Trigger Guard install question

[DrTimboone]

I am installing my first pinned trigger guard and traditional pinned simple trigger in a fowler. I am using the trigger guard from Chambers. It has a lug 5/8" from front to rear, 3/4" deep (vertical) and 1/8" thick at the front of the bow and two smallet lugs on the tail. The question is:

Should this front lug be reduced in size? If so, how much?

I really don't want it to be loose so I am considering a wood screw on the tail rather than pinning the tail.

Any tips on inletting the simple trigger would be appreciated as well. It is a Bess trigger in a traditional plate I made from 1/8" sheet brass.

The gun is a ca. 1765 American fowler, English style but in cherry.

What is your advice?

 

[Black Hand]

The size of the tab is a bit up to you. Folks move, remove, reduce etc. to accomodate the style and internals as needed. On the trade gun smoothbore I built, the front tab was removed, as the tang screw went through the guard in front of the trigger bow and screwed into the barrel tang. As to using a screw in the tail, it depends on the style, but it is very easy to get a tight fit just by pinning.

 

[Norskie]

Yah, what Blackhand said. The old guys had to make screws by hand, so they used cross pins where ever they could. BTW, a drill press makes pinning a lot easier.
Regarding your trigger plate, one thing that makes inletting easier is filing a 'draft' or taper on the sides of the plate. Make the outside bigger than the inside so it nestles down into a tapered hole.
Hope that gave you an image to work from.

 

[LSU TIGER]

I find it helps to bend a bit of "spring" into the front extension and clamp it in place for drilling. The bend helps pull it in tight.

 

[Stophel]

Your front tenon sounds pretty oversized. 3/8" or so, front to back, is usually sufficient. The height needs to be so that it won't break through and hit the barrel/breechplug, though if it does, it's no big[url] deal...in[/url] fact, it has an advantage. Since you want the tenon pretty snug, it can be hard to remove it. With the tenon showing in the barrel channel, you can take a punch and drive it out of the stock rather than grabbing and twisting and jerking and pulling the triggerguard to get it out.

I also try to have my ramrod hole end right on the front edge of the tenon, so that the rod butts up against it. First off, leaving wood here (between the end of the rod and the T.G. tenon) actually decreases the strength of the stock, as thin bits of wood left on like this are always less sound than simply removing removing them. Plus, I like to squeeze out every last bit of length for my ramrods that I can.

The back tenons are harder to do than the front one. Due to the angle of the wrist of the stock in relation to the area where the front part of the guard is, the tenons to not go into the wood at the same angle, and you must remember that you need some shifiting room in front and back of your tenons as it it put into the stock.

 

[CrackStock]

You do not need a whole lot of tab to secure with a pin. These are generally just casting gates that are left to act as tabs. They can be ground to thickness and length as needed. Some guns have the pin hole drilled in the lock mortis so as to hide the pin hole on the lock side. It would also be a small amount of wood holding the guard on otherwise for some guns.

Also, you should us a padded clamp or vise to hold your guard in place so it stays snug while drilled. I did one yesterday and I like to set it beside the stock with the trigger in place to compare. I get the bend where I want it and then mark where the openings for the tabs will be cut. I use a series of small drill bits to start the corners of the tab holes and a larger bit to hog out the wood. I clean up with a small chisel.

As mentioned above, you can adjust the bend of the guard to regulate the angle to some degree.

I hope that some of this helps.

CS

 

[nhs]

I generally remove both the cast tabs and silver solder new ones onto the guard. The front tab I like to move back towards the trigger bow as practical so I can make the ramrod as long as possible. I also like to make the tab long enough so the front pin is hidden behind both the lock and side plates. The rear tab I like to position it slightly back of the rear of the bow and make it long enough so the pin hole is above the lower stock molding.

 

[rich pierce]

One trick I use to make sure pinned pieces of furniture are extra tight and really drawn up into the stock is to drill through the wood first w/o the part in place. Then place the part in there clamped tight and mark where the drill bit hits it. Center punch a little "below" and drill there. Now when the pin goes in, it draws the guard or thimble, etc, extra tight.

 

[CrackStock]

Thanks Rich -- I like that idea.

CS

 

[DrTimboone]

Great idea Rich. I am about to do just that!! The front lug is fine for position and length...the lugs on the tail are in the right place but a little short on this fowler that sort of has a broomhandle baluster on the stock... I think I willl lengthen them a little... The doggone thing broke just behind the bow when I was fitting it :cursing: ..had to solder it back together with a thin piece of brass strap that Eric Von schwege suggested and then file it down again... It is still weak as I didn't get a really good fill on the solder joint :nono: :redface: ... So I ordered another from Jim Chambers, :bow: but he is out of stock for 3 weeks :shocked2: ....so this one will do for now. :applause: .sure hope the new one is exactly the same size :hmm:

Thanks for all the help !!