soldering on a front sight

[huggytree]

i removed a front sight off a cut up barrel i want to use

 

so i have a barrel w/o a sight with solder on it and a sight with solder on it

 

i plan to get the sight where i want it, sight it in...have it cleaned/fluxed--ready to go....hopefully sight it in with 10 shots or less...then heat up the front sight and hopefully the 2 will adhere....im a plumber.....i dont know if these parts will work just like copper pipes do? can i add more solder and feed it in?

 

my other concern is over heating the metal....the barrel is minty if not brand new looking.....the front sight is old/worn- pretty much bare metal at this point.....my plan was to cold blue the sight after its on the gun and done with......

 

for someone with soldering skills----is this a basic job like im thinking?...heat it up until i see the solder flow and move around the front sight a bit and leave it....test it later to see if its solid

 

thanks for any advice

[Adg105200]

http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=20553&hl=%2Bmp40+%2Bfront+%2Bsight

 

Huggy,

 

Does this previous post help?

 

Andrew

[Black River Militaria CII]

The sight base is self aligning due to the flat on the top of the barrel and the vore of the base.

Soldering the sight base to the barrel is non-essential.

However, to do it correctly, you will have to remove the bluing on the new barrel over the area where the sight base is installed. Clean it to bright metal and then carefully “tin” it by applying fluxed solder to it at a temperature that will flow the solder. When the solder is hot wipe it off with a very clean cloth.

Heat the barrel and the isght sufficiently to flow the solder. You will not damage the metal even with much hotter temps.

You should pepare the sight base for installation when you tin the barrel since the barrel will be hot and ready for the base. Clean the bore of the sight base and fljx it. Flux the barrel. Start the base onto the barrel. It will not go onto the barrel until the solder flows. Heat the base and the barrel and test tap the sight base until it moves onto the barrel when the solder is flowing. Tap it until it is fully on and check the crosspin holes to see that they are aligned with the cross slot in the barrel.

You can also just assemble the sight base onto the barrel without soldering it. The film of solder in the bor eof the sight base might need to be removed.

Do not assemble the base onto the barrel and heat it and flow the solder into the joint like copper plumbing fittings. You will make a huge mess of it and it is the wrong way to do it.

[huggytree]

barrel and sight both have solder on them....im just joining the 2 together...

 

thanks for the tips!...i spent more time with my mp40 today and saw the pin slot in the barrel...simple and easy...the Germans knew how to make their gun simple/easy to work on (except for the stupid stock---that designer gets an F)

 

ill post pics tomorrow of it done

[huggytree]

biggest question is how the heat will effect the bluing...the front sight is cold blued...the barrel is flawless original.....im thinking i will wrap the barrel with a wet rag to attempt to keep the temps down a bit on the part that shows..

 

when i removed the sight im using from the barrel stub it was on things got burnt up good....i was not being anal about the finish though as i planned on redoing it...now i AM fussy.....im worried about my barrel...dont want to mess up a rare find

 

Edited March 31, 2018 by huggytree

[huggytree]

soldering went flawless...kept low heat, kept moving the torch around...i know i got it hot enough...not moving!

 

[geefal]

nicely done