T.O.W. stock pining.

[11th corps]

My next question in the quest for a finished T.O.W. trade gun concerns pining the barrel to the stock.
How tightly should the pins fit? Should the hole be drilled through the stock, or be blind on one side?

 

[tusti]

I drilled mine all the way through. Don't think I've ever seen one drilled part way.
Unless you're using a drill press and plan on using a hand held drill, go very slow. It's always good to have someone else with you to check for plumb.

 

[LSU TIGER]

Here's a couple of neat tools that should help.

http://www.thegunworks.com/custprodgun.cfm?SubCat2ID=243&do=list&Cat1Name=Gunsmith%20Tools

 

[Zonie]

I can only speak for me, but during the building of a rifle, I will have installed and removed the pinned barrel not less than 15 times.

If the pin holes don't go thru the stock, removing the pins and the barrel would challenge a saint (darned hard to drive the pin out if there is no thru hole).

I use 5/64 diameter pins thru the stock and barrel lugs and I use a 1/16 diameter pin as a punch to remove them.

I drill the holes with a 5/64 dia drill bit.
If you drill straight thru, backing straight out to clear the chips every so often, the hole will be a snug fit to the pins.

If you allow the drill to wallow or move from side to side while your drilling, the pins will be loose. This of course is unacceptable, but if it happens, a few light hammer blows with the edge of the hammer face on the outside of the pins will create little raised areas. This will keep them tight in the hole.

 

[11th corps]

I can only speak for me, but during the building of a rifle, I will have installed and removed the pinned barrel not less than 15 times.

If the pin holes don't go thru the stock, removing the pins and the barrel would challenge a saint (darned hard to drive the pin out if there is no thru hole).

I use 5/64 diameter pins thru the stock and barrel lugs and I use a 1/16 diameter pin as a punch to remove them.

I drill the holes with a 5/64 dia drill bit.
If you drill straight thru, backing straight out to clear the chips every so often, the hole will be a snug fit to the pins.

If you allow the drill to wallow or move from side to side while your drilling, the pins will be loose. This of course is unacceptable, but if it happens, a few light hammer blows with the edge of the hammer face on the outside of the pins will create little raised areas. This will keep them tight in the hole.

Zonie
I drilled my trigger pin hole blind. I have been able to remove the pin as needed with a pair of vice grips. I have read pro's and cons about removing the barrel from the stock after pinning. You seem to be very experienced, so I am sure you method probably works very well.

 

[Darkhorse]

Your pins should be tight. Drill one size under finish size the first time. The proper drill then "reams" the hole for a tight fit. I leave the tight holes in both the stock and lugs until the gun is close to being finished. Then I elongate the holes in the lugs to allow for wood expansion and contraction.
If you always install your pins from "Say" the right side. Then tap them out from the left... and never vary this routine then the holes in the wood will stay tight.

 

[THORNAPPLE]

Drill them THROUGH and remove the barrel as often as you like. :what:I've never heard any controversy over removing the barrel once it's pinned. Maybe you're thinking of the "pros n cons" of removing the breech plug once it's installed.

 

[Doc Arroyo]

Never have seen an original that has blind stock pins. The controversy is if you pull the barrel every time to clean it...I don't. But I do pull the barrel one a year to wipe it down and re-wax the barrel channel. That trick has kept it rust free for years.

Go ahead and drill through, and pin the barrel in the common method. You will be happy that you did! :thumbsup:

 

[Black Hand]

A trick I found that works very well to tighten up loose pin holes (Which I drill all the way through) is to use super-glue. With the narrow tip, place a drop of glue inside the hole with the gun horizontal (i.e. holes up) and allow it to flow through. Once set, run your drill bit through the pin hole BY HAND (I hold it in a pair of vice-grips and gently twist it through) and re-install the pins. Works like a charm and can be done on a finished gun if necessary, just be careful not to get the glue on the finish. You may need to clean up the lug mortise a bit to remove extra glue so the barrel sits in correctly, so don't force it. You may also need to repeat the glue addition from both sides to get it completely tight.

I can already hear the gasps of dismay.......

Black Hand

 

[Zonie]

Black Hand: Actually I like your superglue idea.
Done right, it would coat the walls of the hole and turn into a very hard (undetectable) surface which should last a long time.

I just hope the folks reading this realize you don't install the pins while it's drying! ::

As for the direction the pins are installed from, there is no written word that I know of however, I have been told by gunsmiths that the pins (and sights and other stuff) are installed from the right and removed from the left. "Right" is taken to be your right, when your aiming the gun at something.

 

[TANSTAAFL]

Read long ago to install all pins from the lock side, got into the habit as it removes all doubts for future pin removal.

 

[CrackStock]

I have a friend who suggested that I round one side slightly and leave the other flat. As the lock side is generally the showiest side, this is the side to push the rounded side in and which leaves the flats showing on that side. The flat is easier to punch out in the future while the slightly rounded shoulder goes in easier and is less likely to knock out a chip as it comes flush with the other side of the stock.

CS

 

[Black Hand]

Personally I put a slight round on both ends of the pins and make them slightly shorter that the full distance. This way there is no "wrong" way to put it in and they are slightly below the surface of the stock (Less chance of buggering up the stock when using a punch to remove them as the end of the punch fits in the hole). I then take a small piece of beeswax and fill the dimple and polish it off flush with my hand.
Black Hand