Jump to content
Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Silver Solder


Recommended Posts

What is it you are silver sodering? Virualy all soldering involving firearms uses plumbing solder, not silver solder.

 

Vlad

 

Silver solder is probably one of the most misused and misunderstood terms around.

 

Silver Brazing involves high temps that would require AO. Over 1000 F. Often called silver soldering but that is inaccurate.

 

Silver bearing solder melts at a much lower temp.

 

Solders developed specifically for gun use (resistence to caustic bluing) are about 96% tin 4% silver. This is pretty much what is also sold at the hardware store as silver solder used for joining stainless. Melts at 475 F.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What is it you are silver sodering? Virualy all soldering involving firearms uses plumbing solder, not silver solder.

 

Vlad

 

I'm going to try donmarkey's hinged triggerguard mod. So I need to solder/braze the hinge to the floorplate. I have one of the MAPP/Oxygen torches from Lowes. Should I just order the solder and flux from Brownells?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Solders developed specifically for gun use (resistence to caustic bluing) are about 96% tin 4% silver. This is pretty much what is also sold at the hardware store as silver solder used for joining stainless. Melts at 475 F.

 

Z, will any of these work? Tractor Supply has these

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm going to try donmarkey's hinged triggerguard mod. So I need to solder/braze the hinge to the floorplate. I have one of the MAPP/Oxygen torches from Lowes. Should I just order the solder and flux from Brownells?

 

the mapp/oxygen torch will work just fine to braze it. brazing is better because that part does not need to be heat treated and does get some stress. but be advised that oxygen cylinder is not cheap but does go fast. don't dillydally around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

THis thread is timely for me as I am planning the same job. I am going to use duracoat for a finish. So if blueing is not an issue, is plumbing solder OK? I got a roll of silver solder contain 45% silver what temp will that melt at? I am a roofer by trade and solder all the time with a gas fired iron and 50/50 bar solder. However, I have never used a torch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For this particular application I would think brazing woulld be better but I'd guess that the silver bearing solder would work just fine. I've tried to smack front sight ramps off the barrel and they held.

 

if I'm not mistaken I've used the blue roll of bernzomatic solder.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I started with one of those cheap MAPP O2 kits from Home Depot.

 

Before I figured-out how to use it right I'd burned through $50 of O2 cylinders and decided that a little OA rig from the local welding supply was a much better deal.

 

We just had a Harbor Freight move in here and you can pick-up little acetylene and O2 bottles and regulators cheap that will be serviceable. I don't know about their hoses and torches, I got those used on Evilbay.

 

You should be able to get fixed-up for OA for under $200 which sounds like a lot until you start buying those little red oxygen tanks at Home Depot.

 

I've used my OA set-up for countless little projects around the house. It really helps to be able to really weld and cut steel.

 

You can braze with it too. You can also heat treat tool steel which is sometimes priceless.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

do you guyes put any thing inside the barrel, or around to displace heat when soldering on front sites. My dad and i got into this argument the other day. I was going to take steve wagners approach and solder on a muzzle brake on a mn. He said solder was a good way to screw up a gun barrel, becase of the intense heat, thus i told him about diffrent approaches to displace heat. Hes still not believing me. :(

And i'm thinkin about the whole open site ordeal too..hmm.

Brenden

Link to comment
Share on other sites

rdfrench31

If you get a small OA rig you'll probably use it on a lot more than gun stuff. They're really handy for brazing, welding, silver brazing, and like DT mentioned, heat treating small parts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A propane torch is quite enough for soldering on sights and using the soft or silver bearing solders. You won;t bugger the barrel and it doesn't get hot enough to damage bluing, well rust bluing anyway.

 

An OA torch is great for welding, brazing, heat treating, and buggering things up if not used correctly. It really is very handy but for soldering I like propane. Kinda like Hank Hill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a porta-torch set, the kind they use for HVAC. If you get a small set, stay away from the ones that use the disposable cylinders. The main reason people go threw oxygen so quick is they set it up for cutting and leave it set that way for welding. I set the acetelene and oxy both for around 3psi for welding and brazing. The only reason to crank the oxy up is for cutting.

-Don

Link to comment
Share on other sites

do you guyes put any thing inside the barrel, or around to displace heat when soldering on front sites. My dad and i got into this argument the other day. I was going to take steve wagners approach and solder on a muzzle brake on a mn. He said solder was a good way to screw up a gun barrel, becase of the intense heat, thus i told him about diffrent approaches to displace heat. Hes still not believing me. :(

And i'm thinkin about the whole open site ordeal too..hmm.

Brenden

 

You were correct, solder wont hurt the barrel unless the barrel is made out of lead. Now if you were arc welding it on, expect some stopped bullets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...