[Cammer]

I have a Vulcan receiver that is in need of some ejector hardening. Is there a way to harden this area of the receiver? The ejector is getting kinda beat up after only 100 rounds, it's starting to mushroom and I don't want to end up adding weld bead to it and having to remachine it. I'd rather just fix it before it gets too bad.

Any help would be appreciated.

You can see a pic here -

 

[hcpookie]

That's the the other "standard" problem with the Hesse/Vulcan receivers, the ejector isn't hardened.

Here are the options I collected from my gunsnet post many weeks ago:

- Use a torch to harden the ejector wear area & delay the wear
- Grind down, weld, then dremel a new ejector wear area
- Use that liquid "kasenit" hardener from Brownell's to harden the wear area... this is a case (surface) hardening compound.

People have used all three methods, but the easiest for those like me w/o a welder handy is to use a torch to harden the ejector.

MAPP is probably best...
1. heat the ejector until it loses magnetism (should be orange-red)
2. plunge it into motor oil.
3. Put out oil fire.
4. Enjoy.

If you weld it, get someone with a TIG or MIG to weld an oversized bead onto the ejector and then dremel it down to the correct size/shape. The heat from this will anneal the steel (or normalize, never can remember which) - make it more brittle - so that in itself should be enough heat treatment. Again, others posted this method has worked for them.

hth,
- Jerry

 

[45leadslinger]

Here is what I found from an old thread and i am sure the same goes for the rails:




MAPP should be hot enough:
"The neutral oxy-MAPP Gas flame produces 2405 BTUs/cf with a 5301? F (2927? C) flame temperature."


Here's what I would do to your ready-to-assemble fully drilled receiver:

1. TEMPILAQ the holes to 1600 degrees.
2. Quench in sand and allow to cool.
(metal now annealed)

3. TEMPILAQ the holes to 750 degrees.
4. Quench in oil (motor oil)... this may start an oil fire, so be prepared w/sand, lid on container, etc.
(metal now tempered)

5. (Optional) - KASENIT the rest of the receiver shell.

That should be it. You'll probably have to do the holes one by one.

EDIT: My welder friend verified my steps are correct. Those temperatures & reference info are from some metal working reference documentation.

EDIT:
quote from my friend
"ok.. i got it figured out. the stuff you have is not heat treated, just stress relieved. So your next step is heat treat to 1600 with an oil quench. Then after you heat treat, a 750 heat and air cool for tempering (to decrease brittleness)"

Originally it was posted for 800-900 degrees but he says 750 is better. He says an oven, set to 500 degrees, is not sufficient... so 750 is the magic number he recommends, based on his reference sites about metal working.

Originally posted by Jerry (hcpookie)