20 http://www.riflemagazine.com Rifle 305
Attaching the block to the bar-
rel comes next and is done by
soft soldering. I use Brownells’ Hi-
Force 44 solder for such jobs be-
cause it offers plenty of strength
yet melts at about 500 degrees, far
below the silver solder holding the
original post.
Soldering steel was covered in
this column in Rifle No. 235 and is
very easy if the proper solder and
matching flux are used. Cleaning
the metal surface is very import-
ant. If the newly made block was
just fit to the barrel contour, that
surface is clean. Drop the block
over the barrel post, trace around
it where it touches the barrel and
gently file through the blued sur-
face down to clean metal. Scratch-
ing up the surrounding bluing with
soapstone or welder’s chalk will
prevent flux or solder from dam-
aging bluing.
Heat the block first because
it is small and heats quickly. Ap-
ply a small amount of flux with a
toothpick to just cover the area to
be joined. Melt a very thin coat of
solder on this surface. Remem-
ber, never point the flame at the
surface to be joined; always ap-
ply heat to surrounding areas.
Remove the flame and let the hot
metal melt the solder. Now do the
same to the barrel, as it will take a
lot longer to heat up. When solder
coats the surface to be joined on
the barrel, drop the block over the
post (tapered surface to breech
end) and heat the barrel until the
solder flows again. Push down on
the block with a gloved finger to
seat it firmly on the barrel while
setting the torch down, pointing
in a direction that won’t set fire
to the shop. Any excess solder
that pushes out of the joint can
be flicked off with a rag before it
hardens.
Inletting the forearm wood
comes next. Do this by cutting
a half-inch-wide slot just long
enough and deep enough to al-
low the forearm to swing into
place, and the attaching screw
will tighten easily. Note that noth-
ing has been done to accommo-
date the tapered rear of the new
block. It will be fit perfectly us-The block is soft soldered using Brownells’ Hi-Force 44 solder.
Inlet the stock for the new anchor block with a chisel.
The epoxy bedded anchor block fits perfectly.
Any barrel looseness when the action is open can be easily removed by adding a
thin paper shim between the forearm and synthetic forearm “iron.”