Hello all! I resently picked up a project gun, and everything is going great with it with one exception. (The rifle is a Mauser M48, the P.O. had started sporterizing it but had to sale it before it was done. So with that in mind I'm not in the least concerned with collection value as he had already destroyed that before I got it.) However when he removed the original sights he didn't get the old silver solder off the barrel. Can anyone tell me how to do that? I've heard the only way to do it is to heat up the solder, but I'm concerned about getting the barrel hot enough to melt the solder. Will heating it damage my barrel? Is there some kind of "cold" method for removing it?
Mauser M48 solder removal?
- Thread starter marko76
- Start date
Dixie Gunsmithing
Moderator Emeritus
As long as you don't heat the barrel over what it takes for the solder, then it wont hurt it. This is because the tempering temperature is much higher. To effect it, you would have to heat the barrel over that temperature.
Heat the spot, and have a damp rag handy, to quickly wipe the spot as soon as it melts. You may have to, or can, scrape it, take it down with emery cloth, or get someone to buff the area, and apply a spot of cold blue. It will not blue until its down to the steel.
Heat the spot, and have a damp rag handy, to quickly wipe the spot as soon as it melts. You may have to, or can, scrape it, take it down with emery cloth, or get someone to buff the area, and apply a spot of cold blue. It will not blue until its down to the steel.
James K-- please use the proper terms .
Do you mean silver solder - actually silver BRAZE melting at about 1000 F
Then there is silver SOLDER melting about 400 F.
The two terms are often misused even by those who really know better !
What is used for soldering on sights or soldering barrels of a double together is LEAD SOLDER !
BTW the solder you buy in a hardware store today may be LOW LEAD SOLDER which is not good for anything. Requires higher temperatures which can cousecomponent damage in electronics , is harder to use and has more problems with causing "metal whiskers " . If you find some old 60-40 solder grab it !!!
Do you mean silver solder - actually silver BRAZE melting at about 1000 F
Then there is silver SOLDER melting about 400 F.
The two terms are often misused even by those who really know better !
What is used for soldering on sights or soldering barrels of a double together is LEAD SOLDER !
BTW the solder you buy in a hardware store today may be LOW LEAD SOLDER which is not good for anything. Requires higher temperatures which can cousecomponent damage in electronics , is harder to use and has more problems with causing "metal whiskers " . If you find some old 60-40 solder grab it !!!
Lead solder, A.K.A, "soft" solder. Also, while the solder used on the sleeves that held the rear sights on the Mausers was soft solder, I have seen some modern front ramps that have been silver soldered (silver brazed) on before bluing. When I was a kid (I am 71 now), there was no low-temp silver solder...when silver solder was referred to, it was understood that it required brazing heat. Silver solder was commonly used by jewelers and other high-strength requirements. About the time where lead was being considered as a danger, they began to use silver in low melting temp solders and the term, "silver solder" became ambiguous.
The solder is soft solder and melt with propane torch, low temp, won't hurt the barrel.
There is silver bearing solder that you can buy at hardware stores and jeweler supply shops which melt at around 500F and supposed to be much stronger than the regular lead/tin solder but still low temp. I use jeweler's silver bearing solder paste (brand name Solder-IT) for several projects.
Also, the solder may not be able to be removed completely unless mechanically by sanding down to bare metal. (I haven't tried one myself.) If any dings or rust pits, there will be some solder hard to remove. There is a product that stained glass folks use to blacken the soft solder called "Novacan Black Patina" that can be used and it "blues" the steel as well. It contains chemicals similar to gun blue. (But much cheaper!). Not sure how durable it is and the finish may not blend well with the original gun finish. I use it for a project to convert steel magazines by silver soldering locking tabs, it works well and actually blend pretty well with the original finish. For magazine, I don't really care if the finish blends well anyway.
There is silver bearing solder that you can buy at hardware stores and jeweler supply shops which melt at around 500F and supposed to be much stronger than the regular lead/tin solder but still low temp. I use jeweler's silver bearing solder paste (brand name Solder-IT) for several projects.
Also, the solder may not be able to be removed completely unless mechanically by sanding down to bare metal. (I haven't tried one myself.) If any dings or rust pits, there will be some solder hard to remove. There is a product that stained glass folks use to blacken the soft solder called "Novacan Black Patina" that can be used and it "blues" the steel as well. It contains chemicals similar to gun blue. (But much cheaper!). Not sure how durable it is and the finish may not blend well with the original gun finish. I use it for a project to convert steel magazines by silver soldering locking tabs, it works well and actually blend pretty well with the original finish. For magazine, I don't really care if the finish blends well anyway.
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Bill DeShivs
New member
Torches-like Dremel tools, should not be used on guns unless the user THOROUGHLY understands their purpose, capabilities, and use.
It's easy to overheat a gun barrel with a common propane torch! You must remove the heat AS SOON AS THE SOLDER MELTS! Most people do not understand this. Reheat if necessary, but again-remove heat as soon as the solder melts.
It's easy to overheat a gun barrel with a common propane torch! You must remove the heat AS SOON AS THE SOLDER MELTS! Most people do not understand this. Reheat if necessary, but again-remove heat as soon as the solder melts.
IMHO, a pretty silly discussion. The solder used on those sights was not silver anything, low or high. It was plain old LEAD solder, and I thought I said that. I have not had it analyzed for an exact composition, but I know that its melting point is far lower than any temperature that would damage the barrel, outside or in.
Jim
Jim
Bill DeShivs
New member
Yes, Jim-but I can just see someone heating the barrel to cherry red, not having a clue what they are doing. I worked with a guy-a very big guy who was a carpenter. He could whack nails and do demolition, but had no finesse whatsoever. He got a new RotoZip tool (like a Dremel) that used 1/8" carbide bits. I watched him break all of his bits-at least a half dozen forcing the tool through trial pieces.
In my ignorance, I thought my reply was correct and adequate. I really don't know how silver solder got into the discussion. The question was specific, and I responded to that question.
Of course, using too much heat can damage the barrel and ruin the rifling, but I thought I was pretty clear on using only enough heat to melt the solder.
Jim
Of course, using too much heat can damage the barrel and ruin the rifling, but I thought I was pretty clear on using only enough heat to melt the solder.
Jim
Bill DeShivs
New member
Jim,
May I point you to a thread in this forum titled "Barrel and heat?
May I point you to a thread in this forum titled "Barrel and heat?
I read it. Thanks. The whole thing got so confused, I didn't think it worth purring my oar in the water.
One point I want to make, though. Heating a barrel not only can affect the heat treatment or finish, it can damage the rifling. When a barrel gets hot enough outside, it also gets hot inside, and heat can result in scaling or rusting that damages the rifling in the hot area. This is not too bad on a shotgun (where the bore can be easily polished), but can be bad on a rifle or handgun.
When heating a barrel (if you must) always use a swab on a cleaning rod to spread heat control paste on the inside of the barrel under the area where the heat will be applied.
Jim
One point I want to make, though. Heating a barrel not only can affect the heat treatment or finish, it can damage the rifling. When a barrel gets hot enough outside, it also gets hot inside, and heat can result in scaling or rusting that damages the rifling in the hot area. This is not too bad on a shotgun (where the bore can be easily polished), but can be bad on a rifle or handgun.
When heating a barrel (if you must) always use a swab on a cleaning rod to spread heat control paste on the inside of the barrel under the area where the heat will be applied.
Jim
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macsgunworks
Inactive
my best advice base on experiance
you could do damage with to much heat most people who do are using to big a torch for to long . pic up one of those small micro butain torches there cheap 1 tooth brush style brass wire brush and safty glasses . it should only take about 45 second to get the solder hot enough soon as you see it melt hit it with the brass wire brush . this will take most of the solder out. if you don't get it all first try let air cool befor trying again so you do not spread the heat out to far or get to hot . this should not effect the barrle becouse you only heated such a small area with limited penatration. all methods leave a film of solder that should be able to be removed with 400 grit wet paper go to 600 then cold blue . good luck .
you could do damage with to much heat most people who do are using to big a torch for to long . pic up one of those small micro butain torches there cheap 1 tooth brush style brass wire brush and safty glasses . it should only take about 45 second to get the solder hot enough soon as you see it melt hit it with the brass wire brush . this will take most of the solder out. if you don't get it all first try let air cool befor trying again so you do not spread the heat out to far or get to hot . this should not effect the barrle becouse you only heated such a small area with limited penatration. all methods leave a film of solder that should be able to be removed with 400 grit wet paper go to 600 then cold blue . good luck .