Pin stock

[streetsniper]

Have just recieved my kit gun and the pin stock is nowhere to be found. Could I use 4 penny finish nails in a pinch or is there some other substitute?

 

[LRB]

You can. I don't know what size in common measurement a 4 penny is. I use 5/64" music wire that you can get at most hardware stores. It it spring tempered, and very uniform in diameter.

 

[Vaino]

Because of the consistent dia., semi-hardness and low cost of 1/16" piano or music wire, that's all I use. Hobby shops and hardware stores carry it and the last batch was ordered through Ace Hardware. Used to use 3/32 dia. brass stock but the piano wire is stiffer, stronger and the hole is less obtrusive because of smaller size. Some object to the !/16 dia. because of drilling difficulties but that's never been a problem w/ me.....Good stuff.....Fred

 

[streetsniper]

Would I be able to cut this with regular diagonal pliers? Thanx for the responses. Bill

 

[Allan Gray]

I've used cheap 1/16" drill bits. Also 1/16" brass rod from your local hardware store.

'Don't see why a brad wouldn't work just as well.

 

[Vaino]

I cut 1/16 dia. piano wire w/ American made diagonal cutters....the cheap Chinese cutters evidently aren't hard enough and either chip or are dented.....Fred

 

[tg]

do you guys use the same size pins for the barrel tenons as the thimbles?I use a large size for holding the barrel on than the pipe pins, can't recall what size it was, seems like it was a small finish nail or welding rod.

 

[flashpanner]

I used 1/16" (.0625") on trigger guard, barrel pinning, and ramrod thimbles. keep it simple. Music wire is available at most hobby stores. Check the section where model aircraft are located. It is a commom building material. comes in 36" pieces, enough to make a few guns.

 

[JOHN ZUREKI]

I use 4d finish nails and a #49 drill. I just looked at the nail box and there were 630 nails in it when new. I could never in my life time use all these nails. I have used 1/16" stainless rod but I don't have good luck with 1/16" bits. I think it would be easier to use the same diameter pins thru out the whole rifle which ever pins you use,

 

[tg]

I guess I just do things the hard way I know at least once or twice I used very small pins for the pipes and larger ones for the barrel, not real large probably 1/16 i have had to go up a step when redoing a gun do to a lot of wear in the existing holes. How about the originals same size all around or any oddballs back then?

 

[Allan Gray]

I use 1/16" for thimbles & such. 1/8" for barrel lugs.

 

[tg]

That sounds about right, me and you is OK, the rest of the world is all mixed up....

 

[Allan Gray]

1/16" seems too small for a barrel, but that's just my opinion. Also,trying to drive out a pin that small usually ends in heartache.

I also elongate the holes in the barrel lugs to allow for back and forth movement.

 

[Zonie]

"Would I be able to cut this with regular diagonal pliers? "
---------
Most likely not.
Music wire (or piano wire) is hardened and tougher than owl do-do.
It can put dents into the jaws of even good wire cutters.

The best way I've found to cut it is with a Dremel abrasive cut off wheel or by using the corner of my bench grinder wheel.

I use 1/16 dia MW for all of my guns thimbles and trigger-guards and 5/64 diameter wire for the barrel underlugs.

I think the 1/16 wire would work fine for the underlugs but by using the 5/64 wire I get two advantages over the 1/16 wire.

First, the drill bits are longer for the larger wire which makes drilling thru the fore-arm easy.

Second, during the course of the build, I install and remove the barrel many times. By using the larger wire I can use a short piece of 1/16 dia wire as a punch to drift out the larger barrel pins without it scraping the inside of the holes and "wearing them out".

 

I've used #4 nails and the downside is that #49 drill bits are tough to get out here in the hinterland. You've gotta order them online and the little suckers break. To save me that hassle I ordered a 6' piece of 1/16" 1095 drill rod through Amazon.com for like 2 bucks. There's enough there to keep me going for a long time and its good carbon steel which is stronger than the thicker #4 finish nails... Not that I'm worried about either. Ever meet anyone who had a pin fail on a muzzleloader? I've never heard of it.

Sean

 

[Birddog6]

I use #3 & # 4 finish nails. Cheap, easy to cut & use & have never had a problem with them. We are not anchoring a ship to a pier, we are holding a barrel to a piece of wood. :wink:

 

[tg]

"we are holding a barrel to a piece of wood."

or holding a piece of wood to a barrel.. funny this never came up before or I just missed it, I always thought two different pin sizes was the norm,guess it all depends on whom one learns from.

 

[hawk]

i've used 3/32 welding rod and 1/8 brazing rod for pins gun stocks and knife handles

 

[Birddog6]

funny this never came up before or I just missed it, I always thought two different pin sizes was the norm,guess it all depends on whom one learns from.

I'll tell ya something to try, just for the heck of it. Take a piece of maple & cut a slot in it & take a old piece of barrel, dovetail a underlug into it. Now clamp that piece of wood into the vice, put a scale on the barrel & with just a #3 finish nail in it, you are going to be AMAZED of what weight of pull it takes to rip that pin out of that piece of wood. ........ :shocked2:

 

[tg]

I can imagine how much holding power a small pin would have, and as Sean said, I cannot recall of hearing about "pin" failure.....might be a problem with Indian pins though?