dovetails on B weights swamped

[billymas]

For my center lug on the small of the barrel, do you still think its ok to use a dovetail if I keep it back a little from the narrow portion and maybe less than a16th? Oyeah its a 50 cal. Ive done it before with a 50 38 inch green mountain B weight

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I've done them on both Green Mountain and Colerain 38" B weight 50's, I typically keep my dovetales @ .030 or there abouts.

 

[billymas]

thanks apprentice builder , Im just gathering some info to keep it safe.Ill probly cut alittle with a 3 corner file, then bump it up alittle with a cold chisel.thanks again.

 

[Herb]

"Bumping up" with a cold chisel can also "bump down" into the bore. Better to file and fit the underlug.

 

[bjmac]

good (and safe) point. I agree.

 

[Vaino]

Use the Rice "B" weight .50 cal. x 46" bbl a lot and solder on the lug at the small waist. Probably could be dovetailed, but I feel better w/ the solder attachment. All my bbl lugs are made from .035 brass. On the dovetailed lugs, I use an upsetting chisel, insert the lug and then peen it tight. The raised area that is peened down doesn't impact the bore whatsoever. Have done a couple of dozen LRs w/ peened lugs w/o any problems....Fred

 

[RHill]

I really like soldering for the waist portion of a swamped barrel. I just used some lugs from Track of the Wolf, Part #ul-tc-1, on a 50 cal 7/8 straight barrel. These lugs are made of really thin material.

 

[jerrywh]

I like Flehto's way.

 

[Rustystick]

Forgive me, for I know not what I do...
Soldering the lugs, are we talking soft solder like 50/50 or silver solder?

 

Soft lead solder is what you want. Silver solder requires too much heat. Also like Fred, I solder a waist lug, but I file about .015 notch to fit the lug. It's probably not needed, but it allows me to file the base almost flush with the barrel. I tin both the barrel, and lug, and use a spring clamp to hold the lug. On an A weight barrel, I avoid the waist completely, and position the lugs on either side, where the barrel is thicker.

Bill

 

[Vaino]

I do all my low temp soldering w/ Swif 95 soldering paste. Apply sparingly to the bbl and lug, clamp lightly and heat both but mainly the bbl. The solder paste eliminates the need to tin both parts....Fred

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

Typically when laying out for the lugs the middle lug never hits at the thinnest part of the waist anyway so a very thin dovetale is really a non issue, I also solder my lugs once installed so there is no question about holding power.

I use the Hi-Force 44 solder and flux from Brownells.

 

[George91946]

This thread scared me - still does. I have 4 B weight Rice barrels. The first gun that I built had one. For that gun, I had the gunsmith at TOTW cut dovetails. I then filed my own dovetails on the other 3 barrels. After reading the thread here, I pulled barrels on the first one that the gunsmith had done. That middle dovetail was 0.064 inches in depth. Pulled one other barrel and that one is 0.062 inches in the middle dovetail. Both barrels have had over 1000 shots fired through them- one is approaching 3000 shots. I know that I overloaded one of them unintentionally with 120 grains of 3 F and that fired ok. Just kicked more than usual. Checked the internals of the barrels with a patched jag, and no bulges were felt. Couldn't get my barrel light to work. Outside diameter around the dovetail hasn't bulged. Now I'm wondering - are these safe? I always worried about the White lightnin vent plugs popping but never gave a thought about the underlug dovetails.

Lisle George

 

[Vaino]

Your experience w/ these lighter bbls has been "uneventful" and I just ensure that the buyers of my LRs w/ these lighter bbls also experience no problems. The lug at the waist, which is the smallest outside dim of the bbl, can be dovetailed or soldered on...I just prefer to solder this lug. Granted, the PSI at the waist is a lot less than at the breech, but I still "feel" more confident w/ the soldered lug...the time involved is nearly the same, so why not solder it on?....Fred

 

[George91946]

Thanks for this conversation. Opened my eyes. I'll solder in the future.

Thanks

Lisle George

 

[brownie1934]

On my Colerain .50 B wt barrel I opped to 30 thou deep dovetails for 3 lugs & lead soldered the one at the waist.Just felt better for my peace of mind. Bob