Wondering how tight the pan needs to be up against the barrel at the touch hole? I am putting together my Kibler Fowler, and after cleaning up the lock mortise, there is still a gap about the width of a sheet of paper. My first ever kit and I don't want to muck it up.
Pan to barrel fit.
- Thread starter NMHawken
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close the gap. you want it tight.
I think I need to check it with the screw installed, see if it pulls it in a little bit more, then I will know how much wood to remove. Thank you!
This
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Tight enough that powder and/or powder fouling will not be able to seep between the gap between the barrel and lock.
That was my feeling, but thought I'd verify.
Sam squanch
69 Cal.
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With a very very small gap with a well fitted lock, I have been known to warm the side of the barrel and smear beeswax on it. Then seat the lock. If you decide to remove wood, proceed CAREFULLY.
Mine is tight against the barrel.
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Tight against the barrel
You need to blacken the inside of your lock and pull it into the inlet with the lock bolt. Check to see if there is soot on any part of the inlet other than the edge that holds the lock plate. If there is, gently chisel away the soot and check again.
It is easy to drop the lock plate just a hair to get a good seal pan to barrel, you can gently sand down the shelf that holds the lock plate with a fingernail board, I cut these with scissors to be the shape I need to sand inlets.
It is easy to drop the lock plate just a hair to get a good seal pan to barrel, you can gently sand down the shelf that holds the lock plate with a fingernail board, I cut these with scissors to be the shape I need to sand inlets.
I had to remove a little wood when I put together my fowler to get good contact... Like others said, just go slow
Thanks for posting that. I used a small chisel to do mine. Your way would be much safer
The bolster can also be trimmed to fit correctly.
CuNosecap
45 Cal.
I had always wondered what "tight to barrel" meant. On my last three builds, I used an automotive feeler gauge set to measure mine. They were initially around .009 and once I was satisfied with fit, it was down at .004. I went back and measured several of my finished rifles and they were all under .006- .004.
I would be interested to hear what others' rifles actually measure.
Now this only applies for those builders old enough to remember when cars had "points" and feeler gauges were necessary tool box items.
I would be interested to hear what others' rifles actually measure.
Now this only applies for those builders old enough to remember when cars had "points" and feeler gauges were necessary tool box items.
I usually use the point of an Exacto knife to feel the gap. If the point won't go in, it is OK. Sometimes the inlet around the lock plate needs scraping. The corners aren't always square or quite deep enough.
I use a small 90° scraper for the final adjustment to the lock inlet. In fact, on my Kibler SMR, that scraper was my most used tool since most everything was nearly snap together already.
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