Stormer percussion lock repair needed

[Artificer]

I agree a couple of those “welds” might be brazing and that will show up as a yellowish/brass color and sometimes a slightly copper looking color, depending on the brazing rod used.

Out of many dozens of TIG weld beads I've had to file down over the years from the exact same type of welding rod, exact same time of metal used to make the recoil lugs to be welded on and original receivers; I can't even remember how many various colors I've seen from the heat of the weld. I do know that the outer skin of the weld is always extremely tough/hard and often we used small “dremel type” rotary abrasive stones to “crack though” that hard outside skin of the weld. After we got through that, we could file as normal. We also used carbide or diamond files to crack through that outer skin. Fairly cheap carbide or diamond files can often be found at gun shows or tool or other trade shows. While these are usually Chinese made and not the quality of American made, they will certainly work for cleaning up the weld beads shown in the link.

Once the welds are cleaned up to the surrounding surface, you may need to do or have done a little bit of engraving on the safety. Good photos taken now will help with this after it is welded. However, I doubt that you will need a major amount of engraving done.

Once the metal is cleaned up and any necessary engraving done, you will need some cold blue to blend the weld back into the surrounding metal. I most strongly recommend Brownell’s Oxpho Blue for this and the 4 oz. jar is MORE than enough for this job. Just one tip for using this stuff, always dip a CLEAN Q Tip into the bottle and never, Never, NEVER dip a used Q Tip back into the bottle. This because it will contaminate the rest of the bottle and make it go bad well before you use it up. http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-...luing-chemicals/oxpho-blue-reg--prod1072.aspx

Gus

 

[lamarkeiko]

I want to give an update on my lock repair. I have been in contact with Peter Nagel, and emailed him photos. He sounds very confident in doing the tig weld repair. He did say the parts will lose their temper from the welding, and suggested that I remove the spring on the back of the safety. I would have to grind off a peened over spot on the rear to remove the spring. I don't feel it's worth the risk of further damage on my part to do this. He did say that I could do this at a later time if I choose, so I plan on just having the pieces welded as is. I will be sending the parts to him on Monday. Any comments on this before I send would be appreciated. Also any opinions on having the parts retempered. I don't plan on shooting this gun any more.

Lamar

 

[lamarkeiko]

I want to give an update of my hammer and spur repair. I have gotten the parts back from Peter Nagel of Restorative Welding. I am very satisfied with the tig welding on the hammer. I decided not to do anything with the safety do to the possibility of totally destroying the part. For now, I'll just leave it as is.
I have already cleaned up the weld myself, and am in process of rebrowning the hammer. I'll attach some photos on another post. I'm on a smart phone now, and I'm not smart enough to figure out how to attach photos.

Lamar

 

[lamarkeiko]

Here are photos of the hammer as received back from Peter Nagel.

 

[lamarkeiko]

Can't get the rear view of tig welded hammer to post, but here are finished photos.




I'm satisified with the finished work. I couldn't get the browning as good as I wanted, but I think it looks close enough to original.
Peter Nagel said I will lose the temper in the hammer. Are there any suggestions of what I could do without risking damage to the weld? Is it as simple as heating to cherry red and dipping in motor oil. I don't plan on shooting this gun anymore, so it probably doesn't matter.

Lamar

 

[fleener]

sorry, I did not look at this thread until today.

I have gone through what you are dealing with.

I bought a Rigby with a broken hammer, and I did not have the missing piece.

Jim Westberg in MN did the restoration work for me. He had a guy he works with tig weld a new piece of metal to the hammer, and then shaped it, some new engraving, color case hardening and then a little work to make it look like it has never been touched.

I use this rifle and after a match in March I noticed that the repaired hammer had a crack in the area that was fixed. We don't know if Jim got down to far in the welded joint when he was fitting the new piece or if it is due to the different materials. I had Jim re weld the original this year. I also fitted a new hammer that is a casting from an original Rigby. Also had to cut the slots in the back for the safety. The reproduction hammer is on the right and the repaired original on the left on the bottom picture. I had the replica engraved and just picked it up Wednesday of this week. Currently I am rust bluing it and with a little work, hopefully will be able to match the patina on the lock.

As you can see from the engraving on the replica, if you have the right guy working on it you can match the original. They take a wax imprint from the original and transfer it to the new piece, this gives him a pattern to work from.

The new hammer is not the exact size and design, but close enough that now one will know the difference.

The fixed original hammer might not ever crack again but I dont want to find out during a match. So it will stay in the gun safe and the rifle will be shot with the replica that should look like it belongs on the rifle.

Fleener

 

[Zonie]

I wouldn't bother messing with heat treating the hammer.

Even if it is left soft it is totally capable of firing hundreds of shots without damaging it.

Since you don't intend to shoot it, just sit back and enjoy having such a nice gun. :grin:

 

[lamarkeiko]

I like the idea of getting a replacement hammer just for the purpose of shooting the gun again if I choose. It wouldn't have to look anything like the original, just be functionable. I may check out the Dixie catalog to see what might fit.

Lamar

 

[fleener]

I purchased my replacement hammer from the rifle shoppe.

fleener

 

[jerrywh]

Even if you find a replacement it will have to be fitted and should be case hardened. You need to know what kind of steel it is made of. A good gunsmith can tell. The square hole in the hammer will not be in the proper position if it even has one.