Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Gunsmithing Welding a barrel

Has anyone ever welded a barrel that has been hack sawed about 1/2 way through spiraling lengthwise about 2 an a half inches long ? This one I fired several times and couldn't understand why about every 4th shot went wild. A new barrel bla bla bla ,warpage bla bla bla , stitch welding bla bla bla ; all those aside ,and it's not cut through to the bore . Cut is located half way down length of barrel.
Thoughts ??

Get a new barrel

Not a good idea. I've seen it done, never worked out too well.



https://www.practicalmachinist.com/forum/threads/welding-a-barrel.217619/

No personal experience on barrels but running a bead of weld around a barrel couldn’t possibly do anything good to it. I can picture in my mind turning it into something looking like a corkscrew.

+1000

What about getting it welded by a professional welder etc. and then proof firing it with a 1 1/2 load ,and if it stays together ..... Does anyone know what load gets used on a proof fire and how many shots at that proof are required for a 30 - 06 to stamp it proofed ?

If you really need to know all the reasons it could go wrong

You will have a hard spot in the barrel
You will have stressed induced in the weld
Properly done the weld will protrude into the bore so it will need to be re-bored and somehow the rifling will also need be repaired
Improperly done the weld won't protrude into the bore and you'll have a spot that will fill up with fouling

So, it could technically be done, but its a really, really, really bad idea. It "might" be worth considering for a shotgun, but it makes no sense for a rifle.

It might stay together for a few shots but you will always wonder, how long it will stay together.

What if it doesn't stay together and you or someone else gets hurt?

Good post. The op also asked why not have a “professional” welder do it? Good luck finding one that will put his name on it and take liability if something goes wrong. Hence, they ultimately wouldn’t be a “professional” if they touched it.

Even if you could get a professional welder to take it on you still need it rebored and the rifling fixed. Versus a new barrel how much does that cost? If successful you still need it to shoot accurately and as Lott said you'll have a hard and stressed spot in the barrel. If you reload now you'll be chasing an accurate load as the harmonics, and possibly rifling, won't be consistent...which is more $$ and time. How much is your time worth? When you add it all up the easy button is to treat yourself to a new barrel.

Get a tikka take off barrel and swap it out - of course make sure it’s headspace correctly.

BTW, I just gotta ask. What is the story behind someone hacksawing 1/2 way through a barrel diagonally?

What makes you think the weld will create a hard spot? Welded correctly with compatible filler metal their should not be a hard spot.

I have TIG welded a barrel back that cracked once for my neighbor that was 6 years ago and he is still shooting it.

Malcolm, I personally don't see what you have to lose...the barrel is schidt either way. I would pack the bore with welder's putty (look it up), give it a mild pre heat over a large area, do not vee the weld, lay in a narrow bead of ER80DS2, peen lightly and rapidly, wrap it in leather so it doesn't cool rapidly, clean it up (welders putty will cake, just use water and a bronze bore brush). Lap lightly with any abrasive bore cleaner until it 'feels' smooth. I have done any number of high pressure hydraulic cylinder weldments with little to no distortion. edit..ER80SB2 may be the best bet, either will work.

I wouldn't do it, but I'm a little risk averse when it comes to high pressure in close proximity to my flesh.

It might work fine, but what if it doesn't?

EDIT: This is coming from a guy who once had a $2K medical bill that I incurred trying to save a $2 item. It wasn't a good return on investment and it left me with a scar that my Wife points out when she thinks that I'm about to do something that she considers risky or stupid.

This ^^^^^^^^^^ is what I would do if I were determined to save this barrel. A couple of things I would add. As flinlocke said, don't vee the cut. Don't try to weld it solid to the bottom of the cut. (As I understand, the cut isn't into the bore.) TIG if you've got it or, better yet, if available, plasma for as little heat input as possible. I would not just run one continuous bead along the cut. I would first do about a quarter inch bead in the middle, stop, peen, do a quarter inch bead at one end of the cut, stop, peen, go to the other end, another quarter inch bead, stop, peen, continue on in this manner, each time welding a quarter inch section furthest from the preceeding one so as not to concentrate too much heat for too long in one place. Wrap with leather to cool slowly. Very interested in hearing how you make out.

If this is for a wall hanger, shorten the firing pin and go for it. For a shooter, HELL NO. Buy a barrel, new or used. What's the firearm, I might have a used barrel???

Bingo!

Al, At the higher latitudes in found in Canuckia, steps must be taken to account for radical differences of the Coriolis effect as compared with down here in more temperate zones where the muzzle works just fine at right angles. (the 11 deg crowd are gilding the lily I think) Wise and experienced marksmen up yonder frequently cut their muzzles at a 45 deg. (also good for running shots facing east in the morning and west in the afternoon) That said, I never trust any nationality that uses the metric system with such careless abandon.
Australians cut their muzzles 45 deg from the vertical to prevent the bullets from rising too much.

Why in the hell would anyone even think this is a good idea?