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Dovetail, Weld, or Tap?

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tickTalk

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Nov 7, 2007
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Merced, California
I have a need to install an underlug, vertical bolt style, in the bottom of a blackpowder pistol. 15/16" octagon, .45 cal. the lug will be merely stabilizing the fore portion of the stock, probably a #6 or #4 screw. I don't want to do a horizontal wedge or pin style, there won't be enough wood vertically for that..

Unfortunately, it needs to go about in the middle of an 8" barrel.. so I am worried about blowing out the barrel if I cut into it at that point.

I see my options as
1) cut a shallow dovetail in the barrel, drill and tap a blank and drive it in..
2) weld a nut in place
3) JB weld or loctight a nut in place?
4) drill and bottom-tap a shallow hole in the barrel
5) some other or combination..

so, what do you all think? what are the pros and cons?
 
#2 or #4.

2. = Use hi-temp silver solder, not "weld it".
4. = A black powder barrel isn't going to blow out due to a drilled and tapped hole.
Even if it goes clear into the bore. But don't do that.

#3 = Don't get JB Weld even near a firearm. It's for rusty car mufflers and such.

rc
 
Thanks.. I guess nobody else has an opinion..

I mentioned JB because, to my shame, I am already using some.. I searched and searched for a butt cap of a particular shape and material.. of course, nobody makes one. So I did what any good husband does.. I raided the wife's kitchen and 'borrowed' a SS measuring spoon.. it is the perfect shape that I wanted, and polished up it is pretty close in appearance to nickel silver. I used the JB just as a filler on the inside, because the spoon is very thin and it would save me some inletting work. and it will take a tap fairly well for a non-load bearing part.

For the underlug.. how about a combination of the two?
A butt joint for silver solder is the weakest type, according to many google searches..
I am thinking of a pipe joint.
drill a < 0.1" flat bottomed hole in the barrel, 1/4" diam. i have a diamond abrasive bit that I use on SS and stone that would work perfectly for this.
then use an internally threaded round spacer, about 1/4 long.. and silver solder it into the hole. I don't know about the material though.. I can find zinc-plated or SS.. haven't found a mild steel yet.. I could ream out a steel tube and tap it maybe.

What do you think about Brownell's Hi Force 44.. the regular 475F version, for this?
 
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