Reccomended filler for Tig welding Remington 788 bolt handle

[hpshooter]

May be doing this. Anyone know what steel these bolts are made from, many searches on the net have come up blank. I suspect it may be close to 8208. Have concerns about proper pre-heat and cooling cycle to prevent cracking. Have a 2 lb piece of 1" dia. copper to thread and make a heat sink for the tail end of the bolt and heat paste to cover the lugs. Have not removed the original silver solder in the event I decide to go back and attach the bolt that way. Will remove the solder completely if I decide to attempt to Tig it.

 

[jackieschmidt]

ER 70 S2

 

[Daddycaddie67]

Get some .035” 70 series mig wire and use that. Practice on some material that’s about the same size and thickness as the bolt and handle. Tig weld of course.
Take your time, don’t try to weld it all at once, after you get it tacked up just weld one flat and let cool. I wouldn’t worry about getting the lug area too hot, it would take a lot of heat for them to lose there temper. A machine with pulse capability would be optimal IMO.
My smith welded this one for me. You can see he only welded the two ends and with a small diameter rod/wire. Too me the hardest part would be making sure the bolt is indicated in the correct position, if you got it wrong I dont know how you would take it back apart without destroying the bolt body.

 

[Hal]

Dan at Accu-tig.com

 

[Sniperhandle]

Get some .035” 70 series mig wire and use that. Practice on some material that’s about the same size and thickness as the bolt and handle. Tig weld of course.
Take your time, don’t try to weld it all at once, after you get it tacked up just weld one flat and let cool. I wouldn’t worry about getting the lug area too hot, it would take a lot of heat for them to lose there temper. A machine with pulse capability would be optimal IMO.
My smith welded this one for me. You can see he only welded the two ends and with a small diameter rod/wire. Too me the hardest part would be making sure the bolt is indicated in the correct position, if you got it wrong I dont know how you would take it back apart without destroying the bolt body.

The problem with the 788 Remington is the fact that the locking lugs are at the rear of the bolt, I would not do this job unless it has broken off.

 

[boltfluter]

Get some .035” 70 series mig wire and use that. Practice on some material that’s about the same size and thickness as the bolt and handle. Tig weld of course.
Take your time, don’t try to weld it all at once, after you get it tacked up just weld one flat and let cool. I wouldn’t worry about getting the lug area too hot, it would take a lot of heat for them to lose there temper. A machine with pulse capability would be optimal IMO.
My smith welded this one for me. You can see he only welded the two ends and with a small diameter rod/wire. Too me the hardest part would be making sure the bolt is indicated in the correct position, if you got it wrong I dont know how you would take it back apart without destroying the bolt body.

Looks like a very nice job!

 

[Walt Krafft]

788 is way different than a 700. Real easy to mess up the lugs.

 

[Daddycaddie67]

I forgot about the lugs being in the rear, thanks for pointing that out. Still, if done correctly and judiciously the lugs should be fine. I was trying to think of Dan’s name last night but it wouldn’t click. He would be my first recommendation. I could give you the name of the guy I used if you’d like, just PM me. E

 

[Carl S]

A18 or A15 filler rod should do the job.

 

[Sniperhandle]

I forgot about the lugs being in the rear, thanks for pointing that out. Still, if done correctly and judiciously the lugs should be fine. I was trying to think of Dan’s name last night but it wouldn’t click. He would be my first recommendation. I could give you the name of the guy I used if you’d like, just PM me. E

I wouldn't do it, The lugs would most likely get annealed even if you used a heat sink and paste. Front lugs are too far away to be bothered by the heat, Many a mauser has been messed up at the cocking cam by guys that don't know what they are doing, The cam can be re-hardened but you need to know what you are doing. It's not worth chancing it on the 788 and messing up the lugs.

 

[Webster]

May be doing this. Anyone know what steel these bolts are made from, many searches on the net have come up blank. I suspect it may be close to 8208. Have concerns about proper pre-heat and cooling cycle to prevent cracking. Have a 2 lb piece of 1" dia. copper to thread and make a heat sink for the tail end of the bolt and heat paste to cover the lugs. Have not removed the original silver solder in the event I decide to go back and attach the bolt that way. Will remove the solder completely if I decide to attempt to Tig it.

Don't like the idea that TIG is permanet. I would read up on cocking timing. I think it's related to how the bolt is positioned. If I had to try it I would make one very tiny tack and verify the bolt creates the proper cocking on the ramp.There is no alloy I ever heard of called 8208. That's a powder type. I worked with various silver soldier alloys for refrigeration pump oil test. There are several that melt at a very low temp. Huge range in melting temp for silver alloys. Does the factory silver soldier bolts on the 788 Rem? Does anyone make a fixture to hold the bolt in the proper position while it's being soldiered or TIG? I wouldn't think TIG would temper the lugs if you make a series of small welds cooling between each. One guy posted that the welds don't go all the way around. Any buildup would interfere with the bolt timeing. Could you just TIG on the top of the handle with enough strength?

I don't think the bolt body is a hardened steel based on the scratches and wear on the lugs and shaft. Rem 700 action. The lugs may be hardened a little? There is a Rockwell "B" scale hardness indent on the bottom of the bolt handle for some reason. A did quality control on incoming barstock and heat treated parts for 10 years.

 

[HillbillyLongRifle]

Tig welding 788 bolt handles can be done by the Master Dan at Accu-Tig. I have one thats done really well!

 

[hpshooter]

Don't like the idea that TIG is permanet. I would read up on cocking timing. I think it's related to how the bolt is positioned. If I had to try it I would make one very tiny tack and verify the bolt creates the proper cocking on the ramp.There is no alloy I ever heard of called 8208. That's a powder type. I worked with various silver soldier alloys for refrigeration pump oil test. There are several that melt at a very low temp. Huge range in melting temp for silver alloys. Does the factory silver soldier bolts on the 788 Rem? Does anyone make a fixture to hold the bolt in the proper position while it's being soldiered or TIG? I wouldn't think TIG would temper the lugs if you make a series of small welds cooling between each. One guy posted that the welds don't go all the way around. Any buildup would interfere with the bolt timeing. Could you just TIG on the top of the handle with enough strength?

I don't think the bolt body is a hardened steel based on the scratches and wear on the lugs and shaft. Rem 700 action. The lugs may be hardened a little? There is a Rockwell "B" scale hardness indent on the bottom of the bolt handle for some reason. A did quality control on incoming barstock and heat treated parts for 10 years.

788 bolt handle set up is entirely different than a 700. It is located on the bolt body by a hole in the body, only one place for it to go. bolt handle has a round projection on it that goes in the hole. In manufacturing the bolt the handle is silver soldered in the bolt prior to the bolt being threaded for the end cap as the tail of the bolt locating projection has threads on the end that match the bolt cap. A "c' clamp will hold the bolt handle in position as it is pretty much perpendicular to the bolt body and the copper heat sink will be screwed into the bolt body and its threads will engage the threads on the end of the bolt locating peg and locate the bolt handle radially.

Have access to a Rockwell hardness tester and have several grades of silver solder if I elect to go that way. This is a beater truck/tractor rifle and a learning project. Would send to Dan if it was a minty rifle in a limited production chambering.



Do appreciate the input

 

[HillbillyLongRifle]

Dans prices cant be beat!

 

[Daddycaddie67]

788 bolt handle set up is entirely different than a 700. It is located on the bolt body by a hole in the body, only one place for it to go. bolt handle has a round projection on it that goes in the hole. In manufacturing the bolt the handle is silver soldered in the bolt prior to the bolt being threaded for the end cap as the tail of the bolt locating projection has threads on the end that match the bolt cap. A "c' clamp will hold the bolt handle in position as it is pretty much perpendicular to the bolt body and the copper heat sink will be screwed into the bolt body and its threads will engage the threads on the end of the bolt locating peg and locate the bolt handle radially.

Have access to a Rockwell hardness tester and have several grades of silver solder if I elect to go that way. This is a beater truck/tractor rifle and a learning project. Would send to Dan if it was a minty rifle in a limited production chambering.



Do appreciate the input

Very interesting, thanks for the explanation. Would you post a couple of pics? Would be nice to see it all apart. E