Brass pins correct?

[MSK]

In building a Golden Age rifle, I am aware that brass screws are incorrect for the patchbox etc. That said, what about brass pins for holding the trigger guard and such? Should I be using steel pins or was brass common as well?

Thanks, Smollett

 

[ehoff]

All of the originals rifles I have seen have steel pins.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Don't use brass. Brass will bend potentially loosening the guard and ramrod thimbles. I like those components to fit tight so I compress them into the stock with a vice or C clamp and then mount a steel pin. I also harden and temper those pins if they are going to be stresses like holding in a trigger guard. I also harden and temper all of the steel pins used to hold the barrel in place.

dave

 

[Coot]

Brass was in period and is still today both weaker and more expensive - good reasons then & now not to use. Music wire or spring wire (as in model airplane landing gear) is used to good effect by many. You want the pins to be strong and to stay straight & neither bend nor enlarge when inserting or removing them.

 

[crockett]

You can get this music wire at ACE hardware. It has a slight spring to it. I round the pin ends- if left square they can chip out wood. A cupped punch also fits over the rounded end- by round- break the edge- not totally round.