0 grade Rib Relay

[Steve Huffman]

Well I started my first relay job gun had a loose top rib so I will give it a try. Did the P Brothers fill the void between top and bottom rib with a type of putty before soldering ? When I removed the rib this was packed in between the two. My bottom rib is tight should I remove and redo also ? I dont see any spacers either . Does the bottom rib start and stop at forend lug and start again to the muzzle

[Dave Suponski]

Steve, Could you take a picture of the barrels before you relay the rib?

[Steve Huffman]

I will do that, I got ahead of myself I forgot to take a before picture,and when I was sanding in between the barrels I thought I should do the complete trip so I removed the twist pattern well I will have to use a little more solder block when I tin . Live & Learn beats sitting in the house and filling my gut with all the pre season junk .

[Dean Romig]

Yes, the forend lug is a seperate piece with the bottom ribs forward and behind it being two individual pieces as well.

[Austin W Hogan]

Thank you for that observation of the putty between the barrels. I have a heavy two frame barrel set and a three frame barrel set that are of identical weight. The individual barrels are the same diameter, but the three frame set makes up 1/8 inch plus wider, as it should. I calculated that the void volume between the 3 frame barrels would need 1/4 pound plus of solder to fill.
Your account of putty filling the void also supports the need for drilling a vent hole in the under rib when re bluing a barrel set.

Thank you, Austin

[Brad Bachelder]

Steve,
The manufacturers did not fill the void between the tubes and ribs. The material in your barrels is most likely, old school flux. Early types of flux were quite fibrous and thick compared to modern types. I would not fill the void.
You will need to tin the top rib and prep the tubes, the solder should be applied to the rib. The heat required to set the top rib will certianly loosen the lug and other two ribs. It is important to support these areas to avoid a big mess.
If you are bluing barrels with rib leaks, we reccomend removing the keels rather than drilling holes. It will allow the moisture to escape.

Brad

[Steve Huffman]

Thanks All Any help is taken with joy.

[Steve Huffman]

Heres my first attempt at the rib relay... Ive been having alot of fun with this.

[Bill Murphy]

I don't see any jigs, wires, or spacers. Tell us exactly how you are going about this project. By the way, congratulations on your attitude about this job. I would not be "having a lot of fun".

[Steve Huffman]

Bill there was none there when I removed the top rib ( I dint remove any of the bottom) so If the ribs did the job for 100 + years I think it will go another. I removed my wires and stuff after soldering.

[Chuck Heald]

Good Job!

I did my first rib job a few yrs ago and thought it was not only fun, but not particularly hard/technical. I did a recount of my experience on the Doublegunshop board and Drew Hause captured it in his knowledge base.

[Allan Carroll]

What type of solder and flux did you use?

[Brian Dudley]

Just a note on the question about filler between the barrel tubes.
I have found that on earlier guns, there was something like a mud or organic putty filled between. Later guns would have nothing. Just the metal spacers. This information is based on barrel sets that I have taken apart.

[allen newell]

I have an old double that I've only shot a few times and recently noticed that about mid way on the barrels, there is about a 6 inch space underneath the top rib that is somewhat open and I'm assuming that the solder in this section has 'broken' free etc. The rest of the rib is solid, both top rib and bottom. Since I'm only shooting or would only shoot low pressure loads in this double, does it make sense to just shoot it until the rib really gets loose (there's no apparent looseness now) or send it out and have the rib(s) re-laid? Feedback welcome, I'm all ears.

[Gary Laudermilch]

I also have a gun (Fox Sterlingworth 20) with a partially loose top rib. The loose section starts about 6 inches rear of the muzzle and continues for about 8 inches. I am interested in the thoughts on shooting it until it separates completely or the possibility of resoldering it without requiring a reblue.

[Rick Losey]

Ok - I am not trying to be rude here, I have reworded this a couple times.

But the question seems to be

Fix a known structual issue in a firearm
Or
Shoot it until it sustains furture damage and possibly injures someone

:banghead:

[Allan Carroll]

Concur. I'd deal with the issue now before you develop issues with the both top and bottom ribs. There is really no way to avoid rebluing the barrels since the prep to the barrels and heat of soldering affect the way it looks.

[allen newell]

I think I'll just hang mine over the fireplace and forgo the cost of relaying the ribs and re-browning of the barrels. I don't shoot it much anyway and not likely to in the future.

[charlie cleveland]

the question was asked what type of solder or flux do you use to relay the ribs with was asked but never answered...i would also like to know...charlie

[Steve Huffman]

Ok I found what { I } used Lennox.062 Rosin Core solder,lead free and Radio Shack Rosin soldering flux