those dovetail jigs for cutting or filing the 3/8" dovetail slots for the under lug or the front site slot....how good do they work with a file that they are made for....they are supossed to just clamp on and guide your file to cut the dovetail....my long gun i'm going to build i want to be able to remove the barrel like my T/C flintlock for cleaning and keeping under the barrel clean and free of any trouble............................bob
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dovetail jig
- Thread starter bob1961
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If you make multiple cuts with a hacksaw and knock the pieces out, you will get the starting point to put the file in place and then be able to file with no guide. Need to also use a dovetail file with 2 safe sides and put a handle on it so you can push. If the file is sharp and kept clean, it won't take long to cut the dovetail, sans guide.
Bob: You don't really need a jig & it is a simple process to cut the dovetail. If you want some photos of how it is done in steps I have them & would gladly email them to you.
As for removing the barrel, if it is a long rifle it may be a yearly process "IF" even if done that often. You grease or wax the bottom side of the barrel, put it in the rifle, put the pins in, take your finger & force some wax or grease down the edge of the barrel channel to seal out any water & forget it. I have had them in there for 15 years, took them out & no rust problem. But I suggest that if you are going to take the barrel out all the time, you use escutcheon plates & pins or wedges.
Custom Muzzleloaders & Custom Knives
As for removing the barrel, if it is a long rifle it may be a yearly process "IF" even if done that often. You grease or wax the bottom side of the barrel, put it in the rifle, put the pins in, take your finger & force some wax or grease down the edge of the barrel channel to seal out any water & forget it. I have had them in there for 15 years, took them out & no rust problem. But I suggest that if you are going to take the barrel out all the time, you use escutcheon plates & pins or wedges.
Custom Muzzleloaders & Custom Knives
I have seen those guides advertised and thought about getting one, but never did.
I can see where it has some advantages (if it works), especially in keeping the slot from being "belled" (oversize where it enters/leaves the barrel and tight in the middle).
For a person who has not done a lot of filing, it is a challenge to keep the file level and perpendicular to the barrel at all times. I think the guide would help in this.
To some of the people who have built a lot of guns, filing becomes second nature and they can zip them in without difficulty but this is an acquired talent.
With the underlugs, it isn't a real big deal because if they are tapered/belled, no one is going to see them anyway.
For the sights, especailly the front sight which is standing proud for all to see, a screwed up dovetail can be painfully obvious.
This is why on my early guns (and a few of my later ones) I just paid the $5/slot to have Dick Greenside (Pecatonica) cut the sight dovetails for me. (I also tried a local gunsmith who charged me $20 per dovetail once.)
If your barrel doesn't have the dovetails cut, I would suggest that you try it on the underlugs. If you don't have a problem your home free. If you have a problem, you might then want to consider buying the jig before you attack the sight dovetails.
By the way, for the underlugs, I like the stapled type. All they require is using the double punch tool to mark the location, drilling 2 holes, tapping them in place and staking them with the special hollow stakeing tool.
(Yes, I know, Not PC!).
I can see where it has some advantages (if it works), especially in keeping the slot from being "belled" (oversize where it enters/leaves the barrel and tight in the middle).
For a person who has not done a lot of filing, it is a challenge to keep the file level and perpendicular to the barrel at all times. I think the guide would help in this.
To some of the people who have built a lot of guns, filing becomes second nature and they can zip them in without difficulty but this is an acquired talent.
With the underlugs, it isn't a real big deal because if they are tapered/belled, no one is going to see them anyway.
For the sights, especailly the front sight which is standing proud for all to see, a screwed up dovetail can be painfully obvious.
This is why on my early guns (and a few of my later ones) I just paid the $5/slot to have Dick Greenside (Pecatonica) cut the sight dovetails for me. (I also tried a local gunsmith who charged me $20 per dovetail once.)
If your barrel doesn't have the dovetails cut, I would suggest that you try it on the underlugs. If you don't have a problem your home free. If you have a problem, you might then want to consider buying the jig before you attack the sight dovetails.
By the way, for the underlugs, I like the stapled type. All they require is using the double punch tool to mark the location, drilling 2 holes, tapping them in place and staking them with the special hollow stakeing tool.
(Yes, I know, Not PC!).
If you can find an old junker ML barrel it will be good for dovetail practice, barrel finish practice and testing, and other odds and ends, I think I once heard that the staple method may have been used on originals????? I will follow up if I find that there is info on this and it is not just a brain fert...
Hey Bob, if you're going to build a long barreled full-stocked rifle, I'd suggest you consider pinning the barrel to the stock. The more times you remove the barrel from the stock the greater the chances are that the slender forestock is going to get boogered up. Years ago when I was planning on building my first rifle I considered doing the same thing as you are, for cleaning purposes. Decided not to because pins are easier to do than wedges; others said it wasn't necessary. Even with a pinned barrel you can remove it ever now and then by driving out the pins and removing a couple of screws. Keep us posted on the progress of the new project.
Years ago I did my first dovetails on a piece of 3/8" key stock I bought from the local hardware. Cost a dollar or 2. Did a few practice ones & got familiar with it & then tackled the barrel.
Custom Muzzleloaders & Custom Knives
Custom Muzzleloaders & Custom Knives
