Tapered Pins

[bnail]

Are Tapered Pins the norm on Long guns? I had a friend replace all the pins on my Bess with Tapered ones just because he saw Hershel House do it on his video.

 

[Birddog6]

Some like them, some don't. I don't. If one hangs up or the wood swells or whatever, it tears out wood coming out cause you can only back it out.
I like straight pins with a bevel on each end so I can take it out either way I feel the best. Also easier to replace one this way, just use the same dia pin on all of it.

Everyone has their druthers............ :hmm:

 

I vote for straight pins too. The only gun I have that has tapered pins is the Charleville musket. The straight pins are best for the reasons already given IMO.

 

[bnail]

I agree, especially on a military musket. I took 'em out, but due to the tapering, I had to go up a size in my new pins, frustrating as all heck.

 

[Mike Brooks]

I use straight pins, I see no reason for the taper.

 

[WRussell]

I'd stay away from tapered pins because although you can set them in nice and tight, if they get loose, they'll get really loose. A straight pin, especially if slightly bent, would be more secure.

 

[bnail]

That's what I ended up doing with my, I put just a slight bend to the pins and they stay in place nicely now. I don't see the ligic on tapered pins actually. It couldn't have been widely practiced, it just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Vaino]

The only place a tapered pin makes sense and does it's job, is steel on steel. Once seated in steel, there's no wear and w/ the locking taper, won't back out. I use straight pins for every application in building MLers....Fred

 

[Stophel]

My pins are always tapered. Much better way to go in my opinion. If they do get loose (and they're not going to get loose), just tap them in a bit further and they're tight. It's also easier to get a tight fit with the triggerguard and rod pipe tenons.

 

[WRussell]

Do you taper your own pins? The commercial taper pins I've seen seem a bit much to me.

 

[Stophel]

I only taper them slightly. Chuck up a nail in the drill press and file it down a bit. When I drill a hole, no matter how I do it, the hole will NOT be the same diameter from one end to the other. The "upper" end gets "wallered" out just a bit. SO, I go with it. I generally drill my barrel/rod pipe/triggerguard tenons with a #43 drill bit (which I think is .089"). I have some nails that are about .095" and I file the end down to fit. I make sure that the pin fits the hole in the metal part before banging the thing together...which could prove problematic! Once the gun is finally finished, the pins should virtually NEVER need to be taken back out again, though while I am working on the gun, I know I take every part apart and put it back together a thousand times.

I have one old German gun where the pins are all tapered, and rather dramatically too. I have another, but I don't remember if the trigger and triggerguard pins are tapered or not, and the buttplate tang pin I simply CANNOT get out...probably because it's straight!!! I have a New England rifle too, but none of the barrel tenon pins are likely to be original (in fact, one is still missing). The rod pipe pins are filed flush with the wood (like you see on SO many old guns). They used "working" pins, or simply left them long while working on the gun, and when finished, they put the pins in, cut them off, and filed them flush with the surface of the wood. I'm scared to try to drive any of the rod pipe pins out, since the ends are not flat. They look rather straightish though.

 

[ronrryan]

Question for you expert folk: is there any rule of thumb as to whether pins should be put in from one side or the other? I had a chap tell me always driven OUT from left side to right, and another guy said no rule at all. What say You? I am about to remove a pinned barrel ,appreciate the help, ron in FL

 

[WRussell]

Sounds good to me.

I have not yet encountered 'filed off at an angle' pins that hadn't already been knocked out, so I haven't had to with that particular 'do no harm' issue. I think the first thing I'd try would be ACC; file a pin to match the taper and glue it on the end of the one in the gun. If it isn't very tight that should work.

 

[Zonie]

Well, first off, there are no real "rules" for installing pins, and there are no Pin Police to inforce them if anyone finds some. :grin:

Most of the builders I've talked to (and the gunsmiths as well) feel installing pins, sights etc from the right hand side is the thing to do.

Of course, I am just an amateur so the fact that I always go by this unwritten rule doesn't carry much weight. :grin:

zonie

 

[Vaino]

Wedges or keys traditionally enter from the left side, but unless a pin is tapered, what difference would it make? Using tapered pins , it would seem, would be alright for a personal rifle but if sold w/o tapered pin info, either new or 2nd hand, the pin could be pounded out the wrong way?.....Fred

 

[Birddog6]

IMHO, Wedges or keys on a RH rifle should go in from the Left side. LH rifles have the wedges or keys going in from the Right side. This puts your thumb/palm against the keys pushing them in rather than out on the forstock by the shooter.

Quite often I look at the keys on mine to see if the head is flush with the stock & it is a quick glance to insure this, as I carry the rifle slightly tilted to the rifle & can just glance right down the barrel.
:thumbsup:

 

[Stophel]

I always put my pins in the same direction as the lock screws. Except for the triggerguard tenon pin and the trigger pin. I usually have to put them in "backwards" because I have to drill them from the lock inlet.