Drilling for pins

[Rob M.]

I drill all my pins while the forestock is still in the square , thank goodness . Doing it on the drill press is great . Strange ....with rounded forestocks I'd rather hand drill them than in the drill press . Barrel clamped in stock. Mark your barrel depth , line , mark your ramrod depth , line ...there's your web and a line down the middle for your target the lug . I make lugs almost .400 wide so lots of wiggle room . If your lugs are much smaller make new ones . I start the hole with under size drill .073 at angle to get hole started , right on my mark. Gun is in vice , 90 degrees . Then when hole is started I move the drill 90 degrees and eye ball it straight , 90 degrees and drill ....goes quick threw wood , then youll feel the metal ... Drill on down , straight out the other side. Then I change to a .076 bit and redrill it all , goes quick , then pin it , finish nail ... If its too tight I gonto .078 drill but it usually doesnt need thatv.... Fun fun

 

[FlinterNick]

I use a backer on a drill press, i line up the drill press with the barrel backed against it, and the drills go straight through as marked.

There are barrel pin jigs and RE Davis has one that works well.

Measuring with caliper and drill with a hand drill can be done with risks of being slightly off.

One method i used early when i started was with a carpenter’s square, I’d put tape on it, and mark with a pencil where I wanted the pins drilled, then marked the stock, and drilled, worked like a charm.

I always start with a probing dill bit too, long under 1/16 in diameter, then follow through if i like the location.

 

[Sam squanch]

Be sure to use QUALITY drill bits….. I keep mine good drill bits buried in the back yard…..

 

[VAN]

I have used this method many times on precarved stocks and straight octagon barrel as pictured here in an old Golden Age Arms booklet published many years ago. It has never failed me. Clamp a piece of wood to the drill press table. Place the barrel as pictured on the table against the wood block. Adjust the block and bit to center on the tenon. Mark the tenon center, barrel flats and wood block with a straight line so you can duplicate the set up. Put the barrel into the stock flush against the bottom flat of the channel. Line up using the marks on top barrel flat and wood block as a guide. Drill all the way through wood and tenon. Keep top barrel flat tight against the block. Do the same for each tenon. There are other ways people do it, but this is my favorite.