I'd probably try to get a local smith to take care of it. Otherwise, I'd send in to Remington.

[searcher4851]

I was just confused about the bolt question in the levergun forum. I just figure he came here because us levergunners are so smart.:bigsmyl2:

[gtgeorge]

ooops, my dyslexia must be showing. :shock: I didn't even realize I posted to the lever guns....Okay
option # 3 Trade fer a lever gun :bigsmyl2:

[runfiverun]

well I'm on board with number three...
other than that,,, my original post still stands. :lol:
I could tell you about sending a shotgun back to Italy in a medium sized postal flat rate box once, I didn't include a note with that one, I had already contacted them twice.
I'm sure they got my point though.

[UBER7MM]

I was just confused about the bolt question in the levergun forum. I just figure he came here because us levergunners are so smart.:bigsmyl2:

A bolt is a kind of a lever, sort of.....

[MBTcustom]

Dear Remington,
Your junk sucks and I'm giving you the opportunity to sweep the latest proof of that fact under the rug.
Ever so sincerely,
gtgeorge (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/member.php?19075-gtgeorge)

[wrench man]

One of the guys at work had the bolt handle come off of his Remington while chambering a round, called the local smith, he said no problem, made it sound like every other one does that!??, had it back in three days and for about $35.

[gtgeorge]

The wait has begun. Remington agreed to fix it under warranty via the repeat phone call on Monday and emailed me a shipping label on their dime. Dropped it off yesterday as well so now I am waiting to see how long it takes to fix it and it comes back accurate as it left and ends up staying together.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions as my last thought was calling them since it is outside their written warranty.

[Rifle 57]

The next time you need a bolt handle put back on send it to Dan Armstrong in Fairbanks AK. He is the very best at welding bolt handles on CORRECTLY. PH 907-457-4259
He has a website but I cant remember what it is.

[flint_knapper]

well I'm on board with number three...
other than that,,, my original post still stands. :lol:
I could tell you about sending a shotgun back to Italy in a medium sized postal flat rate box once, I didn't include a note with that one, I had already contacted them twice.
I'm sure they got my point though.

Cool, what was wrong with it?

[pietro]

The wait has begun. Remington agreed to fix it under warranty via the repeat phone call on Monday and emailed me a shipping label on their dime. Dropped it off yesterday as well so now I am waiting to see how long it takes to fix it and it comes back accurate as it left and ends up staying together.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions as my last thought was calling them since it is outside their written warranty.


When you get it back, trade it for a levergun....... :bigsmyl2:


.

[gtgeorge]

When you get it back, trade it for a levergun....... :bigsmyl2:


.
Now that's an idea. :bigsmyl2: But instead I will just buy one waiting for it to come home. Found someone with a 1894 in 44 that will be mine as soon as I scrape the pennies together.

[seaboltm]

wow. I never knew welding on bolt handles was so hard. Guess somebody should have told me that before I did 20 or so of them with a MIG welder and Brownell's bolt welding jig. I use a heat sink, and generally stuff the bolt body full of wet paper towels. Pay special attention to the "root" of the bolt, the part on the underside of the bolt that touches the bolt body. That is where the most stress is on bolt lifting. Dress the welds, polish, finish as desired. I would not try to weld a bolt handle of questionable metal. They are cheap enough at Brownell's.

[roadie]

wow. I never knew welding on bolt handles was so hard. Guess somebody should have told me that before I did 20 or so of them with a MIG welder and Brownell's bolt welding jig. I use a heat sink, and generally stuff the bolt body full of wet paper towels. Pay special attention to the "root" of the bolt, the part on the underside of the bolt that touches the bolt body. That is where the most stress is on bolt lifting. Dress the welds, polish, finish as desired. I would not try to weld a bolt handle of questionable metal. They are cheap enough at Brownell's.



Normally, you'd be right....welding bolt handles ain't tough....when you have a root to weld to.

From what I've seen, the 770 bolt handle is silver soldered directly to the bolt body with very little contact area. There is no root to work with and I wouldn't attempt a weld considering how delicate and fragile the bolt looks. Others might, but I'm not that good a welder.

I'd let Remington fix their crud and sell or trade on return....that gun looks designed to fail. Returning it may also address the reason it broke off in the first place. Seems strange that it let go with the first cast bullet fired. Maybe it's allergic to cast?

[gtgeorge]

Normally, you'd be right....welding bolt handles ain't tough....when you have a root to weld to.

From what I've seen, the 770 bolt handle is silver soldered directly to the bolt body with very little contact area. There is no root to work with and I wouldn't attempt a weld considering how delicate and fragile the bolt looks. Others might, but I'm not that good a welder.

I'd let Remington fix their crud and sell or trade on return....that gun looks designed to fail. Returning it may also address the reason it broke off in the first place. Seems strange that it let go with the first cast bullet fired. Maybe it's allergic to cast?

I too worried about the ability to weld that cheap bolt and handle and was willing to buy a replacement. They only sell complete bolts and I found nobody that offered handles or bolt bodies for them. That is how I found out they would fix it through warranty which was a surprise since the stated warranty was out.

I found it odd that it failed on the first cast as well since it really likes the 162gr SST rounds and shoots them like a high dollar rifle. It wouldn't even stay on paper with several brands of boxed ammo.

As for getting rid of it.....not gonna happen even if a door stop since my wife bought it for me. She is learning what to buy and not to buy as time goes by but since it was the first one she bought for me it will be a piece of gold even if it performs like a turd. :bigsmyl2:

[Geezer in NH]

Remington's fix will be no better than what they manufactured in the first place. Way it is, I would have had it tig welded myself.

[gtgeorge]

Rifle is on it's way back home and hoping it will work out. I have to admit that it was a fast turn around time though.

As for the tig weld....yep I would have but the more I looked at the bolt handle the more I said I needed to try to let them fix it first. I also could not find a different handle that would work in place of the 770 one. Lot's of stuff available for a 700 but nothing for this disposable rifle.

[Kim]

Pullman Arms in Worcester, Mass. specializes in micro welding and their work is superb. They have a laser welding machine that can perform miracles and their website is easily found.

[gtgeorge]

Well the rifle came back home with a new bolt and the tech noted he finished the chamber as well and returned to factory specs. I tried to chamber the ammo I had loaded for it on the shelf that I was getting .62 MOA and they will no longer chamber with the extended oal that I had dialed in before. I don't understand how that is possible but I loaded up a few cast loads and she shot fine. Now to dial it in and hopefully it will be as accurate or better than before. I am impressed that Remington fixed this outside of the supplied warranty on their dime 100% and turn around time was 14 days with almost all of it time in transit. :bigsmyl2: