Barrel inletting question. . .

[Russell420]

I've been slowly inletting my Colerain swamped barrel into the TOW stock (pre-carved)as it would not enter the channel even with the rear of the barrel mortise squared up. The problem I've run into is similar to the one run into by Rootnuke. In trying to get the barrel lower in the stock, I broke through the channel into the lock area. It is only a tiny break through, not visible when assembled, etc., and I understand it is not a big deal. The problem I have is that I've still not obtained full contact with the barrel bottom and wood in the channel, even at this depth. I have transfer color from the rear of the mortise to for 25 inches, but then there is no color for the last 17 inches. I can slightly squeeze the wood and barrel together at this point enough that I know there's no constant, solid contact. Is this because it is a swamped barrel or because it is still not deep enough in the inlet? I'm afraid to remove too much more wood in the rear of the mortise given the break through already. The barrel is already half way down into the mortise, perhaps a hair more (looking at the side barrel flats) at the rear and for most of the length except for the muzzle end, where it is not quite half way in. Is this also normal for a swamped barrel? I see Acraglas in my future. Help! P.S. If I do decide to use Acraglas to bed the barrel (I've done it many times on centerfires), should I wait until I've inletted the tang and do it all at once?

 

I did the exact same thing with my TOTW Jaeger. Colerain swamped .62. When I got the breech end settled in well the muzzle end would not lay flat in the channel. It took much wood removal and a lot of time and frustration. I inlet the tang early on. I did use Acra-Gard glass bedding to take up the slop that my inexperienced gun hacking created. I used it at the breech end and along the barrel channel staying away from the slots for the ramrod pipes and barrel lugs. At first it wouldn't release but after a trip to the range it released just fine. With the glass bedding done I felt real good about how snug everything fit and the cracked fore end (thanks again to my inexperience in driving in barrel pins) is now as strong or stronger than before. I really like how the bedding job did around the breech plug area as I had not done a very good job inletting for the lug at the rear. You can't see the bedding anyway so nobody knows except me and all of you. Good luck.

 

[LSU TIGER]

Russell, it sounds like the inlet is too tight. You may try sanding the sides of the barrel channel and try the fit. But, before going too far, soot (candle soot) the side flats and the bottom three flats of the barrel and try it in the stock and see where contact is being made. Then, remove ovly the darkened wood. I know it's a long process, but worth it in the long run.

 

Before getting too carried away removing wood, perhaps you may want to finish the outside of the barrel first. It is VERY dificult (for me anyway) to open up an inlet by a few thou. It is much easier IMO to draw file the barrel to get the final fit if you are very close already. Use the candle soot (I use kerosene), soot the barrel, and lightly draw file the shiny spots. Be VERY CAREFUL not to cant the file so you keep your flats flat. Bear in mind, this only applies if you are close to a good fit and need only remove a few thou. Sanding in the barrel channel requires patience and a steady hand. It's easy to round out the top of the side flats makeing the barrel tight at the bottom of the side flat but leaving a gap at the top. :m2c:

 

[LSU TIGER]

Good point about sanding the barrel channel, Cody. I had to do that very thing on the rifle I'm working on now, and used a small block of wood 1/2" X 1/2" X 3" as a sanding block. I was sure thinking that as I typed... Can't say why I didn't type it, though... :hmm: :shocking:

At any rate, I like to use the slowest mthod to remove stock to keep from over doing it.

 

[Russell420]

Thanks for the replies. The barrel has already been draw filed, so that won't help. I have been using a flat piece of wood with sand paper wrapped around it to sand the transfer color in the channel. I hesitate to take anymore wood off the vertical sides of the channel since there is already little if any resistance when the barrel is dropped into place and I don't want any big gaps. I still get a bit of transfer color on the vertical sides, though, so maybe I'll try that, and I'll make sure I haven't rounded anything off that would keep the barrel from settling in completely. If that fails, I guess it's acraglas for me.

 

[LSU TIGER]

What about the oblique flats? Any color there? They could easily hold the barrel off of the bottom flat. Acraglas could easily cause the stock to split by not letting it "give." :imo: So, I'd be wary of using it, if at all.

 

[Herb]

Have you checked to see if the stock is warped? Can you squeeze the barrel down into the stock? If so, Acraglas may be the answer. I'd do the barrel and tang all at once. If you have underlugs fitted, just fill them with putty. Lightly clamp barrel and stock together.

 

[Russell420]

I've been working on the stock some more and have gotten the barrel showing transfer color from the barrel edges almost all the way to the end of the stock (just an inch here or there on an edge that isn't touching. As for the flats, I have color from the breech to nearly half way down the channel. Anyway, the area on the barrel where I can press down and push it down into the stock is getting much smaller, only a matter of 4-5 inches now. I may be able to avoid the Acraglas after all, though there are noticeable gaps with the oblique flats at the muzzle end when looking directly at the muzzle, though the bottom flat is down. My thinking is that I simply don't have the barrel sunk quite deep enough yet, but I'm getting very, very close. I assume the goal is to see color on not only the edges of the channel, but all the flats as well, all the way to the muzzle, right?

 

[LSU TIGER]

Right! You should see color on all flats. Don't worry if it's blotched. Just make sure it's there. :applause: