mig weld scope rail

[lakestatebob]

Since the .12ga tracker barrel can not be tapped for a scope rail I was wondering if they could be tack welded on with a mig welder.  We tack weld stuff at work all the time and it seems to me that it would be strong enough to hold the scope rail and scope.  Anybody ever try it?

[Spanky]

I don't really recommend welding a rail on the barrel but if you use TIG instead of MIG and use a heat sink it might work.
If you could find out what the factory uses to weld on the barrel lug you might want to do it the same way.
Just my 2 cents.


Spanky

[quickdtoo]

I would think that would be tough to do since the rail is aluminum and the barrel is steel, I think I'd drill and tap one hole for a recoil stop and JB Weld the rail on, the JB might work alone, but with a recoil stop it should work great if you prep the metal properly.

Tim

[Spanky]

I would think that would be tough to do since the rail is aluminum and the barrel is steel, I think I'd drill and tap one hole for a recoil stop and JB Weld the rail on, the JB might work alone, but with a recoil stop it should work great if you prep the metal properly.

Tim

I think TC has a steel rail that could work.
I remember seeing a thread on here about it.


Spanky

[quickdtoo]

Yeah, you could spend $40+ on a Stratton!!

Tim

[NFG]

Yo Bob...tack welding and welding are two completely different things, plus you are talking about the possibility of ruining the chamber by making it oblong in cross section.  Why not just sweat solder a scope mount on...?  Ribs are sweat-ed on shotgun barrels quite often without any problems.  I guarantee the recoil of a 12 heavy load will shear off a scope and mount that isn't held on well.  I don't think you want a scope...or any other sighting device...coming back into your face due to a faulty mount system.

My advice...at least from the understanding I get from your question...is to take it to several qualified gunsmiths and have them evaluate the job...if they will...that way you have some recourse if something turns to "stuff".  I've dabbled in this sport for a long time so my advice to go to SEVERAL smiths is founded on experience, plus I've done a fair bit of welding as a shade tree and a professional.

One other piece of advice...I looked at the Tracker with the same thoughts in mind and decided to just buy a cantilevered scoped barrel for my Mossberg and call it good.  It might also be cheaper in the long run to fit a barrel that is already drilled and tapped for a scope mount or have NEF do the drilling and tapping for there scope mount.  I don't know what all NEF will do in that department, but you can check it out quickly with a single call.

Lots of possibilities to check out before you get a bigger hammer.

'Njoy

[quickdtoo]

H&R won't drill & tap the Tracker barrel, that's why the question was asked I'm sure. But a drilled and tapped base would be the best, and some smiths will do the job as you can see in the links below.  I think if you keep the scope weight down, my suggestion would work fine too, specially if you use a larger 8-  or even 10- screw for the recoil stop. A nice light shotgun scope like a 2½x or 4x would work best, stay away from heavier rifle scopes.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,105989.msg1098300458.html#msg1098300458

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,107318.msg1098310364.html#msg1098310364

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,109492.msg1098326567.html#msg1098326567

[Markus]

Maybe just wait for the ulrta light slug barrel to come out

[myarmor]

FYI- I tried the JB Weld thing by it's self a year or so ago....didn't work. 3rd shot it flew past my skull and landed in the snow.



-Aaron

[quickdtoo]

It's nice to have snow on the ground to soften the impact!! I'd bet 99% of epoxiers(nice word, eh!!) don't properly prepare the surface to use epoxy and mix the epoxy properly, I've had excellent results using it for a LOT of things for many, many years of automotive and hobby repairs, I wouldn't hesitate to do it as a last resort if I couldn't get it mounted properly, IE get it drilled and tapped

Tim

[myarmor]

Good word indeed.
Well I roughed up the surface pretty good and cleaned/degrease it very well, and still didn't work. I personally love JB and use it a lot for odd jobs. But I believe your right and I would go for the D&T in the hands of a skilled smith or machinists.

[Foggy]

Bob and any one listening
I can explain how to Properly Bond a scope rail to the barrel of the Trackers . the main epoxies I know are Devcon and I'am not sure how readily available that is in all areas of the country.  If you would be interested let me know I will write it up and post it  and if deemed worthy can be posted in FAQ

Foggy
PS JB weld dose not have the tensil strenght for the forces that  will have to be over come

[myarmor]

I'm all ears.
I would love to see what you got.

[d_hiker]

I would love to read this also.  Tell us also what we should look for in an epoxy.

[quickdtoo]

OK Foggy, let's hear it, inquiring minds need to know!! I've done a little research on Devcon Plastic Steel in the past, but as far as I know, it's only available in one pound containers, I don't know what the shelf life is, but that would be a lot of wasted product when you consider how little is needed for each project!!   I've looked at some smaller 2 part Devcon products locally, but JB Weld has better lap shear strength than any that I've seen so far, but JB doesn't indicate what kind of lap shear strength rating they use, they rate it at 1040psi. Looking at the Devcon website, the HP250FR looks like it might be good stuff, but has 3 lap shear ratings, 625, 177 and 2600psi.  I've used JB Weld exclusively for a bunch of barrel fittings, it has a compressive strength of 10.7kpsi which I got from the mfr, and it does work extremely well for shimming, I've had no failures yet and is about 2kpsi higher than any Devcon product I've seen.

Tim

http://www.devcon.com/oem.cfm

http://www.devcon.com/maintenance.cfm

[woodchukhntr]

I've replaced the rear sight on a .45-70 Handi with a Weaver #92(?) base using one screw and JB Weld.  So far, so good.  JB had the highest strength of any of the epoxies that I saw.  Be sure to use fresh JB and clean and rough up the mating surfaces, especially the underside of the base.  The Weaver base was very smooth and had to be sanded quite a bit.

[Foggy]

The Main thing is surface perp. a good quality structural adhesive. I looking into  the service pack size that is used around aircraft repair  depot. I'am tiring to find set ups that use all of both a&b parts . As tim stated improper mixing is flaw number 2. next is clamping pressure to much and your adhesive is too thin
to little and you don;t get the air out. then you need even pressure  I use a spacer that is a shallow triangle with a flat top no longer at the bottom.  I'am going to put together some pictures in a step by step think. Don't get me wrong I know many here can do this on their own  I just want to contribute something that makes it make sense I'am an aircraft structural repairman by trade I for tay was choppers and Fighters, but any thing with wings or rotors will  do  the pic will make up for my lack of writing talent bear with me on this it will be a worth while presentation,

[lakestatebob]

Foggy, I would be interested in your how to.  If an adhesive would work it could open many possibilities.  It does seem to me that a rifled sight would be easier than a much heavier scope and rail.  Hey, NFG, I do tack weld at work but am not a licensed welder, so what is sweat solder and is that stronger than a mig weld tack?