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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Welding Holes


ken98k

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I have an Ethiopian 98 from FN that someone DTed off center.

Too bad because it's was a nice crest.

This is my plan to repair.

 

1. Insert 6/48 plugs

2. weld over the plugs.

3. Re-surface.

4. Re-drill and tap.

5. Re-heat treat.

 

Does this sound like the proper way to fix this reciever?

 

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By your photos it's hard to tell how far off center the holes are. If at all possible take Z's advise and mill to an 8-40. If the previous is not possible the your method should work also. Make sure your weld is deep enough so you don't remove it when re-surfacing. What welding method do you plan on using? I strongly advise against Oxy-Acetalene, as you would stand a greater chance of warping your receiver.

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I recently welded up the holes in a VZ 24 receiver. I just tig welded the holes up and it looked great. Everything looked great until I tried to redrill the holes. The receiver was not difficult to drill the first time but after welding it was next to impossible. I ended up having to spot anneal the welded areas. If at all possible I would try the larger screws, if not keep the hardness in mind and check closely before ruining a drill.

What did I learn? Check your drilling jig closely, if using one, and make sure the holes are straight. It's a lot easier than plugging and redrilling!

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Z,

I'll have to check to see if #8 screws would work.

 

rwims,

If I have to go with welding, it'll be tig.

 

carzngunz,

I didn't drill it. I bought it that way. It came from a large collection of parts and actions that a friend of a friend was selling.

I posted photo’s of some of the stuff early last summer.

I’m not sure if anyone else here bought any of the stuff.

 

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If the 8x40's won't correct the problem then what I would do is countersink the holes and weld them up using a spiral motion starting at the bottom. The ring is thick enough that it isn't required that you weld up the entine hole, just 75% or more. The rear bridge is so thin that you MUST fill the entire hole in order for the new hole to have sufficient threads. For the rear bridge I do the same but uise brass pieces that have the size & radius as the guide rib slot on teh bridge.

 

Yes, sometimes the weld will air harden. A good bit is required or spot annealing.

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You might want to get an blank scope mount and make you own mount, Sometime that works. Just an thought. Looks lik the front hole is off by 1/2 the of the hole. I took an pcs of string and put the one end on the v of the rear sight and on the rear hole on the ring.

 

spec.4

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  • 1 year later...

Bases to take Weaver style rings are fairly easy to make. Use 12L14, as it will machine and blue nicely. Making them is a worthwhile project and the skills will serve you well in the future.

 

If you can get away with making them into #8 holes, use an end mill and plunge cut. IIRC, it will be a 13/64ths end mill. Just check the end mill diameters against the diameter of the recommended drill bit for a #8 tap job. LL

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I agree, it's hard to tell from the photo. Looks like one hole is tapped and the other just started. Are you using the coat of arms as a guide or did you set it up in a jig to determine center? Don't depend on the crest to be centered. They were rolled on and are often off a little. I put a straight-edge on the computer screen and aligned it with your rear sight. The edge extended down the middle of the two holes. I know thats not scientific or accurate due to angles but you might check.

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I agree, it's hard to tell from the photo. Looks like one hole is tapped and the other just started. Are you using the coat of arms as a guide or did you set it up in a jig to determine center? Don't depend on the crest to be centered. They were rolled on and are often off a little. I put a straight-edge on the computer screen and aligned it with your rear sight. The edge extended down the middle of the two holes. I know thats not scientific or accurate due to angles but you might check.

 

The front holes are off center by a whole hole (pun intended)

 

My original post was almost 2 years ago and I have purchased many actions since then.

I've found it's much easier to start with a good action. I still have this action and some day I'll get around to getting the holes tigged.

 

Kenny

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The front holes are off center by a whole hole (pun intended)

 

My original post was almost 2 years ago and I have purchased many actions since then.

I've found it's much easier to start with a good action. I still have this action and some day I'll get around to getting the holes tigged.

 

Kenny

 

Amen to that. I make good money off of people that think they are getting a good deal on an action because it has correctible problems like off center holes for example. By the time they pay me they could have bought a nicer action for less. Now, if they are having other work done, like surface grinding for example, then the additional cost is minor. Or if the action is fairly scarce it can be worthwhile, but too many times I've seen folks get burned buying what they thought were killer deals. I can essentially fix my own actions for free but even then, the time involved makes it far more attractive to just start with an unaltered action.

 

I used to buy lots of donor rifles where I was after components and not the actual rifle as a whole. Often the receiver may have been drilled & tapped wrong so I get it cheap. After stripping it for parts I used to try to fix them, now I just $h!tcan them. Or, save them for the time when no more imports will be allowed and the used market dries up and people get really desperate.

 

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All three ways. The solder on option requires a real close fit and will look pretty good when done. You will have to look close to see the seam.

 

Screw on will look screw on but if you incorporate the scope ring rails into the faux bridge the rings will cover up the screws and will only be visible if the scope is removed.

 

Welded will require lots of work of course and you will have to have teh receiver heat treated. Hard to put that much heat into the front ring and not warp something. Then you have to contend with warpage when heat treating. This method when done right will give the most suthentic look when done.

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I have not had to many dealings ebay but the last i seen of this item was min. bid 49.95 2 min. left and no bids. so what hell is that?

 

He probably has several set and they're starting out at 29.00

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