doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Braised ribs vs soft soldered ribs

Over the years I have noticed a number of guns having braised ribs rather than soft soldered ones; notably, many Spanish guns have braised ribs as do the Browning/Miroku side by sides as well as some of my favorites --- Stevens, Fox Mod. B, and most of the production at Utica and Chickopee Falls. Actually, I prefer the braised joints as they never seem to fail with age as the soft soldered ones sometimes do. Anybody else want to comment on this? Chopperlump

IMO, I believe they are actually "Silver Soldered", which is a little different than the brazing process, less heat on the total piece and more strength. I have never tried silver soldering ribs but I have done quite a few sights on 1911 slides, along with a few other small projects, and it is a permanent fix.

binko

While I can appreciate a nice braised rib from time to time, Being from West Tennessee, I prefer the dry rubbed, and slow smoked Memphis Style. (Sorry, I couldnt resist- carry on...)

wv - :-)

I'm going to step on the "thin ice" of memory on this one. I think that the most pragmatic rib atach method is pure tin. It is very corrosion resistant when used to coat the barrel area inside the ribs, is relatively durable in soldering steel to steel, and has a thermal expansion coefficient that closely matches steel (little stress is induced as the barrels heat and cool). In the event of a joint failure, tin is relatively easy to repair. Brazing metals (brasses and silver solders) are stronger, but more difficult to work and much harder to repair. I seem to recall also that their thermal expansion coefficients are not as close a match to steel as is tin, somewhat negating their higher strength. Soft solders (lead and tin mixes) are easier to work, but have less strength.

If my memory hasn't failed me Parker Bros dipped their tubes in tin before joining the pair with ribs. Had a friend in PA who had a special tank of tin to dip sleeves in.
bill

You can also "Bet your Last Dollar" that a bbl having Braised/Silver Soldered ribs was simply pre set & was not regulated for point of aim. On higher grade guns this often required several "Melts" & re-attachment of the joining. This was not done when the higher melt mat'l were used for joining. This is just another reason why a Stevens was Hard Soldered & a Purdey Soft Soldered.

I grew up in the family business of heating, ventilating, air condtioning, and plumbing and was twice Castro County Spelling Bee Champion-runner-up and I just can't stand it any more. It is "braze" and "brazed" and "brazing".

The difference between brazing and soldering is the temperature. Brazing is done at a substantilly substantially higher temperature than soldering. In the air-conditioning trade "SilFos" is used in a brazing process to make the refrigeration piping joints. It is 5% or less of silver and the 95% is something like brass or bronze. Also used in medical gas piping systems. Sheet steel can also be brazed (or soldered). Brazing is much stronger.

Please forgive me for nit-picking.

Best,

Mike

you do not have to rust blue a brazed barrel set.much less expensive.and time consuming. MC

That's what I said! Now, on the spelling issue, I too was a good speller in school, although I seem to be slipping somewhat of late, but I don't know if your little tirade will make any difference. And, while you are at it, can you please instruct our comrades as to the proper use of "there" and "their"!

binko

Hey!! Do I get a gold star for correct spelling of "braze" and correct use of "their??"