Loose Charging bridge

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   Good afternoon.  I have a 2A1, made in 1966.  The charging bridge has a slight wiggle to it if I push on it with my thumb.
Is this anything to be concerned about?  What is involved in getting it fixed?  I can see the little rivets where it connects to the receiver and they are loose (especially the rear two; one on each side).

Any insight is appreciated.

Thanks in advance,
Dave

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DaveNo5 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: January 15 2022 Location: Western NY, USA Status: Offline Points: 82	Post Options Post Reply Quote DaveNo5 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Loose Charging bridge Posted: January 28 2022 at 3:53pm
	Good afternoon. I have a 2A1, made in 1966. The charging bridge has a slight wiggle to it if I push on it with my thumb. Is this anything to be concerned about? What is involved in getting it fixed? I can see the little rivets where it connects to the receiver and they are loose (especially the rear two; one on each side). Any insight is appreciated. Thanks in advance, Dave
	DaveNo5

shiloh Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: January 08 2019 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 3049	Post Options Post Reply Quote shiloh Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 29 2022 at 9:55am
	I guess you could rig something up to support the inside of the bridge and receiver and peen the rivets to tighten them up. Or take it to a good smithy who`d have all the proper tools. But if its not falling off its probably OK Personally I don`t think anything Indian made is or was up to our standards or quality, maybe when the Britts were in charge, but after that.....

pisco Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: November 21 2018 Location: australia Status: Offline Points: 206	Post Options Post Reply Quote pisco Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 29 2022 at 3:25pm
	Could you knock one pin at a time out and replace it

Goosic Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: September 12 2017 Location: Phoenix Arizona Status: Offline Points: 8842	Post Options Post Reply Quote Goosic Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 29 2022 at 4:01pm
	As pisco suggests. Try to knock one pin out and replace it. I will add that if were mine, I would do one of two things. #1: take a drill bit the same size as the pin, one side first, center it and then drill down 1/16th below the charging bridge and then using a small wire feed welder, weld the pin to the charging bridge and then file off the excess weld followed by sanding and smoothing. Repeat for the other side.. Or #2: Remove the pin, one side only first. Making sure everything is inline, tap the hole with the corresponding screw size. Tighten the screw and then cut the remaining part sticking out off flush. Filing, sanding and smoothing everything out afterwards...

DaveNo5 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: January 15 2022 Location: Western NY, USA Status: Offline Points: 82	Post Options Post Reply Quote DaveNo5 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 29 2022 at 5:43pm
	Thanks to everyone who responded. While this is not the world's nicest rifle, numbers do match all around, so I will probably leave it as-is rather than attempt a home gunsmithing job. I had read elsewhere that this was caused by an overstressed receiver. I did not really buy that explanation, but thought I would ask here first before I did anything. Thanks again, Dave
	DaveNo5

shiloh Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: January 08 2019 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 3049	Post Options Post Reply Quote shiloh Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 30 2022 at 6:17am
	taken from a post on another forum by Peter Laidler, "They were regularly loose and must be repaired. Hold it in place with a G cramp top to bottom. Drill a small hole down between the horizontal joint line, midway along. Countersink and then fill with weld. Clean off the weld, make good. Send through remainder of workshop system for full overhaul! That'll fix it for good. Done zillions of them!"

Shamu Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Logo Designer / Donating Member Joined: April 25 2007 Location: MD, USA. Status: Offline Points: 20510	Post Options Post Reply Quote Shamu Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: January 30 2022 at 10:13am
	That was the standard procedure, you'll see dozens of them with the weld patches now you've had it bough to your attention! No1s & No4s both.
	Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)