Stock question

[karlk]

I purchased a Chamber's Pennsylvania Fowler as my first build, and I am close to being done. My question is: the barrel seems to have loosened a bit. I clamped the barrell to the stock when I drilled the pins. It was very tight at the time. Now, there is a very slight amount of movement. The wood creaks a little if I squeeze the barrell and stock together. Its very slight, but I was wondering if this was a big problem or if this was normal. Maybe the wood shrunk or expanded with the change in humidity? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[aragorn]

It happened to me, and I think is par for the course if you live somewhere as I do where there are big humidity and temperature changes through the year. I'm also building a Chambers gun - a York - and had the barrel and tang pretty closely inlet during the summer, then during autumn when I couldn't work on it much some small gaps and give in the barrel appeared. I'm probably the only one who would notice it and some of it will disappear when the sealant and finish is on. But it depressed me when I first noticed it! The solution is probably to build more quickly during one season, so you've got the wood sealed up and protected from moisture before seasonal humidity changes occur. My problem is finding the time to do this, and I'm still not finished after almost 10 months! Maybe by the time I finish, it will be summer again and humidity will have expanded the wood back to the way it was when I inletted it ...

 

[Zonie]

When you finish the stock apply several coats of Linseed or Tong oil to the barrel channel.
The wood will swell when the oil is absorbed and reduce the looseness to almost nothing.
Not only that, but IMO, the oiled wood will resist the changes due to humidity a little better in the coming years.

Many builders are amazed that they can't get their locks, barrels, triggers and sideplates back in after they have finished the wood because of this swelling.

While we are on the subject of humidity and its effect on wood, did you remember to elongate the barrel pin holes in the underlugs? The stock may grow or shrink 1/16 or more in the length of the barrel channel. If the underlugs aren't slotted to accomodate this it has been known to cause the stock to split.

 

[poloman]

Zonie is steering you in the right direction. In addition, adding resins and or lacquers to wood greatly enhances it's hardness and strength.

 

[howlingwolf]

Zonie is leading you in the right direction but I would make a small suggestion of my own. I would stick to Tung Oil and not linseed oil. The reason being is that linseed oil never really dries. It soaks into the wood well and produces a nice finish but doesn't dry/harden. This leaves the stock at the mercy of humidity and weather changes. You will not have such a problem with Tung Oil. It is truly a superior product. All of your custom finishing products are Tung Oil based.
So, happy hunting and watch your top knot.

 

[karlk]

Thank you for the information. Zonie I did elongate the holes by rocking the drill bit back and forth, in plane with the rifle barrel. Will this be enough for future stock movement?
Thanks again for all the help.

 

[Zonie]

It's been my experiance that rocking the drill back and forth is a nice start but it really doesn't elongate the hole much.
What it does do is to remove some of the material so that when you use your tiny little round file (that you should buy)to elongate the holes, there is less material to remove.

 

[karlk]

I'm headed to get a file to elongate the holes.
Thank you for the information.