wedge pin placement

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Nifeman

45 Cal.
Joined
Jul 23, 2005
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Hi fellers, got me a flinter (at last). Got it all put together, except for the wedge pin hole. What I need to know is: how does one figure out where the hole goes top to bottom?
I have the original stock-TC Hawken, and am replacing it with a Pecontonica (sp). It all went together good and isn't going to take alot of finishing steps. Like I said I have it marked front to back, but am unsure about the other way. HELP please...Nifeman
 
I've used and in-expensive Vernier Caliper to measure the depth. I hold a thin piece of brass on the top flat and then open the caliper where it hits the middle of the lug on the barrel then lock the caliper into place and repeat process with barrel in the stock and mark the stock. I'm sure there's better ways of doing this but I have done it this way in the past and had it work out. Just make sure you make up the difference of the brass. As the old saying goes measure twice cut/drill once. On anything else but a gun stock I typically do the opposite... eyeball it and cut/drill 4 times, throw piece away and start over. But that's probably jsut me. :redface:
 
Use a ruler and pencil on the stock to mark a line where the center of the barrel lug that you intend to drill is located, and scribe that line onto the side of the stock that is going to be drilled. Then with the barrel out of the stock, turn the barrel on one side, so that the top flat can be set against a block of wood, or metal, which will be clamped to the table of your drill press. Using a smaller drill bit in the chuck, set the block so that the drill bit is centered in the barrel lug. You can mark the lug for the final drill be turning on the drill and just touching the lug with the pilot drillbit. Finally put the barrel back in the stock, using clamps to hold it firmly in place, and set the barrel against that wooden block and find that line on your stock. Drill a test hole with the pilot to see if you hit the mark. If everything is lined up, then go ahead and change the bit to the size you need for your pin, and drill the lug and stock together.

You will want to remove the barrel and lug from the stock again, and widen the pin hole to allow for expansion back and forth in the stock. You may also want to make the hole in the lug the next sized drill bit just so you don't have any trouble running the pin into the lug hole.

Obviously the block you clamp to the table should be tall enough that you can brace and clamp the stock and barrel to it firmly for that final drilling. This is the kind of project where the set up time takes 5 times longer than actually drilling the hole. But, it is that important to do it right, so take your time, measure 3 times and cut once.
 
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