Kibler Fowler breach/tang not seating

[Texcl2]

So my new kit showed up and I had a heck of a time just getting the barrel to seat and once it did the tang looks perfect but the back of the barrel looks proud. If I relieve where the breach sits, I’ll have to recut the tang mortise too correct? It must not be an optical illusion since my rear lock bolt won’t seat since the back of the barrel interferes with it.

 

[Bnewberry]

I had to do a small amount of fitting on my fowler as it had a similar gap.

 

[dave_person]

HI,
Put Prussian blue or inletting black on the bottom of the barrel and push it in place. See where it is contacting the wood. If it is only touching one little spot, remove the high spot and try again. If it is already making good contact over a broad area, then don't worry about it. Just file the tang and breech of the barrel down flush with the wood. With the small amount of barrel sitting proud, you won't notice the filing.

dave

 

[Rob M.]

What Dave said ... just blacken the Breech area , all around ....put barrel back in , tap barrel back , at muzzle ...remove barrel .... It ain't gonna be much but remove your high spots at Breech , to go back ....

 

[Texcl2]

I got it set into place, I did have to relieve the tang a little, at first that was the only place it was touching lol. Next question, shouldn’t the trigger have a little play in it. Right now it is under tension from the trigger bar.

 

[wiscoaster]

.....I’ll have to recut the tang mortise too correct? ....

Don't do that until after you've watched several of Kibler's videos about inletting on his gun kits. There are multiple videos, and not all are under Woodsrunner inletting and finishing. All of his techniques apply equally to all his kits. A great wealth of kit-building knowledge and expertise to be gained thereby.

 

[Texcl2]

I watched them, I’ve built kits in the past but that was a looong time ago lol. I’m a little rusty. It’s crazy how you can just forget everything, getting old sucks. I blackened everything and went over all the high spots, it didn’t take much thankfully. I’m using dry erase markers as my transfer color and I’m not very happy with it, I have Prussian blue but don’t like the greasy mess left behind.

 

[wiscoaster]

..... I have Prussian blue but don’t like the greasy mess left behind.

You're using too much, is my guess.

 

[Texcl2]

I could have been, I had a different inlet black that worked much better when I built my Tennessee rifle but don’t recall what it was.

 

[dave_person]

Hi Tex,
You will get differing opinions on trigger rattle. The rattle clearly indicates the trigger bar is not touching the sear and that the sear can fully engage in the full cock notch without interference from the trigger. That is critical for safety. However, I do not like triggers that have a lot of rattle at full cock. In your case, just make sure the sear of the lock is fully engaged in the full cock notch and that half cock is also secure. Assemble the gun, bring it to full cock and give the but a hard rap on a lightly padded surface or the ground to make sure it does not go off. If it doesn't, just leave it and have a nice crisp trigger. However, if it does go off or the half cock is not secure, you will have to file some off the top of the trigger bar until it all works safely. This is basic gunsmithing.

dave

 

[Texcl2]

I checked it for safety, it is fine. The trigger is very nice actually, maybe a little on the light side for a Fowler. I’m probably going to fire blue the trigger so I may file a touch off while it’s out, it is weird not having that loose trigger sound when you cock it. Other than that it seems fine. The lock seems very fast and throws a ton of sparks. I draw filed the flats on the barrel, I picked up a new 8” bahco mill file for this and was really impressed with the cut. I filed and cleaned up the trigger plate, side plate and trigger before I fit them. We are having a ground blizzard so stuck ant home, at this rate I’ll be almost ready to finish by the end of the day tomorrow!

 

[ZUG]

I watched them, I’ve built kits in the past but that was a looong time ago lol. I’m a little rusty. It’s crazy how you can just forget everything, getting old sucks. I blackened everything and went over all the high spots, it didn’t take much thankfully. I’m using dry erase markers as my transfer color and I’m not very happy with it, I have Prussian blue but don’t like the greasy mess left behind.

I agree with you on the "dry erase" marker as a transfer medium. I also don't use Prussian Blue for the same reason as you - makes a lasting mess. I now use a small oil lamp.

 

[waksupi]

Give the trigger 1/16" or so slack. If the trigger and sear are in full contact, a wet day can make it dangerous, and possibly impossible to get to stay on full cock.

 

[Texcl2]

It’s funny you mentioned the oil lamp, I’ve been on the look out for one that I can’t break for just that.

 

[Bark-eater]

It’s funny you mentioned the oil lamp, I’ve been on the look out for one that I can’t break for just that.

Lots of little brass oil lamps around for use on boats. New "high" quality ones are pricey, but there's plenty of replica stuff coming out of india and Pakistan. The lamp body's from a gimbaled lamp often have weight added to the bottom, which makes them less tippy.

 

[French Colonial]

Prussian blue works great......in very small quantities, I use a small artists brush sparingly.