Astra A-100 question

[Davemuzz]

A friend of mine just bot a used (duh) Astra A-100 9mm. The gun is in very good shape but there is one problem with it.

On the slide in the front there is a bushing that "fits" into the slide and "holds" the barrel. This is similar to a 1911 bushing, except this bushing is suppose to be a permanent part of the slide.

That is what appears to be the case, as when the slide action is cycled, the bushing "comes out" and falls off the gun.

We have examined the bushing and it appears it should either be silver soldered to the slide, or epoxed, or some kind of majic pixie dust is used to keep it there. There is no cut grove like a 1911 bushing.

So, any help as to what holds this bushing on the slide? The schemetic does not show a seperate "bushing part" for this.

Thanks.

Dave.

[gunnut69]

I'm not familiar with this model. Anyone out there have any ideas or direct knowledge? If it's a composite slide the end will hace to be replaced in the slide. I'd have it MIG welded into place. Low heat and minimal surface damage. A TIG would also be great but my friend while an ace with a MIG doesn't do TIG! In any case the slide will require refinishing. Perhaps an electroless nickle? and make it a 2 tone piece..

[Davemuzz]

The slide isn't composite. It's metal, as is the bushing that has "popped out" so-to-speak, of the slide.

Our "expert" and close examination of the bushing tells us this bushing appears to have been silver soldered in the slide. But, I have no experience with silver solder, and all that I know is the temp has to be pretty high to get this stuff to stick.

You are right about the finish. Any type of high heat would damage the current finish, and that would be ashame. The current finish is 99% factory and it would be ashame to damage it. But, if he want's to shoot it I guess there isn't much choice.

Hopefully someone has some experience with this fun model.

Thanks.

[gunnut69]

I'm afraid you misunderstood. I didn't mean the slide was sybthetic but that it was constructed of multiple pieces. Silver brazing would likely do a lot of damage to the current finish. It requires high heat and in a generalized area. It might be possible to use induction heating to do this but I've little experience on parts such as this. MIG welding allows close control of the heat, input to the parts. We weld a bit, then allow the parts to cool. Clothes(cotton) saturatede with water and wrapped around the slide would help contain the heat and protect the polish from sparks. In MIG welding the weld puddle is protected from oxidation by a gas film. If the operator is knowledgeable he can weld a spot and barely heat the base metal a 1/2 inch away.  The silver solder will likely have to be removed and if the slide is blued it shouldn't be too bad. If it's plated you are having a problem!. The plating will be damaged..  I would likely bevel out the joint until less than 25% of the prviously joined area remains. Bevel the face of the slide where the insert was contained. The bevels should meet to form a 'V' groove which the welder will fill with weld material. The excess(and there should be excess) will be filed flush and the end polished and reblued.  The 'v' shaped relieving of the joining edges are important to give the weld something to fuse with and the exposed fill should most certainly be held to a minimum as it will likely not color the same the surrounding metal..

[Davemuzz]

G-nut,

Thanks for the response, and you were right, I did mis-understand your post.

Well, I will see my friend over the weekend and see if he came up with any solutions to his problem. If I can, perhaps I will get some pictures of the slide and the bushing. Not that it will help, but you may look at it and say..."yeah, that's what I thought---I still can't give ya a home fix for it".

But I do appreciate your time and effort you spend in responding to my post.

Thanks.

Dave