Barrel Staple Lug Woes

[vulture]

I am not a gun builder, just a hobbyist who has build several rifles and one pistol. A good friend of mine showed me a trick for drilling the barrel pin holes through the stock and under lug. Once I have the under lugs installed I set the barrel up in my drill press vice with the top flat flat against the inside jaw of my vice, then I line the drill, of the correct size for the pins I am using, up so that the bit just misses the bottom barrel flat, and is centered in the lug lengthwise. Once this is all set up I mark the barrel so I can line the drill bit back up with the lug at the exact same spot. Once all of this is set up, I remove the barrel from the vice, install it back in the stock and then remount it in the vice with the top barrel flat again against the inside jaw of the vice, and the bit lined up with the mark on the barrel, then I simply drill, slowly through the stock and the lug. I make sure my bit is good and sharp. I have used tape on the underside of the stock which helps some to keep the bit from busting out extra wood as it comes through on the underside. I've done this several times now and never had a problem, holes always line up nice all the way through. I have had to have someone give me a hand balancing the rifle in the vice while I do the drilling. I know there are other ways, I've studied them, just haven't used any other than this, and all I can say is it works for me, may not for others.

 

[Vaino]

Many misplaced pin holes for both the bbl lugs and RR pipes are caused by "sloppy" layouts.....this and actual, lousy drilling techniques yield holes that are "way off" the intended location. Crossing one's fingers or holding one's tongue correctly won't ensure properly located pin holes if the above are present.


I only use bbl wedges or keys w/ staples....much easier to get right and escutcheons are always used w/ the wedges.

Drilling a 1/16 dia pin hole through the stock and bbl lug {RR pipe tab} in one swoop requires an accurate layout, clamping or holding the bbl/stock ass'y so the holes are the same on both sides of the stock, clamping of the bbl/stock ass'y at each pin location, a properly sharpened or new drill, suitable spindle speed and a light touch w/ chip clearing while drilling.

I never use a center drill which is meant to be used for clamped work pieces in a vertical mill or lathe. I use a 1/16 dia drill and have found that a dimple from an awl is easily picked up and the drill aligned w/o runout....this is done w/ the drill press running.

A 1/16 dia drill requires a high spindle speed and I use 1350 RPM.

Have tried a "C" clamp type drill jig and found it inaccurate and way too slow....but if it works for some, so be it. Using a 1/16 dia drill into a bbl lug w/ a web thickness of 1/16 " doesn't allow for much error.

The setup I use drills the pin holes for 4 bbl lugs in 15 mins {slightly less for the 3 RR pipes} after the layout is complete. The horizontal lines of the pin layout are located w/ a tool maker's depth mike and the dimple is made w/ a sharply pointed awl.

Evidently drilling holes accurately when building a MLer is troubling for many builders and it also takes add'tl time to fix the mislocated holes. So it behooves the builder to find a way to eliminate the problems associated w/ drilling. Sorry for the long post.....Fred

 

[Black Hand]

Drilling a 1/16 dia pin hole through the stock and bbl lug {RR pipe tab} in one swoop requires an accurate layout, clamping or holding the bbl/stock ass'y so the holes are the same on both sides of the stock, clamping of the bbl/stock ass'y at each pin location, a properly sharpened or new drill, suitable spindle speed and a light touch w/ chip clearing while drilling.

The trick to doing what you describe above is NOT to do what you describe.

Do your layout and drill the holes through the stock - I drill from both sides of the stock (at least for barrel pins) and meet in the middle - this way, the entry holes are where I want them and I can "cheat" the holes a little inside the stock to make them meet. Then insert the barrel (with lugs) or pipe or whatever other piece you need, clamp in place, mark the tab through the hole(s) in the stock, remove from the stock THEN drill through the tab. There is far less chance the bit will wander this way.

 

[Vaino]

Have used what is described in my post since 1977 when building many MLers and for some odd reason, the pin holes have always been drilled where intended.

Your way of drilling pin holes is a good way but takes too much time.....Fred

 

[Black Hand]

Your way of drilling pin holes is a good way but takes too much time.....Fred

Might be a wash - no fiddling to set up a drill press or clamping to the press table.

Mark and use a battery-powered drill. Doesn't take very long and I'd wager it takes less time to drill for 3-4 barrel pins than using a drill press...(at least for me).