Filling Bubba Holes

[Cantom]

Claven, you answered thus on CGNTZ:

The PROPER way is to fill with countersunk screws and then TIG or MIG over the heads. Dress and then reblue the receiver.

Anything less is mickey-mouse and it WILL show

Is there anyone on this forum or anyone else in Southern Ontario who can do exactly this for a reasonable fee for a rifle I own? I have a Weaver base with tapped holes that I'd like to disappear.

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[Claven2]

Gunco in Ottawa. Probably one of the best outfits in Canada for gunsmithing services

[Cantom]

Gunco in Ottawa. Probably one of the best outfits in Canada for gunsmithing services

This is sheer torture to contemplate. I had a scope mount installed on my 1949 unissued Long Branch about 15 years ago, 3 or 4 tapped holes with a $5 Weaver base. I wish to hell I had not done that...I just got off the phone with my friend Rodger of DARK, he suggested just using blued filler screws that they use on new rifles with tapped scope mount holes and living with it. He said even with welding it is unlikely that it won't be noticeable plus sometimes the metal becomes porous and looks terrible...and rebluing the rifle will ruin the value completely even worse than I already have...
The sniper stock shown is a Savage sniper butt with the scope serial no. on the wrist and a Hank Holm cheekrest. I still have the untouched LB butt that goes with the rifle.

What say those on here? What would you do with it? I'm about ready to pull this mount off or should I leave it as is in a faux T setup? (can't afford a real one)

[Cantom]

Gunco in Ottawa. Probably one of the best outfits in Canada for gunsmithing services

It took from December until today but I just got my 49 rifle action back and reassembled it. Jason did a hell of a job! As he said you can see slight marks in the bluing where the bubba holes were (dissimilar metals blue differently) but so slight that I can live with it. The rifle is beautiful and back to original configuration. It was an unissued rifle that came back from Greece.
I cheated and put on one of the NOS parked buttplates because it's new and I have a box of them, but I have the blue one as well. Bore is a very mint 5 groove.

[sdh1911]

The best one can do is to find screws of the same thread and cut them .0.040" over the top of the finished surface, then peen the screws to near flush. Use a jewelers loop to observe the finish grain then proceed to lightly and evenly use a very, very fine file to take it to near flush finish then finish the process with the appropriate grit sand paper or emery. then re-finish just the area of repair to match. You may want to use muriatic acid to pre-treat the are prior to finish, it gives a more evenly aged effect as well as blends the surface, HTH-SDH

[tiriaq]

The chap who does Jason's welding is A-1, and understands welding on firearms. Jason's 'smithing is first class. Personally I don't think repaired holes and a reblued receiver are any worse than holes that don't belong. I would consider this to be a legitimate restoration.
The method described by sdh1911 is certainly an option, and can result in a very unobtrusive repair.

[stencollector]

metal becomes porous

Clean metal with the right heat and lots of the shielding gas shouldn't have any porousity. Exceptions are crappy metal like a BAR receiver, which is some kind of cast aluminum/steel mixture I think.
If I were you I would go for the fill and refinish as well. And leave the LB butt on it and mail me the sniper butt as partial payment for the great advise.
I picked up a Brit sniper on the weekend....pretty good condition except the butt does not have the S51 and the cheekrest has a slight crack in it. Has a real great transit chest and an excellent scope can with strap.

[Cantom]

Clean metal with the right heat and lots of the shielding gas shouldn't have any porousity. Exceptions are crappy metal like a BAR receiver, which is some kind of cast aluminum/steel mixture I think.
If I were you I would go for the fill and refinish as well. And leave the LB butt on it and mail me the sniper butt as partial payment for the great advise.
I picked up a Brit sniper on the weekend....pretty good condition except the butt does not have the S51 and the cheekrest has a slight crack in it. Has a real great transit chest and an excellent scope can with strap.

Partial payment...hehehe

Was the Brit sniper reasonable or the usual astronomical?

How much would be reasonable for that Ottawa gunsmith to charge to disappear the holes?

[stencollector]

Partial payment...hehehe

Was the Brit sniper reasonable or the usual astronomical?

Reasonable, considering todays market. I actually bought it for resale, but I havent had a chance to even look it all over yet. If this current heatwave holds up until next week I'll take it out and shoot it.

Instead of the usual "snipers equipment list" on the inside of the lid of the box, is the origional ad where it was sold for $79.95, way back when.

[tiriaq]

Just give Jason a call. Gunco, in Nepean. Its not going to be inexpensive; postage for the barrelled receiver back and forth is going to be $40 or so, all by itself.