How to attach trigger guard...???

[Little Wattsy]

I finally got my Pecitonica Full Stock Hawken kit Yesterday. :applause:

I also purchased their book "Building the Pensilvania Long Rifle" which has ALOT / Most of the info I, a semi-novice builder, might need BUT...

I Dont see how (in looking at the book and reading this forum and all else) HOW to attach the triger guard... I can drill and screw the back part down OR I can slot the trigger plate and try to pin the back part??? And the front part as a little "threaded" nub....????

Here is the link to THE parts list if that helps: http://www.longrifles-pr.com/hawkenfull.shtml


ANY help would be MOST appreciated.

THANK YOU in Advance. Chris

 

[Zonie]

Exactly "how" you install the trigger guard depends on what style of rifle you are building.

Virtually all of the Pennsylvania or Kentucky rifles pinned their trigger guards to the stock.

Many of the Tennessee rifles screwed the trigger guard to the stock.

All of the surfaces of the casting will need to be filed and finished. Even the bottom of the feet should be flat and square with the rest of the guard because these surfaces will be resting on the bottom of the inlet mortices.
The sides of the lugs don't need to be finished unless they are exceptionally wide.

While speaking of finishing the triggerguard casting, these always have a LOT more material than the originals. The thickness of the 'bow' and 'rail' seldom exceeded 1/8 inch in the open areas so don't be afraid of thinning them too much. IMO a trigger guard casting that is simply sanded and polished is much too thick and they look rather clunky.

Assuming your building a Penn. rifle here is the way I do it.

First off DO NOT CUT OFF THE TWO CASTING LUGS that stick out of the 'bottom' of the feet. (I'm sure there is a better term for them but you get the idea).
These lugs (which are the gate and riser used to make the casting) are usually quite tall. Much taller than is needed but you will need to have at least 3/16 to 1/4 inch of them sticking out of the feet for the pins to go thru.

The trigger plate (if one is used) should be completely installed before you start installing the trigger guard.

As with all furniture, the trigger guard should be inlayed into the stock. The "feet" should NOT be sitting on top of the surface.
The depth they need to be inlayed depends on their design but generally the top surface or the edge of the little angular surfaces that are around the edges of the feet should be flush with the stock surface.

Cut or file the two lugs down to the 3/16-1/4 height and move the guard axially back and forth noting the clearance the rear 'set' trigger will need to be fully cocked and the open space in front of the front trigger. There is usually room in this area to get a gloved finger into it.

If your using photos of a real gun as a reference notice where the original builder placed his trigger guard but keep in mind that his triggers might have needed less clearance than yours do to set.

After you've decided on the guards location mark the locations of the two feet.

You may find that the front lug interferes with the trigger plate. If this happens, file the lug so that it clears the plate.

Also, the front foot often overlaps the trigger plate. This isn't necessary bad and the interfering material can be filed off of the underside of the foot, or off of the top of the trigger plate in that area.
If the trigger guard doesn't completely cover the trigger plate in that area filing the trigger plate is usually the best answer but remember, because some of your filing will be visible do a neat job of it.

Using a narrow chisel cut the needed clearance for the lugs so that the guard can be lowered into the wood with the feet sitting on the surface.

Use an Exacto knife to cut around the outside of the feet using the edges of the feet as your guide and remove the center wood so the feet are entrenched into the wood with the top surface or edges of the chamfered surfaces flush with the stock.

Once the guard is installed this far, carefully mark the shape of the lugs on the side of the stock with a pencil or pen.
Drill one 1/16 inch crosshole completely thru the stock and each lug. Try to hit the center of the lugs. I use 1/16 diameter music wire for the pins that hold the thimbles and trigger guard but there is nothing that says a larger pin can't be used.

Install the retaining pins just like you would install a barrel pin, making sure the ends don't protrude.

You may want to leave the trigger guard unpinned until you get to the final stages of assembling and finishing the stock but that is up to you.

Hope this helped.

OH manure! I just checked out your parts list and now realize your working on a Hawken.
Oh well. Maybe my writings will help the folks who are building a Penn rifle.

OK. Basically the process is the same except many of the Hawkens triggerguards are screwed in place.
The triggerguards that are screwed in place usually don't use the cast lugs so they may be removed (although the rear of the guard with its loop does lend itself to using the cast lug and cross pinning it. I don't know how HC doing this is and I'm sure someone will chime in and tell us).

Anyway, like the pinned Penn guards the front foot needs to be inlayed flush with the adjacent wood. If the "loop" at the rear of the rail has a foot on it, it too should be flush with the wood.
Be careful in selecting the front foot screw.
This screw will usually interfere with the ramrod hole if the screw is too long so you will want a short screw here.

 

[LRB]

This is a later version of Hawken from the PA style, the front screws in. The rear would have a screw coming in from the back side of the trigger plate. In other words the guard loop at the rear would be drilled and tapped for a screw coming into it making the guard and triggers a unit.If you look in the TOW catalog, or a pic of an original Hawken, you can see the thread stub sticking through.

 

[Zonie]

Your right.
With the long trigger plates used on the Hawken that extends down the bottom of the wrist that rear loop is attached to it.

 

[oldarmy]

So you run that "nub" through a die to thread it. Then drill and tap the front of the trigger plate to match the dimensions?.ie 10/32 die thread= 10/32 drill and tap.
The rear is held with a bolt that is drilled, taped and screwed in from the top.?
The tang bolts are what holds the trigger and guard in the stock.
Very nice. :thumbsup:

 

[rich pierce]

You need a blueprint. And some pix of original Hawkens.

 

[Bill Hall]

Yep, that's the gist of it. I'll add a few hints to help get a good fit.

First, make sure your trigger guard is straight before you try to fit it to the trigger plate. Those things usually come kinda twisted from casting. Check it by sighting down it in all directions, looking for lines that don't line up with other lines. Tweek as needed.

Next, check to make sure that "nub" at the front is in the middle of the trigger guard. Sometimes they are cast to one side slightly, so you need to be aware if it so you can compensate by spotting the hole in the trigger plate to match the offset.

Now file the nub to match a 10/32 major diameter ( I don't remember the measurement but it can be found online somewhere) and also clean up the flat part that seats up against the trigger plate. While you are doing this, it's a good idea to cut a slight groove at the base of the nub (relief ring), since it is difficult to thread the shaft all the way to the bottom. A pointed needle file will work for this. Then thread the nub.

Now spot, drill, and tap the hole in the trigger plate to accept the threaded nub. If you can't get the trigger guard around to stop where it should (don't force it too much), or if there is any unsightly gap between the flat and trigger plate, you'll need to remove some more metal from the flat so you can bring the guard around some more and/or to close the gap.

Once it's postioned correctly, observe if it needs to be bent to match the curve of the wrist. Unscrew the trigger guard and bend accordingly. Keep repeating this step until the rear of the trigger guard is touching the trigger plate.

I like to use an 8/32 screw for the rear attachment, but I think 10/32 will work also. Drill through the trigger plate and guard together with a minor diameter drill and make sure it comes out like it should. Then drill a through hole in the trigger plate, to slip the screw, and tap the trigger guard. When it's all screwed together, get a small round file and clean up the screw end in the loop to match the contour of the loop. I also like to use counter sunk screws so the trigger plate side is flush.

Now clean up trigger guard as you see fit.

Hope this makes sense, Bill.

P.S. Zonie, when I make an "oh manure", I just erase it, I don't write out "oh manure"! :rotf:

 

[Little Wattsy]

Yep, that's the gist of it. I'll add a few hints to help get a good fit.

First, make sure your trigger guard is straight before you try to fit it to the trigger plate. Those things usually come kinda twisted from casting. Check it by sighting down it in all directions, looking for lines that don't line up with other lines. Tweek as needed.

Next, check to make sure that "nub" at the front is in the middle of the trigger guard. Sometimes they are cast to one side slightly, so you need to be aware if it so you can compensate by spotting the hole in the trigger plate to match the offset.

Now file the nub to match a 10/32 major diameter ( I don't remember the measurement but it can be found online somewhere) and also clean up the flat part that seats up against the trigger plate. While you are doing this, it's a good idea to cut a slight groove at the base of the nub (relief ring), since it is difficult to thread the shaft all the way to the bottom. A pointed needle file will work for this. Then thread the nub.

Now spot, drill, and tap the hole in the trigger plate to accept the threaded nub. If you can't get the trigger guard around to stop where it should (don't force it too much), or if there is any unsightly gap between the flat and trigger plate, you'll need to remove some more metal from the flat so you can bring the guard around some more and/or to close the gap.

Once it's postioned correctly, observe if it needs to be bent to match the curve of the wrist. Unscrew the trigger guard and bend accordingly. Keep repeating this step until the rear of the trigger guard is touching the trigger plate.

I like to use an 8/32 screw for the rear attachment, but I think 10/32 will work also. Drill through the trigger plate and guard together with a minor diameter drill and make sure it comes out like it should. Then drill a through hole in the trigger plate, to slip the screw, and tap the trigger guard. When it's all screwed together, get a small round file and clean up the screw end in the loop to match the contour of the loop. I also like to use counter sunk screws so the trigger plate side is flush.

Now clean up trigger guard as you see fit.

Hope this makes sense, Bill.

P.S. Zonie, when I make an "oh manure", I just erase it, I don't write out "oh manure"! :rotf:

Perfect, Thank YOU! And I will be ordering blueprints from TOW today. :thumbsup: