Advice Needed

[TDM]

The last 2 times I’ve had my Kibler .45 SMR out shooting I noticed my hand catching a sharp edge around the rear tang bolt. By just glancing at it I didn’t notice anything amiss. But cleaning it up after today’s shooting I see that the tang has sheared at the bolt flange.

Will silver solder be enough to fix this? Or should I weld it? Or???

I can solder and I can weld but I’m not an expert at either.

 

[rusticbob]

I would take it apart and sand or file the high spot off. Others will have other ideas.

 

[2 shots]

call jim , before you mess with it.

 

[TDM]

call jim , before you mewss with it.

Already sent the email to Bree.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

Kibler should take care of this.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[Mowich]

Definitely looks like a weak spot.

 

[TDM]

Kibler should take care of this.

ADK Bigfoot

Yep, I’m sure they will. But I’d still like to try and fix it myself, just to do it.

 

[William Lincoln]

Fix it yourself, sending anything by UPS,FEDEX or USPS is
like kissing it goodbye.

 

[Kansas Kid]

I would tig weld the bottom side.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

The last 2 times I’ve had my Kibler .45 SMR out shooting I noticed my hand catching a sharp edge around the rear tang bolt. By just glancing at it I didn’t notice anything amiss. But cleaning it up after today’s shooting I see that the tang has sheared at the bolt flange.

Will silver solder be enough to fix this? Or should I weld it? Or???

I can solder and I can weld but I’m not an expert at either.

Not knowing what the fit looks like underneath this is just a guess: If there is metal underneath the raised end that fits to it, then try the silver solder.
If there is no metal underneath the raised end then I would solder something there to solder the raised end to. Hope that makes sense.
That matrial is so small in my opinion it would required a good TIG welder, otherwise you are going to just have some melted metal and a junk tang.
I have a feeling Jim is going to take care of ya anyway.
Larry

 

[wiscoaster]

Mine broke there, too. You could truncate the tang and plug the channel, like I did. Of course, you'd likely be hooted out of the forum for doing something so easy and practical - but, different and non-traditional. Also like I almost was.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/sm-smr-built-shot.167722/#post-2406723(fourth & fifth pics down)

 

[TDM]

Not knowing what the fit looks like underneath this is just a guess: If there is metal underneath the raised end that fits to it, then try the silver solder.
If there is no metal underneath the raised end then I would solder something there to solder the raised end to. Hope that makes sense.
That matrial is so small in my opinion it would required a good TIG welder, otherwise you are going to just have some melted metal and a junk tang.
I have a feeling Jim is going to take care of ya anyway.
Larry

Yep, I’m thinking this is a TIG welding job too. I’ll wait to hear from Jim before it do anything.

 

[Rich44]

Believe this is a weak spot in the design of this model. Does not take much stress to break it. Especially when out of the stock it can get tapped and a crack start. Would let Jim sort this one out and most likely he will have the best solution for you. You do not want it happening again.

 

[IanH]

It might could be brazed. By the time a person jigged it up, did the metal relief, TiG welded, filed down, touched up the countersink with a rigid milling machine, and then normalized the tang it would cost about 20 times more than a new tang would.

The thing to look at is why it broke. I suspect that each side of the inlet at the back of the barrel and behind the plug fin would benefit from a matchhead-sized dot of epoxy bedding compound each to keep the barrel from bucking in the stock under recoil and flexing/fatiguing the point where the tang tip broke.

 

[TDM]

Believe this is a weak spot in the design of this model. Does not take much stress to break it. Especially when out of the stock it can get tapped and a crack start. Would let Jim sort this one out and most likely he will have the best solution for you. You do not want it happening again.

Agree. Luckily it was never dropped or hit while I’ve had it.

It might could be brazed. By the time a person jigged it up, did the metal relief, TiG welded, filed down, touched up the countersink with a rigid milling machine, and then normalized the tang it would cost about 20 times more than a new tang would.

The thing to look at is why it broke. I suspect that each side of the inlet at the back of the barrel and behind the plug fin would benefit from a matchhead-sized dot of epoxy bedding compound each to keep the barrel from bucking in the stock under recoil and flexing/fatiguing the point where the tang tip broke.

I finished this rifle about a year ago, has about 300 rounds through it. Never dropped or hit. But unless there was a stress crack lying in wait from the get go there is, most likely, a small high spot in the wood that induced the stress.

 

[oldwood]

On rare occasion , if the b/p tang is cast steel , It might have just cracked at a tiny flaw. (Casting imperfection)

 

[nchawkeye]

Many years ago, like in the early 80ss I took a pinned barrel out of a stock and banged the tang, broke right at the screw hole...This was on my Bob Watts long rifle...I took it to a local gunsmith and he sliver soldered it for me, it's still holding, so yes, I guess silver solder would work...Good luck!

This is also why I tell others not to remove a barrel when cleaning...

 

[EC121]

Mine broke there, too. You could truncate the tang and plug the channel, like I did. Of course, you'd likely be hooted out of the forum for doing something so easy and practical - but, different and non-traditional. Also like I almost was.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/sm-smr-built-shot.167722/#post-2406723(fourth & fifth pics down)

Great fix! Instead of the cookie cutter look, you gave the rifle some personality.

 

[IanH]

Agree. Luckily it was never dropped or hit while I’ve had it.

I finished this rifle about a year ago, has about 300 rounds through it. Never dropped or hit. But unless there was a stress crack lying in wait from the get go there is, most likely, a small high spot in the wood that induced the stress.

Metal breaks in one of two ways: either it is stressed beyond its elastic limit by gross movement, or its elastic limit is reduced to zero at the weakest point by repetitive, minor movements.

The weakest point may be a premature failure point by design or manufacturing process (stress risers), defect of material (inclusion), or a symptom of another defect in the system (more movement allowed at the weakest point than it is designed to tolerate).

It would do to remove the barrel and broken tang tip from the stock and examine the break and all of the recoil contact points of the breech and tang very closely or it may happen again. If the end grain crushed a little at the breech, that might be your real problem.

 

[necchi]

Metal breaks in one of two ways: either it is stressed beyond its elastic limit by gross movement, or its elastic limit is reduced to zero at the weakest point by repetitive, minor movements.

OMG, (?) you say that while offering advise in this topic?

Or should I weld it? Or? ,,but I’m not an expert at either.

i'd weld it,, by a friend or neighbor that you know. It will take refitment,. Honest, your asking about a kibler that's a fubar, but only from a kit source.
It's on you, can it be fixed.(?) Sure. Want it done next week?
You built it,, you decide.
Share the lessons,,