Track kit and storage

[dlocke]

Well, the BBT dropped off my TOTW colonial longrifle (50-cal, 15/16") today and all I can say is WOW! I got the Chamber's early Ketland lock and am quite impressed with it. Makes my other locks look like junk. I'm also impressed with Track's packaging.
My question is about how to store the rifle, as I probably won't get to it for a month or so. I was thinking of setting the ramrod in place (making sure it bottoms out), marking the rod at the end of the stock, taking it out and holding it against the barrel to make sure it is the proper length (and was, in fact, properly seated to begin with) and cutting it flush with the muzzle end of the stock and leaving it in place. Then I planned on setting the barel in the stock and tying it down with 3 or 4 strips of cloth. Then I plan on placing the assembly on one of my gun racks in the gunroom. Sound feasible??
DJL

 

[Norskie]

Whuffo you want to shorten the ramrod?
Is this a finished longarm or a kit?
I'm confused.

 

[Flintandsteel]

dlocke,

I quite often get a gun I'm not going to get to for a while. In fact I have 3 sitting in my shop right now.

The only thing you need to do is .... inlet the barrel and strap it in place. Tape is fine, but can leave a residue on the wood. This will keep that precarved barrel channel and the thing forearm from shifting.
I wouldn't fit the ramrod at this point. It is possible it could stick if there is any shifting.
After the barrel is in place, store as you' like.

Hope this helps.

 

[Harddog]

dlocke,

Small patch has the right idea. I just put the barrel into the barrel inlet and then tape around the barrel and stock in three or four places with the blue painter's masking tape. Any tape residue left on the stock will come right off with sanding or scraping when you start to work on the stock.

Randy Hedden

 

[dlocke]

Re: the ramrod, I though it would help keep things straight if I put it in the channel, but I didn't want it sticking out past the muzzle end of the stock b/c sure as the sun shines I'd catch it on something and crack the stock or something. I suppose I'll just tape the barrel in the precarved channel for now.
DJL

 

[dlocke]

Let me be certain on this. . . I can set the barrel in the pre-carved inlet and strap it or tape it with blue tape, right? I REALLY don't want to do any barrel inletting right now. I just spent several hours doing that a couple weeks ago on a halfstock rifle and I need time to recover mentally.
DJL

 

[davy]

Why not reverse the tape ... sticky side out ... and tape/wrap the barrel? :hmm: It will still hold just as well without the residue binding to the wood? :thumbsup:

Davy

 

[rabbit03]

DANG DAVY! :thumbsup:

rabbit03

 

[user 2647]

Or you could use zip ties.

 

[Geoff Jones]

dlocke,

I think Smallpatch may have overlooked the fact that you have a straight 15/16's barrel...his comment about inletting the barrel first is (I think) because he assumed you were using a swamped barrel.

Lay the barrel as close to the breech as you can...tape in place (good idea davy) and store however you like.
geoff

 

[Goldhunter]

Just out of curiousity, how long did it take get the kit from time of order to door?

 

[Birddog6]

If it is a swamped barrel, you will have to take the breechplug out to get it in the precarved stock. Then it still may not go, just depends on how close the inlet it. If it will go in, oil about 3-4 patches good & stuff them in the breech end, put a piece of Saran Wrap around the end & put it in the stock, take nylon wire ties & tie the barrel in tight about every 6-8. Now oil a couple of patches & stuff them in the muzzle end & that will seal the barrel off. I always swab the bore good with allot of oil before I plug them off.

Now if it is a straight barrel, just reverse the barrel, shove the Muzzle end as far into the breech area of the stock & wire tie it in. Still plug the bore with a 3-4 oiled patches & Saran Wrap it there to keep the oil from getting into the wood.

Don't put the RR in, just stick it in the rafters or on a shelf or whatever. You don't want it straight anyway as if it is straight it will always be coming out when ya don't want it to & makes it a total PITA> :cursing: If I have a straight one I intentionally bow it so it will stay in place. :thumbsup:

 

[Cherokee]

I hung my inletted stock up in my garage on a gun rack for over a year. No warpage or problems. The barrel wasnt in the stock. I put it in the treated paper to keep the rust off of it.
My garage is pretty dry and never drops below freezing.
If yours is humid or has wide temp rang you might keep it in the house up on a gun rack or in a closet where it can air out some.

 

[dlocke]

I placed the order online about 5 PM Eastern time on 11/16. I would have gotten it delivered on 11/23 if it hadn't been turkey day. The package arived at my local UPS depot at 1 AM on 11/23. I thought it would be delivered on friday the 24th, but nopt to be b/c UPS does not do regular ground deliveries the day after turkey day. So, figure about a week, maybe quicker this time of year as UPS really cranks during December.
If I had ordered the kit an hour or 2 later than I did, my stock would have been backordered. I got one of the last plain maple stocks in "stock." Maybe they have received a new shipment by now.
I have a bunch of nylon ties and can get them for 50 cents a ton or something like that at the local discount store. I'll go with those and follow the advice on oiling the bore and patching & sealing the ends w/ patches & some saran wrap. It is a straight barrel, not swamped.
Again, I am really impressed with the lock.
DJL

 

[Birddog6]

Expect a 3 to 6 month wait. They are absolutely horrible on backorders & why I will not buy from them anymore.

Were it me, I would call them back & tell the to ship it complete or cancel the order. I would not accept part of the kit or let them bill me for any of it til it is all shipped. Last time I ordered a kit from them we waited 4 mo for the barrel & lock & finally had to get both of them from another vender. And it was a standard Chambers Siler & a Colerain .36 cal barrel, nothing special. Another guy I know waited 6 mo on a standard Hawken stock. They are not at all realistic on their backorder time. :shake:

 

[dlocke]

I did get everything I ordered and it is all sitting in my gun room as I type this. What I was alluding to in my earlier post was that the plain maple stocks were available at the time I submitted my order, as were the semi-fancy stocks. The next morning I went back to the TOTW site just to take another look at what I'd ordered, and at that time, they were "accepting orders" for plain maple and semi-fancy stocks. That made me a bit nervous, but later on in the day I got my shipment confirmation and saw that my stock had been shipped, so I guess I got my order submitted in the nick of time. I would have cancelled the order had they backordered the stock.
DJL

 

[Birddog6]

You did good then...... :thumbsup:

Oil that bore & plug it with some oiled patches, saran wrap the ends & tie it all up. I have 2-3 that have been here like that for ? years waiting for me to get to them.

Good Luck ! :thumbsup:

 

[Jim-Iowa]

Just an offhand question on holding the barrel in the stock while storing.
I've seen centerfire smiths use surgical tubing to hold barreled actions while glass bedding.
And have used it to glue up irregular shaped objects while gluing.
Is anyone taking a few wraps of surgical tubing?
It would not provide any problems with adhesives or wire cutting into wood? Is easy to work with and holds well reguardless of shapes.

 

[Birddog6]

Yep, that would work also. Just don't have it avail. Have thousands of nylon wire ties as I have done electrical work for 33 years. But the tubing would work great I would think. :thumbsup:

 

[dlocke]

Well, it's all set. Swiped the bore w/ oil & plugged the ends with oiled patches, covered breech & muzzle w/ saran wrap and held in place w/ nylon ties. Of course, the barrel channel is a little undercut, but the barrel went in far enough to support the forestock.
DJL