trigger pin hole

[matt denison]

I was just reading an earlier post about the trigger pin hole coming through the off side of the stock. One of the responders made the comment that the hole doesn't need to go all the way through. My hair (what's left of it) stood up when I read that and I must comment. Depending on the gun being built sometimes it comes out behind the sideplate, sometimes not. This depends more on the size and shape of the sideplate, not on correct placement of the pin. ALWAYS drill all the way through the stock, NEVER :nono: drill a blind hole for the trigger pin. How are you supposed to get 'er out if you can't get a pin punch to push it out? That pin hole showing on the off side is not a mistake. It is a sign of a correctly built gun.

Laffindog

 

[dlemaster]

Mike Brooks was talking about that very problem on another forum. He had a blunderbuss to work on and the trigger was installed with a blind hole. I think he ended up cutting a small groove on each side of the pin inside the lock mortise with a small gouge so he could get a hold on the end of the pin with a pair of needle nose pliers to pull it out.
I would never drill a blind hole for a pin. I figure someday some poor dumb SOB is going to need to tear the gun completely down and that poor dumb SOB just might be me.

Regards, Dave

 

[rich pierce]

I agree but many originals were apparently made to be never fully disassembled. I'd make a new trigger with a higher pivot or a new sideplate before I'd have the pin hole showing. Just personal preference.

 

I don't see a problem with a blind hole for the trigger. However, if a blind hole is to be used (for whatever reason) the pin should be L shaped so it could be pulled back out. The leg of the L need not be more than 1/16".

Cody

 

[Zonie]

Thru pin for the trigger?
Strange that folks should mention it because just this morning I was looking thru Vol II of ROCA (Rifles of Colonial America) and saw on page 536 (Rifle # 123) the pin for the trigger looking back at me.
I thought, "I know what that is, by gummy! I don't think I will do that if I build this rifle."
(If I do choose to build a similar rifle, I will use a steel trigger plate.)

 

[mikelange]

That responder was me, and every gun I've built, with the exception of a few set trigger jobs, has a blind hole. Giving the hole a slight countersink allows the pin to be withdrawn with needlenose pliers, even when it's a particularly snug fit.

The beauty of this craft is that one is free to try different methods, settling on whatever works best for you. If you like the trigger pin hole drilled through, go for it. I can envision a potential problem with doing it that way, but you seem happy with that method.

Incidentally: I've disagreed with a number of people, on this site, on a number of different topics, and figuratively walked away from a couple of discussions that were getting a little hotter than any friendly exchange of ideas excuses. I don't care to get into pissing contests about a hobby and sport I love as much as I do this. I do, however, get a little fired up when anyone presumes to order me to do, or not do, anything. The use of words like "never" and "always" tells me you aren't overly open to ideas other than your own, and that, my friend, makes it difficult for me to give half a rat's butt about anything you have to say.

 

[mikelange]

Before this gets out of hand, I apologize for the tone of my previous post. Not for the basic idea behind it, but for the manner in which I expressed myself. That was my problem with Laffindog -- not what he said, but the way he said it.

 

[SquirrelFlinter]

I was the one that drilled the hole that came out below the side plate.

It should have came in behind the trigger plate but my drill doesn't have a level so it went on a down angle on me. I just put on my trigger guard and I did not drill the pin all the way through because it would not fit behind the lock or the side plate so I drilled on a slight angle and then I made a small grove behind the side plate and the pin comes right out with a needle nose.

I have learned so much from this build. I am looking to buy my next component set. My wife just looks at me side ways.

 

[matt denison]

Sorry Mongrel. No offence intended. My comment was aimed at SquirrelFlinter. He had a simple problem that I was afraid he was turning into a big one. I have too much experience fixing other peoples mistakes, like trying to remove a trigger with the pin in a blind hole to just let it pass.

Please have a peacefull afternoon and a Merry Christmas.

LaffinDog

 

[mikelange]

Thank you. And, even if you had intended to do so, offense can't be given unless the recipient chooses to take it, for which I again apologize.

Thinking about it more objectively, I can see how a blind hole would be a problem, if there was no countersink or other method used to allow one to get hold of the pin. And, in all honesty, now that I think about it, I made that mistake -- once.

The only problem I would see with a through hole, if it didn't come out behind the sideplate, would be that it seems like eventually the in-and-out of the pin would enlarge the hole. However -- as with my solution to using a blind hole -- I think we can agree that there's a right way and a wrong way involved with any method. :v

 

[dlemaster]

mongrel
If you worry about enlarging the hole from the side plate side of the stock just be sure and insert the pin punch from the side plate side of the stock and push the pin out from the lock mortise. The punch should be a slightly smaller diameter by a few thousandths than the pin.
The reason I always used a through hole is that several times I ran into old guns where the pins were rusted in place and being able to work from both ends of the pin helped get things freed up and moving.

Regards, Dave