Mike,
Actually, I did not want to mention the manufacturer but since the cat is out of the bag here is what I did and learned.
I called "every" Perazzi distributor, authorized dealer, salesman, and repair shop I could find. I then called Perazzi USA. After speaking to the "experts" --and I had to be very direct with some of them because they danced around the question or in some cases were very coy-- what I learned was that all Perazzi barrels are assembled using a low temperature solder made of tin, lead, and silver (similar to what Brownell's sells). However, many dealers, distributors, and salesmen will say that Perazzi barrels are "silver-soldered", thereby confusing customers and leading them to think that the barrels are brazed at high temperature. Some gunsmiths that repair Perazzis call this a "silver-solder" process, because they are "soldering" using a compound that contains "silver". However, the solder they are using does not require ovens or the high temperatures needed to braze. Most salesmen, distributors, or dealers really do not know much about the way guns are manufactured other than what they see in catalogues and learn from sales-reps. It wasn't until I actually spoke to one east coast Perazzi specialist who had worked for Perazzi and the smith over at Perazzi USA that I got the real scoop. When asked, "are your barrels soft-soldered," they will always reply "no they are silver-soldered." But when you ask how they "silver-solder" them and what temperature they are using, then they will tell you that they are using low temperatures and a lead, tin, silver solder similar to Brownell's Hi-Temp/Hi-Force 44 which flows at around 640-650 degrees (very different from the brazing temperatures).
If one thinks carefully, the low temperature process is what allows Perazzi to make some of the most finely, well laid, and beautifully constructed barrels in the world --just like other high-end shotgun manufacturers.
Last edited by David Dabaco; 01/22/09 12:34 PM.
