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cutting barrel pins down?
- Thread starter Swamp Rat
- Start date
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gunmaker43
45 Cal.
- Joined
- May 12, 2013
- Messages
- 718
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They snap like glass, put in vise & knock off end with hammer. Or shorten on a grinder/sander.
galamb
58 Cal.
Dremel tool with a cutting wheel - zip.
And then file them "roundish" on the ends so you don't blow out wood when you punch them out after installation.
And then file them "roundish" on the ends so you don't blow out wood when you punch them out after installation.
illuveatar
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2010
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- 225
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I don't have a great deal of experience but I would use a softer metal.
Is there any risk of those things breaking while in the gun ?
Is there any risk of those things breaking while in the gun ?
galamb
58 Cal.
No, they won't break if your lugs or staples are installed correctly.
The pin should only put (pressure) on the bottom of the channel in the lug or staple - it should be pretty much centered in that channel, not touching either the front or back end.
That way it simply keeps the stock and the barrel snugged up to each other but should allow forward of rearward movement either as the result of recoil, heating up/cooling down of the barrel, seasonal changes to the wood (stock) as the humidity rises or falls.
That is why, if you use "solid" lugs it is always recommended that you make oblong holes to allow some back/forth movement potential.
Always remember, THE BARREL supports the forestock, the forestock is NOT there to tightly grip the barrel and provide support for it.
The pin should only put (pressure) on the bottom of the channel in the lug or staple - it should be pretty much centered in that channel, not touching either the front or back end.
That way it simply keeps the stock and the barrel snugged up to each other but should allow forward of rearward movement either as the result of recoil, heating up/cooling down of the barrel, seasonal changes to the wood (stock) as the humidity rises or falls.
That is why, if you use "solid" lugs it is always recommended that you make oblong holes to allow some back/forth movement potential.
Always remember, THE BARREL supports the forestock, the forestock is NOT there to tightly grip the barrel and provide support for it.
I've always used the drill rod or music wire I can buy at the local Ace hardware store.
I use the 1/16" diameter rod to retain the thimbles and the trigger guard.
For the barrel underlugs, I use the 5/64 diameter rod.
(The larger rod allows me to use a longer 5/64" drill bit plus I can use a 1/16" diameter pin to knock out the pins without damaging the wood.)
I use a Dremel with an abrasive cut off wheel to cut the pins length and round off the sharp edges.
I use the 1/16" diameter rod to retain the thimbles and the trigger guard.
For the barrel underlugs, I use the 5/64 diameter rod.
(The larger rod allows me to use a longer 5/64" drill bit plus I can use a 1/16" diameter pin to knock out the pins without damaging the wood.)
I use a Dremel with an abrasive cut off wheel to cut the pins length and round off the sharp edges.
Blackbruin
40 Cal.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2013
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do yourself a favor and drill your tennons and slot them prior to drilling your forestock, measure measure measure. This way if you are off a hair the bit will follow the path of least resistance...won't tell you how i found that out...just a hole won't always suffice. I just cut them with a pair of lineman pliers, and chuck it in a drill and use files or sandpaper to taper slightly the one end and flatten and a slight chamfer on the other end. I put my pins in same as the lock bolts so as to prevent damage. I don't like the rock hard pins, and remember if you go too big with the hole in the forestock the make bigger pins, .090,.10 etc...
If the pins supplied by TOW and are hard to the point of brittleness, they're probably hardened dowels. Don't need to be that hard.
All the pins in all my builds are from 1/16 dia music wire from Ace Hardware. I'm lucky to have a pair of old side cutters that cut this stuff w/o denting or chipping the cutting edge. Bought a new side cutter and the first time used on music wire, the cutting edge was chipped.
Music wire is uniform dia., hard but springy and easy to use....just cut to length and chamfer the ends......Fred
All the pins in all my builds are from 1/16 dia music wire from Ace Hardware. I'm lucky to have a pair of old side cutters that cut this stuff w/o denting or chipping the cutting edge. Bought a new side cutter and the first time used on music wire, the cutting edge was chipped.
Music wire is uniform dia., hard but springy and easy to use....just cut to length and chamfer the ends......Fred
Toss 'em.
I like brazing rod. Strong, won't break. Get oversized and using a grinding wheel taper them. Have cooling wire handy and wear gloves. Keep in mind, entry side hole on the stock needs to be larger than opposite.
Now, I'll put on hard hat and wait for the :slap: from really experienced builders. :wink:
I like brazing rod. Strong, won't break. Get oversized and using a grinding wheel taper them. Have cooling wire handy and wear gloves. Keep in mind, entry side hole on the stock needs to be larger than opposite.
Now, I'll put on hard hat and wait for the :slap: from really experienced builders. :wink:
