Traditions Stock Spacer issue

[Ol' Traveler]

Here we go. I have started Dry Fitting my Traditions .50 Cal. Kentucky Rifle Kit. The 1st issue of concern is that once the Nose Cap holes in the Barrel are lined up to be able to get the screws through the Nose Cap and the Fore Stock, there is a gap back at the Brass Stock Spacer between the Fore Stock and the Butt Stock. The Brass Spacer is approx. .032" too thin. I have heard of people creating a new spacer to solve similar problems. Is it possible to find Brass Stock metal about 9/64" thick? If I use wood, what wood will accept Stain as the Beech wood that is supplied with the Kit??

 

[bang]

About the only way to close it would be to move the barrel back at the breech.
Or as you see , fill it.

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

I would check to see if the lock lines up with the drum, if it’s percussion, before moving anything.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I sugggest you make a wooden one to replace the too thin one since wood shapes and sands easier that brass. Traditions used to use beech wood

 

[Pilgrim]

I just finished a Traditions 50 Kentucky and had the same problem. First, I removed the brass and fit the stock without the spacer. Then, I bought a piece of beech and made a spacer for the nose cap. Be patient with the fitting of the stock. My spacer compensated for the two-piece stock not being square. I am sure you can do this in several ways, but this is how I approached it. Good luck!

 

[Hawthorn1213]

I had the same issue on my CVA overhaul/build. You might have luck finding brass stock close to .140" (9/16) on McMaster, but I would just run down to the local hardware store and pickup some .188" (3/16) brass plate. It's pretty cheap and will give you the ability to sand the brass down to the final thickness. I also found that over sizing that spacer by about .005-.010 helps put tension on the barrel pins keeping them in place.

 

[windini]

If you opt for wood, remember the old saw: That's not a bug! That's a feature!

Maybe instead of trying to find wood to take stain the same and blend in, you could get a piece of contrasting wood like hard maple or ebony & make it stand out (just like the brass would).

 

[SDSmlf]

Guessing you did not slot the pin holes in the barrel tenons….. You have to allow for the wood to expand and shrink over time.

 

[longcruise]

I'm starting one soon. I'm planning on filling the designated space with wood. Beech if it can be found. I want perfect alignment with the undrlugs so tiny keys can be used instead of pins.

 

[SDSmlf]

I'm starting one soon. I'm planning on filling the designated space with wood. Beech if it can be found. I want perfect alignment with the undrlugs so tiny keys can be used instead of pins.

Still need to slot the underlugs so the wood can move over time whether you use pins or slots.

Below is a photograph an unfired, CVA factory made gun, with 40 plus years in a humidity controlled environment (Heat/AC plus dehumidifier in the safe). It’s been on my todo list for years to slot the tenons so the stock is free to move over time without opening up seam between the two pieces, but with a gun that’s never been shot it just doesn’t get to the top of the list.

 

[longcruise]

@SDSmlf Oh yeah, I understand the need for range of movement there. Still only in the thought stage. I need to have a close look at how much range will be permitted by the parts.

Im entertaining the same idea for the Woodsrunner that is on order. Jim Kibler advised that it's doable on the SMR. Not sure about the WR.

 

[ArmorerRoy]

I ended up using an oak spacer on mine. The stain matched the spacer but it's not invisible. The problem with my stock was that the front and back did not match at all. I thought about tiger striping it but I didn't trust how that would turn out. In the end I used fieblings leather die. I wanted a southern mountain/ poor boy look so I blacked out all the brass and left out the stock entry pipe.

The hard part of the spacer for me was that I wanted the be able to use the pins for strength because I wanted more than a spacer, I wanted to permanently connect the two stocks. There is also a hole for the loading/ cleaning rod so there is a lot of work in a small piece of wood. My idea worked and my stock is now one piece and very strong.

 

[longcruise]

@rawoodall do you have a picture of the spacer after finishing? I'm thinking through the possible woods to use and how they would look when done.

 

[necchi]

I "tossed" the spacer and poured Pewter.
There's actually other modification to this one, but slop in that spacer area can be fixed in one fairly simple move.
https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/jukar-rooster-or-the-faux-kentucky.77084/

 

[ArmorerRoy]

@rawoodall do you have a picture of the spacer after finishing? I'm thinking through the possible woods to use and how they would look when done.

I used the brass spacer as a guide so it had three holes when it was done. I left it oversized and glued it with titebond 3. I then sanded it to fit the outside. I only took a picture after it was all glued up.

 

[Pilgrim]

I ended up using an oak spacer on mine. The stain matched the spacer but it's not invisible. The problem with my stock was that the front and back did not match at all. I thought about tiger striping it but I didn't trust how that would turn out. In the end I used fieblings leather die. I wanted a southern mountain/ poor boy look so I blacked out all the brass and left out the stock entry pipe.

The hard part of the spacer for me was that I wanted the be able to use the pins for strength because I wanted more than a spacer, I wanted to permanently connect the two stocks. There is also a hole for the loading/ cleaning rod so there is a lot of work in a small piece of wood. My idea worked and my stock is now one piece and very strong.

Looks really good, nice work.

 

[longcruise]

Instead of going on a turd hunt for beech I'm going to use an end cut from maple to keep the grain orientation if a stain test looks ok.