Anyone ever Gas weld a bolt handle for a rifle?

[DebosDave]

Hello, just curious if anyone has ever done any welding with a torch like this. I know TIG welding a bolt handle on a rifle bolt is common and growing in popularity, but I was wondering if the same work can be done with an oxy-acetylene. Would love to seem some pictures of the finished product if anyone has done it.

Thanks!

Dave

[kf2qd]

Tig allows finer control of boththe ammount of heat and where the heat is applied. Because of the high temperature of the plasma arc you can get a small area hot without hving to heat the whole piece as you would with the lower temperature gas flame.

[Al Messer]

I've done only one---with some help, but consider that Oxy-Acetylene was the way it was done years ago before the modern tools were available. We screwed a heat sink in the back of the bolt and wrapped wet rags around the lugs. Bolt never even discolored more than half an inch from the welding job.

[DebosDave]

Tig allows finer control of boththe ammount of heat and where the heat is applied. Because of the high temperature of the plasma arc you can get a small area hot without hving to heat the whole piece as you would with the lower temperature gas flame.

I understand that you have more control with TIG, I was just curious, as I read an article in the Home Shop Machinist magazine that suggested oxy-acetylene could be argued to be better in most situations, so was curious if that applied to a bolt handle as well?

[DebosDave]

I've done only one---with some help, but consider that Oxy-Acetylene was the way it was done years ago before the modern tools were available. We screwed a heat sink in the back of the bolt and wrapped wet rags around the lugs. Bolt never even discolored more than half an inch from the welding job.

Did you like how it turned out? Would you recommend doing it that way, or staying away from it?

I am guessing TIG would be way easier, but Oxy is way cheaper?

Dave

[Al Messer]

I like it, but remember, I was not working alone. A professional gunsmith was standing right at my elbow giving me a "lesson" in bolt welding. Over the past 60 plus years he has welded hundreds of bolts with Acetylene. Truth be told, HE did most of the welding work and I did the grinding and polishing. I do remember his instructions: keep the flame small and hot and get right down close to the joint, letting the parts melt the filler rod.

[JCHannum]

They have been welded with O/A for ages before the advent of TIG. Brownells has a nickel rod that works well for the purpose as well as aluminum heat sinks and jigs. The heatsinks and jigs can be cobbled up in the shop to save a few dollars, but I recommend the rod for general gunsmithing work.

I have not done a bolt, but have done several other gunsmithing jobs with O/A, and am well pleased with the results.

[DebosDave]

Awesome! Thanks so much, I have a torch set up with gauges, but no tanks, looks like I will get some and start practicing. Don't worry, I won't be practicing on bolts, and I am well aware that I don't want to let the heat detemper the bolt especially in the lug area!

Any pictures of O/A welded handles would be awesome still!

DD