Thread: Micro tig welding .22 chamber?

I have a stevens visible loader that I have been sorting out and tuning up for a few months. Bore is mint!- probably due to the 50 odd year holiday it had when the butt stock broke.
I've got it feeding, extracting and shooting well after making a new firing pin(s), slide lock spring and magazine tube repair as well as fitting a replacement butt stock (which I got through here- many thanks Gun nut!)
The problem that I would like to address now is the nasty divot in the bottom front of the chamber, caused by a home made, too long firing pin and dry firing. Cases tend to bulge into this area and although I use only standard velocity ammo, I'm a little worried about case rupture. Ignition seems reliable in spite of the unsupported section of chamber.
What would be the procedure to repair this and who around the Auckland area should I approach for repair?
Ideas, advise appreciated.

Maybe you should post some pictures to give people more of an idea of where the repair is.

@00buck I wouldn't expect micro tig will be your best option

I can see exactly what the problem you have will look like. It's pretty common in a 22 LR that boy has played with.

I would strongly advise you to get the area built up with laser welding.
A good laser welding tech will be able to very accurately place material exactly where it is needed.
Do not let them clean up the weld unless they also fully understand small bore rifles. Do this yourself if it is slightly over filled.
Get them do do it with the hardest filler rod they have on hand.

If there is not a laser welding business in your area get it to one out of town. Take your time and get this right.
Tig might make you a whole lot of trouble.

I can not speak highly enough of a good laser welding job. I have asked for 0.5mm to be placed on an extractor and expected it to be 0.1 or 0.2mm over size ... but pretty well perfect and a tiny polish and perfect.

Originally Posted by akaroa1

@00buck I wouldn't expect micro tig will be your best option

I can see exactly what the problem you have will look like. It's pretty common in a 22 LR that boy has played with.

I would strongly advise you to get the area built up with laser welding.
A good laser welding tech will be able to very accurately place material exactly where it is needed.
Do not let them clean up the weld unless they also fully understand small bore rifles. Do this yourself if it is slightly over filled.
Get them do do it with the hardest filler rod they have on hand.

If there is not a laser welding business in your area get it to one out of town. Take your time and get this right.
Tig might make you a whole lot of trouble.

I can not speak highly enough of a good laser welding job. I have asked for 0.5mm to be placed on an extractor and expected it to be 0.1 or 0.2mm over size ... but pretty well perfect and a tiny polish and perfect.

^^^^^^^ this man knows his stuff ^^^^^^^^^

Most .22 LR barrels are just mild steel and Tig would do just fine. I gas weld them and reset the chamber back to standard specs and it works just fine with no repair visible (it does require a little bit of skill and not recommended for beginners). Tig would be better but I don't have one.

Interesting as I have a sportco with a dent in the front of the chamber from the bolt being assembled incorrectly letting the firing pin hit it.
Need to get the barrel out first though.
Who does you laser welding @akaroa1?
I hear you @gundoc but I need a reamer first.
That might happen one day as I have several projects that would need one

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Interesting as I have a sportco with a dent in the front of the chamber from the bolt being assembled incorrectly letting the firing pin hit it.
Need to get the barrel out first though.
Who does you laser welding @akaroa1?
I hear you @gundoc but I need a reamer first.
That might happen one day as I have several projects that would need one

Pulse tig would be fine for that, although access is the biggest challenge I can see. It's not like it's 'structural' as such - you're only filling the divot in to smooth things off. I'm not sure why you would need a reamer for this job as well?

As far as laser welding - it's pretty good but I've had two mauser extractors built up and the same results as the laser welding apparently. I'd respectfully suggest the results are more indicative of the skill of the welder doing the work and also how well they know their gear. A good tig welder can weld two razor blades together autogenous (without filler) and that's also what a good laser welding fella can do.

So at the risk of hijacking the thread, what type of welding is best used for building up / resurfacing an etched bolt face?

Originally Posted by csmiffy

Interesting as I have a sportco with a dent in the front of the chamber from the bolt being assembled incorrectly letting the firing pin hit it.
Need to get the barrel out first though.
Who does you laser welding @akaroa1?
I hear you @gundoc but I need a reamer first.
That might happen one day as I have several projects that would need one

You don't need a reamer, just a good set of needle files, some 1000 grit wet & dry and a lot of patience.

Originally Posted by Jhon

So at the risk of hijacking the thread, what type of welding is best used for building up / resurfacing an etched bolt face?

Definitely Tig for that,and be prepared to clean up the firing pin hole a bit. I have done them with the arc using a steady hand, the smallest rods, medium amps and dot welding with a water quench between each dot (to avoid heating the bolt head and destroying the temper,) followed by a lot of hand finishing.

Thanks for the advise all. It's well too much to iron out although that did work for slight reshaping along with a tool to get rid of the burrs.
Imagine a diagonal hacksaw cut 2mm long and 2 deep or the Mariana trench... I'll try to find a good tig or laser welder around the place.
For some reason this little pump action has captivated me. So much fun clipping the 4" gong at 100 with open sights with a 100 plus year old 'boys' rifle. CCI standards are spot on at 25,50,75,100,125 with the open sight graduations. Using them as they were meant to be used I guess.Early dial up system. Who does that?

Barrel is held on a tapered pin and pops out in 5 minutes.