Barrel tenons for Kentucky Rifle Traditions

[bdub1792]

Good evening everyone,

I am in the process of assembling my Kentucky rifle kit and have ran into some issues with the barrel tenons. I attached a photo of where I currently at with them, but they are slightly too big. Should I sand them down until they slide in, or should I use a dowel and mallet to punch them in?

Secondly, I have read that I need to slot them in order to allow the wood to expand and contract. Can I drill a hole in the middle of the tenon for my pin to go through to do this?

Thanks

 

[2 shots]

file fit the tenon to the dovetail. needs to be tight but not 5 lb. hammer tight . jewlers saw is best for slotting them, after drilling the hole

 

[Muzzle57]

Good evening everyone,

I am in the process of assembling my Kentucky rifle kit and have ran into some issues with the barrel tenons. I attached a photo of where I currently at with them, but they are slightly too big. Should I sand them down until they slide in, or should I use a dowel and mallet to punch them in?

Secondly, I have read that I need to slot them in order to allow the wood to expand and contract. Can I drill a hole in the middle of the tenon for my pin to go through to do this?

Thanks

I filed mine a little. Do yourself a favor and make that stock “one” piece. What i did was epoxied it 2 steel pins and the brass plate to the stock and forearm. I’ve had no movement issues. I drilled the tenon pin holes and didn’t elongate the wood at all.

 

[TDM]

Good evening everyone,

I am in the process of assembling my Kentucky rifle kit and have ran into some issues with the barrel tenons. I attached a photo of where I currently at with them, but they are slightly too big. Should I sand them down until they slide in, or should I use a dowel and mallet to punch them in?

Secondly, I have read that I need to slot them in order to allow the wood to expand and contract. Can I drill a hole in the middle of the tenon for my pin to go through to do this?

Thanks

Use a flat mill file to work the edges of the tennons. A little at a time until it just starts to fit. Then you can tap them in with a brass or aluminum punch and small hammer. If you think you need to really pound it, don’t. File a little more off. And I like @Pioneer 520 idea for the stock. I don’t slot my tennons either. It may come back and bite me one day but hasn’t yet.

 

[longcruise]

After you have drilled the lugs use a small file like a needle file to make elongate the holes a bit in the same size as the pin hole. It allows for any swelling or shrinking of the stock wood.

 

[necchi]

Barrel tenons should NOT "slide in", minor/tiny adjustments to the tenon lead edge can be made but a solid friction fit is best, so yes, a dowel and hammer will work.
It's a "press fit".
Tenon position in the barrel is meant to be stasis with the first install,, it should fit firm and snug. Minor upsetting of the barrel dove is common.

 

[Tumbledown]

The notion of needing to slot the pin holes is a fallacy. It most likely originating when old stocks split from the wood being too green when built and drying out. Wood does expand and contract with humidity, but does so across the grain far more than with it.

As for barrel expansion, I did a little research and found a 42" barrel heating 100°F will increase by about 0.027" over the entire length. Anchored at the tang and pinned in 3 places and the thermal expansion of a barrel between any two points is so small as to be insignificant.

 

[bdub1792]

The notion of needing to slot the pin holes is a fallacy. It most likely originating when old stocks split from the wood being too green when built and drying out. Wood does expand and contract with humidity, but does so across the grain far more than with it.

As for barrel expansion, I did a little research and found a 42" barrel heating 100°F will increase by about 0.027" over the entire length. Anchored at the tang and pinned in 3 places and the thermal expansion of a barrel between any two points is so small as to be insignificant.

Noted, thank you. I saw your build earlier and I believe I am going to do the same thing to mine in regards to leaving out the brass spacer. Two questions for you
1. Did you have to file out any extra space for the barrel tenons upon removing the spacer?
2. I drill through both the wood and the tenon to slide my pin in correct?

 

[Muzzle57]

Noted, thank you. I saw your build earlier and I believe I am going to do the same thing to mine in regards to leaving out the brass spacer. Two questions for you







1. Did you have to file out any extra space for the barrel tenons upon removing the spacer?







2. I drill through both the wood and the tenon to slide my pin in correct






If you don't

Noted, thank you. I saw your build earlier and I believe I am going to do the same thing to mine in regards to leaving out the brass spacer. Two questions for you
1. Did you have to file out any extra space for the barrel tenons upon removing the spacer?
2. I drill through both the wood and the tenon to slide my pin in correct?

If you don’t use the brass spacer use a piece of walnut for contrast and keep the stock at length so the nose cap fits properly. I drilled the wood and tenons same time.

 

[TDM]

2. I drill through both the wood and the tenon to slide my pin in correct?

If you have a steady hand you can drill through both. I don’t have a steady enough hand so I mark the wood and drill until I hit the tenon, then remove the barrel and drill the tenon through. Reinstall it and drill through all the way. I use an old pair of dividers and an adjustable block and scribe to mark the holes in the stock.

 

[Tumbledown]

Noted, thank you. I saw your build earlier and I believe I am going to do the same thing to mine in regards to leaving out the brass spacer. Two questions for you
1. Did you have to file out any extra space for the barrel tenons upon removing the spacer?
2. I drill through both the wood and the tenon to slide my pin in correct?

1. I assume you mean in the barrel channel? You *might* need to remove some wood, but it won't be much.
2. Drill into the wood until you hit the tenon. This will leave a small reference mark on the tenon. Then pull the barrel out and drill the tenon separately. If the bit breaks in the tenon while the barrel is in the wood, it will become a permanent pin. (This almost happened to me. ) Use the hole in one side of the stock as a guide to drill the rest of the way through the wood.

I did not use the factory pins. I thought they were too big, and require an odd size bit. I used a 1/16" bit, which is .0625", with appropriate sized wire.

 

[Tyler L]

I agree with JB67, the factory pins are way bigger than they need to be. I used 1/16" drill rod on mine.