CVA Kentucky Rifle Barrel Pin Diameter

[Hawthorn1213]

Hey Everyone!

I'm putting together an old CVA Kentucky Rifle kit and had a question about the barrel pin diameter.

I ordered new pins from Deer Creek (the kit didn't have any when I received it) but they seem awfully large. Especially when you compare it to the barrel tennons.

The pins measure at ~.135" (#29 drill bit) but from what I've read (and including the Traditions kits) these pins are actually closer to ~.116". The .135" pins don't leave a lot of wiggle room for drilling out the tennons, and even if I'm dead center there won't be a ton of wall thickness.

Should I go and try to find some .116" pins or try to stick with the .135"? For what it's worth I think a 3/32" pin would work just fine but wanted to get everyone else's take. It's a little too early to start doing shear calculations on thinner pins hahaha

Thanks in advance!

 

[Buckskinn]

I've used flagging wire in the past when in a pinch. It is slightly more flexible than the pin stock, but works. One of my rifles still as the ram rod thimbles attached with it.

For some reason Chambers only sends two small pieces of pin stock in a kit and it's never been enough.

 

[tallpine]

Go to the hardware store and buy you some of the small flags that surveyors use. They are 1/16 inch and fairly stiff.

 

[Hawthorn1213]

I guess the question is - Will undersizing those pins be okay from a safety perspective?

 

[tallpine]

1/16 pins are not undersize, that's pretty much the size you will find on most original and contemporary rifles.

 

[ohio ramrod]

If my memory is correct the early CVA,s used a 3/32 pin.

 

[Tumbledown]

I bought clevis pins made of .065 wire (using the straight section, which is stiffer than plain steel wire) and used a 1/16" drill bit. It has worked very well on both of my Kentucky builds.

 

[Eric Krewson]

One thing to remember is the barrel supports the wood not the other way around. Any size that works and hold the wood in place is perfectly safe, go with what fits easily.

 

[user 34300]

1/16" is the most popular size with higher end builders. If the holes are not already drilled use that size. Those huge chunkie metric CVA pins look weird. The best material for 1/16" pins is music wire. The best music wire I have found is from RC builder hobby shops. IT is made by K&S Metals. Ace Hardware store sometime have it too. Brownells also sells quality music wire as round spring stock. Beware of soft material for pins. They can rust and bend making a mess of your stock. BE sure to round the end of the pins so they do not tear out wood. Leave them shorter than he surface so you can guide your pin punch.

 

[Tumbledown]

Also, when you drill the holes, go in until you just hit the tennon, then pull the barrel out of the stock and drill thru the tennon where the bit left its mark. Should the bit break, it won't be stuck in the stock and cause major headaches! (Finish drilling out the stock using the 1st hole as a guide.)