Been many years ago when I got my ramrod drills, believe I bought them at friendship. You can try Muzzleloader building supply, Jediah star trading, Log cabin shop. I won't mention a certain other .
The picture is a little deceiving but I drilled a 1/16 hole in the center of the stock and then using a #1 pin router slowly cut the hole in the channel. I did not go all the way through. Not like I have anything to do I’m still waiting on the chisels. I also order a 3/8 140 degree 2 flute drill which should be perfect with short strokes and two lengths of drill stock 36 inches long each. I also ordered the same in 5/16 though it will probably never be used. It started walking left about 9 inches forward of the entry hole. The more I read hear the more comfortable I am getting! I do appreciate all of your thoughts and advice. I’m putting it all together and I think i will be okay! Yesterday admitted I deflated. Thank you all!
If I ever finish what I already have I will! For track to pass stocks along like this is a sin and I have the other that is worse i am beside myself that thats just the way it is tough. The general assembly is slow and tedious but doable for me but to throw a wrench in well thats something you dont plan for. I will definitely post a picture of the other firewood later today. Lol maybe I’ll do an unboxing and create a YouTube account.
Well Eric you did a wonderful job of straightening it out! I think I’m subject to the forestock at the entry tube. I hope mine turns out as well as yours! That looks like a 42 or 44 inch barrel mine is 38. I’m keeping fingers crossed it comes together. I’m heading north for a few weeks won’t get anything done. Very nice
Joe - I guess I may be looking at it from a different perspective. Thinking out loud, I'd first take a look at the possibility of changing the centerline of the entire stock, meaning one side of the stock would be that 3/32" thicker on one side than the other. That would require assessing the thickness of the blank, and determining whether you could shape the stock to the new centerline.This is not the end of the world but I’ve run into a problem with a pre inlet Lancaster Issac Haines stock I purchased from TOTW. I’m learning the hard way to inspect things carefully and then put them away if I am not going to get to them. This stock I purchased in 2019 and just started it in April on my 65th birthdayLOL! I consider myself to have decent skills and patience. So when I saw Bill Riby’s video on Rumble I got highly motivated. For my first attempt at this I thought I was doing okay. Someone on the forum made a comment that it’s easier to build from a block than a preinlet. I’m finding that may be true but for me hard. I like to take baby steps. Maybe a block build is in my future but not right now. Anyway for those familiar with pre inlet stocks a swamp barrel demands exactness. The lock location you can’t change and the barrel you can’t move aft or you increase the gaps between the barrel and stock due to the taper of the barrel. I had to move the barrel aft to get the touch hole in the correct location otherwise I would have had to notch the breech plug. I want a reliable rifle. Anyway after about 80 hours of work on this im finally up to the point of inletting the ramrod tubes. I cleaned up the ramrod channel with sandpaper. I’m looking at this and I can see that the wood on the right side appears thicker than the left. I was going to take the the stock down to half the diameter of the of the loading rod. But after squaring off the forend I could really see it was a misalignment of the loading rod hole. Good Grief! It’s off to the left by about 3/32 of inch. So this is a problem for me. I think it can be corrected but I am looking for advice on how to correct it. I’m thinking of plugging it with a piece of loading rod that I am going to try and predrill with a #40 drill bit offset by about the same 3/32. The channel is 11 inches long. I can get an aerospace drill bit 12 and 18 inches long. The concern is the bit walking like the 3/8 bit did. Then if successful epoxy the rod in and slowly open it up to 3/8. I think as long as I can get the first 4 or 5 inches straight after that it should be okay and won’t bind the ramrod when replacing it back in place. Track in my opinion has no customer loyalty. I purchased other and are still unwrapped. Of the three two this one and a higher grade one both have ramrod hole issues. The other is worse the drill came through the stock near the breach which leaves me in another mess. I called them and they told me basically that is just the way it is originals had same issues. Well I know drills can walk especially when rushed and not monitored. This is 21 century not the 18th. I would have liked them to say return the stock I haven’t unwrapped and well send you a new one. You would think they inspect what they buy from their vendors. Four hundred dollars for a stock should be better than that. I don’t want a Lancaster with one bolt holding the lock in place so I will attempt to plug that one two after I finish this rifle in the months to come. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Joe
Andy you did a beautiful job! Mine is probably not as bad as it looks i will study your suggestions! Eric who posted a picture of his had the same problem i do we both used the same stock. You are right about the thickness. I’m hoping to get mine as thin as the profiles shown on the plan. Again I will review your suggestions later I’m on hold until I decide and some of the things I ordered arrive. You did a really nice job!
I have the same stock!
I got my 48" x 3/8" brad point drill bit from Muzzle loader builders supply in Idaho. I've drilled 4 RR holes with it with no problems. I drill 1/2" to 3/4" between removing the chips.
That's terrible.
Incredible work! Mine was messed up but the lock inlet good grief! You did a great job!
