Need a smith to solder a rib on my flinter

[todg]

I have an older (1970 vintage build) custom flintlock rifle with a detached underbarrel rib. It looks like someone tried to repair it in the past with epoxy or JB weld, which has since failed. I am looking at someone who can solder it back on. My local gunsmith works on modern stuf and has never done low temp soldering. In Montana or nearby is a plus. Looking for recommendations.

Thanks.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

It might be easier to find someone who can screw the rib on. That's a traditional way of attaching them. The rib is drilled and counter bored to contain the screw head. After the barrel has been drilled and tapped the screw is installed and the head is filed off to the contour of the rounded bottom of the rib. If there is a space at the muzzle end of the rib and barrel that space is filled with solder. Any machinist should be able to do this for you.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

I think you could do it yourself easily - and learn a new skill - with this product! Lots of people on here use an recommend it!

 

[andy52]

Really nice-looking rifle, would you ship it for repairs?

 

[ZUG]

If you have no experience in soldering ribs on ML rifles I would not try it on a nice rifle such as that. I would say the same for drilling for small screws to attach the rib to that barrel. If you want to try either of these methods get a trashed barrel and do some practicing. The best would be to find someone that has done many of either method and send the barrel and rib off to them.

 

[todg]

It might be easier to find someone who can screw the rib on. That's a traditional way of attaching them. The rib is drilled and counter bored to contain the screw head. After the barrel has been drilled and tapped the screw is installed and the head is filed off to the contour of the rounded bottom of the rib. If there is a space at the muzzle end of the rib and barrel that space is filled with solder. Any machinist should be able to do this for you.

The barrel is pretty thin, being a repurposed .58 cal rifled musket barrel. I'm not sure if there's enough material.

 

[todg]

Really nice-looking rifle, would you ship it for repairs?

Yes, if I could find someone competent to do the repairs.

 

[todg]

If you have no experience in soldering ribs on ML rifles I would not try it on a nice rifle such as that. I would say the same for drilling for small screws to attach the rib to that barrel. If you want to try either of these methods get a trashed barrel and do some practicing. The best would be to find someone that has done many of either method and send the barrel and rib off to them.

That is exactly who I am trying to find. I've done a bit of low temp soldering for knives, but I'm concerned about messing up this rifle. I'd rather have an experienced pro do it.

 

[64Springer]

3M 5200 adhesive will secure that rib for the next 500 years.

This way you're not introducing heat.

Takes a full week to cure, but that's the price you pay for permanence.

 

[poker]

Steve Zihn is down in Shoshone Wyoming and he’s a top notch ml gunsmith. If that’s not too far away I can get you his contact info.

 

[bud in pa]

i would recommend Brownell's HiForce44 solder. I comes in a coiled ribbon and can be melted with a propane torch. It results in an extremely strong bond.

 

[ZUG]

When soldering these two items together you need enough heat to heat up BOTH pieces together for at least 2-1/2" to 3" and keep the area hot enough to melt the solder and keep it flowing as you move the heat down (or up) the barrel/rib to the end to get a GOOD joint - without burning the flux - I wish you well and good luck.

 

[todg]

Steve Zihn is down in Shoshone Wyoming and he’s a top notch ml gunsmith. If that’s not too far away I can get you his contact info.

Please do send me his contact info. Thanks

 

[todg]

3M 5200 adhesive will secure that rib for the next 500 years.

This way you're not introducing heat.

Takes a full week to cure, but that's the price you pay for permanence.

I'll look into it. I noticed that the rod ferrules are also soldered onto the rib, so soldeering with rib onto the barrel without desoldering the ferrules might be an issue. That might be why it was glued on in the first place.

 

[Kabulrocks]

I have an older (1970 vintage build) custom flintlock rifle with a detached underbarrel rib. It looks like someone tried to repair it in the past with epoxy or JB weld, which has since failed. I am looking at someone who can solder it back on. My local gunsmith works on modern stuf and has never done low temp soldering. In Montana or nearby is a plus. Looking for recommendations.

Thanks.

That’s a very nice rifle.

 

[R Ellis]

3M 5200 adhesive will secure that rib for the next 500 years.

This way you're not introducing heat.

Takes a full week to cure, but that's the price you pay for permanence.

I had a rib glued on with the 3m .It was a o/u 12 gauge skeet gun that was used a lot and it is still solid today after 30 years and thousands of shoots

 

[ZUG]

It is amazing what the new epoxies can do if the surface is prepared correctly. Thats one reason it is used so much in the aero-space business.

 

[The Appalachian]

If you end up gluing this rib on look into the 3M Scotch-Weld epoxies. We glued high end commercial doors together, stainless steel, bronze, brass, etc with them where welding wasn't an option on some of the joints. Some of my doors are in the US Embassy in China built new during the tail end of the Bush 2 administration.