The IOF is a Blaser design, but what has changed in the manufacture of the IOF from the Blaser?
For instance, Blaser barrels are renowned for their quality and the accuracy they produce. Is the IOF barrel made with the same care and quality control?
The point of this question has to do with the aluminum receiver. Is it made of the same kind of aluminum as the Blazer? The kind of aluminum used and its heat treatment is very important because it affects the properties of the metal.
I would say:
winnie_the_pooh wrote: ↑Fri Sep 23, 2022 9:28 pm
Even if it is just aluminum the receiver does not crack like that unless you do something drastic.
That's right. Either there was a flaw in the making of your receiver, or you torqued it down too much. Now that you've tried to repair it, you won't be able to claim a flaw in manufacture. If you tightened it down too much (which, frankly, I suspect) then you should be using a torque sensing tool to do this in the future to prevent another failure.
Welding: you should pay attention to shooter50's comments:
You can't weld aluminium properly with an oxy acetylene torch. You get a layer of Aluminium oxide which prevents flow of metal. Use TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) with an aluminium filler rod.
You are not working on some old hay rake or farm implement. Bush league techniques should be avoided.
Consider, however, however you may try to weld the receiver, you will put heat to it, and this heat, if not carefully controlled, will warp the piece. This means you have to know the composition and original heat treat so that you know how hot you can and cannot get the piece in repairing it.
It is true that the receiver isn't a stressed part in the sense that it is not subject to the pressures of firing the cartridge, but it is very much a stressed part in that it provides the bedding for the barrel. If the properties are changed by some sort of welding, then you will have accuracy problems.
Likewise, the receiver does guide the bolt to engage the barrel, and thus the way the bolt and barrel lock may be affected if the piece is warped.
In any case, a crack is going to affect the way the barrel and bolt interact upon firing, the bedding and thus vibration of the barrel when fired, and any kind of welding, even if it seems successful, will have different properties in the area of the crack.
For these reasons, I would recommend getting a new receiver. I doubt that the rifle would be dangerous if the receiver is successfully welded, but I also doubt that the rifle will perform the same way -- an in this, I seriously doubt the performance will be improved in any way.
You may well find that getting a new receiver does cost almost as much as a new rifle, especially if you have to send the rifle in to have it repaired. Whether this means that buying a new rifle is more cost effective or not is something you have to judge, although you already have the license for the gun, so there may be more to consider than just the ₹ involved.
Unpleasant as this all may be, I fear that you will have to accept part of your situation as the cost of learning.
