FRONT SIGHT

[joseph mcdonough]

hello all you fellow front stuffers
just a quick question is it better to soulder or braze the front sight on a round barrel? thanks

ps. all the information given here is great and everyone seems to be real gentelemen.

 

[rich pierce]

Solder is better as you can warp a thin barrel by brazing. Low temp silver solder from Brownells may be the best option.

 

[Zonie]

I agree with rich.
The "silver solder" sold at stores like ACE has very little silver in it but it is much stronger than regular solder yet it melts at fairly low temperatures.

Perhaps you already know this, but for those who don't, it is a good idea to clean and "tin" both of the parts surfaces to be soldered.
This is done by fluxing the surfaces and applying a very thin coat of the solder to each.

Position the sight (or whatever) on the other part and gently heat it until the solder on both surfaces melt. Let it cool and your done.
If the parts fit each other well before you tinned them, you will know when the joint has melted because a very small bead of the melted solder will appear at the edges of the joint.

Brazing temperatures which usually use brass, bronze or true Silver Braze fillers are often in the "red hot" temperature range and can distort the parts even if they are left to air cool.

 

[Slowpoke]

Solder is better.....

 

[DrTimboone]

At the hardware store the only "silver solder" I can find is only 4% silver. Is this what you are using? What percent is Bownells'?

 

[Zonie]

My old Brownells catalog shows their "Hi-Force 44" solder which flows at 475 degrees F as having 4% Silver and 96% Tin. It has a tensile strength of 14,000 to 28,000 PSI.
I would guess this is exactly the same stuff your finding at Ace.

I might add that Brownells also shows a number of other Silver Brazes and one "Silver Solder" (Silvaloy 355). This Silvaloy is 56% Silver but it melts at 1145 degrees F which is more of a braze temperature.
The Silver Braze alloys melt at 1145-1700 degrees F depending on the alloy.

I have had very good luck with the 4% Silver solder that melts at the low temperature. It is much stronger than any of the lead alloys.