Can a picatinny rail be solderd?

wpage

May 19, 2011 10:51

Rather then drill and tap. Is soldering a viable way to attach a scope rail?

Got a few ideas for some mountings and not big on drilling holes in the old shooting iron.

Any and all DIY's ideas welcomed.

Thanks!

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  1KYDSTR

  May 19, 2011 10:56

  It's doable though perhaps not ideal anymore...they used to do a lot of the old German stuff that way. In todays world, everybody seems to be going to epoxies. Hard like Kelseys nuts and is pretty well guaranteed to stay put. What are you trying to mount anyway? There are a number of no D&T mounts (mostly scout type replacing the rear sight) available for mil surp guns anyway.
  
  EDIT#1: I suppose then that I would go with a D&T mount that I knew was going to go with the countour in the area you spoke of and solder it on in the D&T location without drilling the holes. I think that on something older, a blank mil-spec P-rail might do some funny things with your elevation because of contour difference. Also, unless the contour follows over the sides and makes a nice, long surface to make good solder application to, it would be tough to get to mount centrally OR durably. Just hope the mount you get can be had with P-rail instead of ?Weaver only...thoogh I suppose that would not be the end of the world either as you could just open up the slots with a flat file and go for an Eotech application anyway; just would not have as much range of mounting adjustment.

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  wpage

  May 19, 2011 11:03

  Just toying with some ideas for a old .44 pistol has a slot to grab in the back. Thinking of brazing a short rail on the barrel. That will allow a mount for one of those little mil dots like eo tech has.
  
  Not certain I will do it but wondering...

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  45er

  May 19, 2011 16:38

  Howdy, wpage,
  
  Maybe showing my a**, er, ignorance here, but a bit of humbleness never harms if can assist. Epoxy? I tried JB-WELD on a FAL SUIT scope when the mount rivets broke off from the dustcover, (the only weakness of the very workable SUIT set up).
  
  No stranger working with JB, yet no go-- four shots and 7.62NATO recoil showed this ain't the quick fix, as the scope fell right off.
  
  Permanent fix: Drill & tapped for set screws, sighted in, Loc-tite on the screws... now better than new.
  
  Wrong epoxy for firearms? I dunno, just my experience. Maybe 1kyd or someone else knows of better type if you want to fool with it? .44-cal? Well, there's puny .44 rimfire black-powder up to modern handcannons as far a recoil to contend with.
  
  45er

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  yoshmyster

  May 20, 2011 04:10

  Bailing wire [:D]. Seriously I doubt sodering steel to aluminum is wishful thinging.
  
  I don't know what you're trying to do to what rifle (shooter or collectable or think it's a collectable). But I'd do it right the first time if I'm going to put on a pic.

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  62fuelie

  May 21, 2011 11:18

  I have a section of steel rail silver soldered to the underside of the dustcover on a 1911. It has never budged and the 'smith didn't think any screws would be needed - they haven't been.

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  beantownshootah

  May 21, 2011 13:11

  Silver solder can potentially make an EXTREMELY strong bond; we're talking over 30,000 pounds per square inch.
  
  So absolutely, this could work, assuming a good fit between what you are trying to solder, proper prep, and good soldering technique.

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  wpage

  May 22, 2011 12:53

  Thanks for the feed back...
  Will have to decide which way to go.

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