ramrod pipes

[bcompton35603]

gonna start on my project as soon as i get a stock from Trackofthewolf. I have all the hardware off a TC Hawkin flintlock, and I am buying the replacement stock for TC Hawkin, only I am building a long rifle. ok, my question is about the ramrod pipes. Is my only option is to use the ones that attaches with a pin? I am guessing I have to cut a groove in the ramrod channel and then drill through so I can pin them? I have never done this before.

 

[Joe Sullivan]

I just installed that pin for the first time too. I made the slot with a dremmel, installed the barrel with the lug, set it in the drill press as straight as I could and drilled thru till I hit the lug and made a mark. Then I took the barrel out and drilled thru. Took the lug off the barrel and drilled that. I started with a log, cut it as square as I could with a chainsaw but it was'nt square. It came out ok but not perfect. Next time I'll make at least one paralell side.

 

[fosters]

I'm about to do the underlugs and ramrod thimbles as well. Sweating that because I have no drillpress and I can't draw a straight line with a ruler. This should be fun. Hopefully the lugs today. That reminds me, better slow down on the coffee.

f

 

[rafterob]

I drilled mine freehand and had no problems. My drill has a center level on the butt so that helped.

 

[fosters]

Trying to figure out how to rig a level on my drill as we speak.

f

 

[Rifleman1776]

A caution!
Check to see if your ramrod will go into the thimbles. When I purchased the (supposedly) 3/8" thimbles for my Jaeger the 3/8" rod was way oversized for the thimbles. I contacted the supplier and he said I have to drill out the thimbles that they are made undersized. and :cursing:
I'm one that does not like to have to finish the manufacturing process on a, supposedly, finished product. And, at the time, I did not have a drill press. Drilling by hand was a grab and break wrist proposition. :shocked2: My builder finally drilled them out.
Methinks they should not have been sold as 3/8" thimbles if they were less than 5/16" ID. Oh, well.