Plug Welding Old Scope Holes

[pathfinder]

Hey guys. Just wanted to post a video on pluging some old scope holes using the T.I.G. welding method.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WShQMnUEA9g

[abunaitoo]

On a .22 it would probably be OK, but I wonder how much the heat from the TIG would soften the metal.
I've thought about TIG to fill rust holes in barrels of old rifles.
But never tried it.

[KCSO]

TIG won't soften the metal the weld taked the same hardness as the surrounding metal. I have done hole repairs like this for over 15 years. I have a M11 shotgun that was butchered with 8 holes in various places after welding and a re blue you can't tell it eveer had a hole.

[John Taylor]

I get quite a few pre-war model 70s to weld holes in the rear bridge. These need to be rolled after welding so the weld needs to be close to the same type of metal. I first drill the hole out to 1/8" ( take out most of the threads) and use a piece of 1/8" welding rod to plug the hole. There is a mandrel placed in the bolt channel and the short piece of welding rod is hammered on to mushroom out on the inside next to the mandrel. Then the top is ground down to form a small divot and filled back in with 4130 filler rod using the TIG torch. The whole rear bridge is then heated to about 900 degrees and let cool slow otherwise it is to hard to roll. The inside is polished and the short piece of filler rod can not be seen.

I will not do any welding near the locking lugs unless it is for a low pressure round like the 22 Hornet.
All welds shrink, so welding on a barrel can cause a tight spot in the bore.

[pathfinder]

I get quite a few pre-war model 70s to weld holes in the rear bridge. These need to be rolled after welding so the weld needs to be close to the same type of metal. I first drill the hole out to 1/8" ( take out most of the threads) and use a piece of 1/8" welding rod to plug the hole. There is a mandrel placed in the bolt channel and the short piece of welding rod is hammered on to mushroom out on the inside next to the mandrel. Then the top is ground down to form a small divot and filled back in with 4130 filler rod using the TIG torch. The whole rear bridge is then heated to about 900 degrees and let cool slow otherwise it is to hard to roll. The inside is polished and the short piece of filler rod can not be seen.

I will not do any welding near the locking lugs unless it is for a low pressure round like the 22 Hornet.
All welds shrink, so welding on a barrel can cause a tight spot in the bore.

Nice technique.

[mroliver77]

John Taylor, What do you mean you "roll" it? I have never heard of this. Thanks for any reply.
Jay

[John Taylor]

John Taylor, What do you mean you "roll" it? I have never heard of this. Thanks for any reply.
Jay

A pre-war model 70 has a pattern sort of like the rib on a shotgun. A special roll die is used to roll the pattern on. When done right and rust blued it looks just like it came out of the factory. The pre-war model 70s and model 54s had the same pattern. After the war the rear bridge was smooth and drilled for scope mount.

Roll die machine for model 70 actions. http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l132/johnptaylor/rolldie.jpg

[pathfinder]

Wow that thing is sweet!!!!!!!!!

[John Taylor]

I also have another attachment for doing the top of model 61 shot actions, makes them look like a miniature model 12. The roll dies are not mine so I can only do the actions that come from the owner of the dies. The machine was originally set up to put numbers on something for military use. I was ready to cut it up just for the steel before I found a use for it.

[pathfinder]

Oh thank god you found a use for it. For me looking at a machine like that, I might as well be looking at a beautiful woman.