1. Loose solder rolling inside the rib cavity on vintage guns is very common. 90% of the time is just the extra solder that migrated under the rib during the laying process that has come loose over time…no big deal.
2. Loose solder inside the rib cavity is not indicative of loose ribs or ribs coming loose.
3. Ringing barrels does not mean the ribs are tight. Unless your comparing a newly made or freshly relaid ribs tone, most people don’t know exactly what “tone” they are actually listening for. Yes, a dull thud is a sure thing, but ringing isn’t a sure thing. Putting barrels in a tub of warm or hot water will show you relatively quickly if the ribs are tight or not.
4. The cost of relaying ribs is anywhere from $500 to $1200 which usually includes new blacking…..engraving pick up extra etc. Problem is finding guys to do it. Seems like it’s a job a lot of gunsmiths don’t wanna do.
If the ribs are solid, I can’t see asking for a discount. It’s that common of an issue and it’s not that big of a deal. If your ocd and the noise drives you crazy…send them off and have the ribs relayed. If it’s crazy obvious noise, yea, the dealer probably should’ve mentioned it.
