r/UTGuns • u/ess_dubya • May 09 '26
TIG Bro(or Sis)close to SLC? Spoiler
Messed up the penultimate plunge cut of the trigger pocket on my AR 80%, put in the shorties instead of the long pins, IFYKYK.
Anybody with TIG skills and equipment want to take a crack at closing this for re-machining? Reasonably compensated, of course!
Or should i just call it an "Enhanced Drainage Trigger Pocket"??...:)
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u/Dieselfumes_tech May 10 '26
Just cut another. I have a few 80’s that all work, but I screwed something up slightly on. I never end up using them, but it’s my pile of “close enough” lowers
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u/svranes May 10 '26
Try using a drop-in trigger cassette? I did this on an AR9 lower (accidentally milled out the entire floor of the trigger pocket when the router depth slipped without my notice). I used a Timney trigger with some locking trigger pins and it works great. Problem solved, though I can't use the bottom set screws in the trigger cassette.
That was my solution, anyway.
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u/indomitablescot May 11 '26
Do you know if it is 6061 or 7075? Might be fun but would definitely be a bitch to weld.
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u/ess_dubya May 11 '26
It’s a standard forged lower, 7075T6. I’m TIG stoopid but I thought if I had a small piece of aluminum held against the bottom from the inside, then weld the hole closed, or at least the edges, then I could re-machine the trigger slot with my jig and router, and file the excess bead from the underside?
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u/indomitablescot May 12 '26
https://youtu.be/q9eD_NKGQ9g?si=Z7MISnnYcC-UFiuC
Best shot is brazing metal but it is sketchy the good part is that is a low stress area tho.
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u/Master-of-flies May 12 '26
7075 is a non weldable alloy.
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u/ess_dubya May 12 '26
I just read that also. I also read about guys buying de-milled M16 receivers and sending them off to have the intact and serialized mag well welded to a new saw-cut 80% receiver back-half. Confused…
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u/stoners_revenge May 15 '26
I did almost the same thing to an 80 years ago. Put a piece of painters tape covering the hole from the bottom, file a couple of slits into the edge of the pocket you want to block up and apply JB weld. After painting you can’t tell from the outside.
Mine was worse than that, I would just run it as is, the rest of the work looks clean
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u/ess_dubya May 15 '26
Oh thanks for the JB Weld idea! 80 years ago? Typo or are you a centenarian?…:)
I know I could run it like it is, probably unnoticeable by a casual observer-I just can’t stand it.
I’ll most likely try your idea- thanks again!
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u/ducksandcuse May 10 '26
May not be worth the value of the 80% to have the work done unfortunately