Dumb question...

O.K., here's a dumb question- and I think I know the answer, but just want to double-check.
Putting together a T/C Hawken with a Green Mountain replacement barrel... got the barrel set down in the stock nicely, wedge snug, but the rod does not fit into the forend cap- because the leaf spring/screw arrangement G/M put on the barrel impedes the rod from going into the forend cap hole. It's only about 3/8" from the forend cap, and the hole is below the head of the screw. I would guess the obvious answer is just to remove the screw/spring and depend on the bend of the rod to hold it in place??
Wes

Can ya flatten out the spring a little bit?
Squeeze it in a vise?
Taking it out will work, but when ya shoot the rod will come out a bit from recoil, not a big deal really but it bothers some folks.

No, the problem is not the leaf spring, which is forward of the retaining screw. The problem is the screw, which is only 3/8" forward of the hole for the rod- and sticks up well above the hole. On the T/C Hawken, the ramrod hole is almost right on the barrel... about flush with the level of the leaf spring itself, therefor the entire 1/8"+ of the screw itself is blocking entry into the hole. I can't believe G/M didn't notice this!
Wes

I had the same problem, fixed it by replacing the screw with one that had a smaller head. You could also file the head down some.

I'll have to look and see if I can find something like a panhead. That might work.
Wes

Oh,
I'm guessing the guy at the factory ran out of the proper screw Friday afternoon and just stuck one from the front of the rail in there,
The GM IBS barrel I have uses a wedge head screw for that spring. There's a beveled hole in the spring for a wedge head.

I had exectly that same problem with a GM "Drop-in" replacement I received a few months ago.
My "quick fix" was to pull the same screw off the original TC bbl. A replacement for that screw, with the thinner head is darn near impossible to find. Eventually I just took the extra thick metal off the head of the offending screw, re-cut the slot just a little to get some depth back, and put a touch of cold blue on it.
I don't want to be too hard on GM, but one does get the impression those last "Drop-ins" were put together from pretty much whatever that had laying around.
The good news ( and the only news that REALLY counts...) is that the bbl. itself shoots like a laser...!! :grin:

A couple of photos to illustrate what I'm talking about:



Hmmm... not sure why I can't get the pic's to load up- rather than having to click/copy/paste...
Wes

Try it again, this time preview, before posting.

O.K., changed a setting on photobucket- now I can directly access the address. Let's try it again.
Wes

Use the screw from your old barrel to replace the screw in the new barrel. If it won't fit, you may have to grind down the head on the new screw enough to let the rod slip into place. Once you have ground the head down, just apply a bit of cold blue to touch it up.

Oh, by the way, there is no such thing as a "dumb question". In fact, the words "dumb" and "question" do not even belong together. There are only questions of discovery. None of us know it all and we all need to ask both simple questions and complex questions but there is no such thing as a dumb question. If you need to know something, just ask. One of us is bound to know the answer. And guess what? We all learn when we read these various questions and answers. :hatsoff:

I went down and looked at mine, and that screw, doesn't even have a spring. That last screw fits down inside the rail. I guess, I never noticed it before. My ram rod is a little loose. I guess, I'll have to address, the same problem.

But, then again, none of my custom rifles, have a spring. I guess it's a handy feature, but not necessary.

Hi, Bill-
No 'old' barrel :grin: ... I'm building this Hawken up out of parts... got the stock w/brass & triggers off Gunbroker, found a dealer that still had one of the Green Mountain replacement barrels. L&R lock on order from TOW...
And I know there are no dumb questions... I've been in and working for the Navy 47+ years.. do a lot of training, and that is always one of my preface statements. Though I've heard a few that come mighty, mighty close! :grin: Somehow, though- this was such a stupid problem that it seemed the appropriate title fer' the post! (Stupid in that G/M should have never let this out of their shop! Being a replacement for a T/C Hawken, it would only stand to reason they'd have tried it in a T/C Hawken stock! If only they'd have moved it down the barrel a ways... or SUMPIN'!)
HW- seems like the obvious solution is just for me to remove the danged thing!
Wes

the obvious solution is just for me to remove the danged thing!

Click to expand...

Yeppers. :hatsoff: Solved.