I've had laser welding done by a friend with a business in the aerospace industry. This laser work was on small, specific areas of steel barrels, pits were ground out with some kind of micro technique right down to bare metal, and the steel filler was ~ matched with the barrel steel so they didn't have different or mottled colors after rust bluing. I once sent pics of a barrel similar to this CHE to that friend - and then to one of his welding techs - just to get an opinion. Actually its rusting was somewhat less extensive. They both said my barrel could be done and finish up to look OK cosmetically - but because of the very large total surface area to be overwelded, pressure integrity would be an issue for them and thus they wouldn't consider doing mine. Period. I know this input is kind of apples and oranges, but I'm posting it here as food for thought.
PS When posting here about laser welding I usually get PM's from gents asking for my source. Sorry, friend does this work for me as a favor, he is not in the gunsmithing business, and is not soliciting similar laser weld work from anyone else.
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