lock bolts in and bolster close

tapped my first ever lock bolt today. Of course it was done free hand at the kitchen table amongst supper dishes :nono: worked out just great (i think) Bolt just kisses the barrel bottom, broke out by little enough that the wood was translucent.

The second bolt, the one into the bolster, was already drilled/tapped as it is a used lock. Not ideal placement but it will do.

Bolster is almost in contact with the barrel but will wait fot sunlight to carry on.

Really looking forward to tracing my lock panels on and getting too shaping. Only 3 more months till bear season, might just be done by then.


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Where'dja get that barrel? The stamp on top looks familiar. Is that a rat or sumthin'?

Gunbroker. Pretty sweet tube eh, exc machining, real attractive profile......

I'd buy a couple more of them if they were available and then go looking for the nicest blanks I could find. Learned a bit on this build and realize I need to do a couple more before I take on a 42 inch tube.

Yeah might be a rat or maybe a doberman? You could always call North Star West and ask them I think they might have the stamp. (pretty dam crisp stamp at that)

Getting close to needing to solder on my 3rd tennon 3 inches or so behind the muzzle and maybe a tennon to carry a sling attachement so am trying to sort out what I am going to do about pipes before I start throwing heat around.

I am still waiting for them but I ordered a set of brass pistol pipes from TOW with half a thought that they would be scaled better to the gun then rifle/musket pipes. They are 3/4 inch long, Like this.




Here is a pic of the gun with some regular pipes.

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Would like to hear opinions on lay out options. (I cannot expose more of the ram rod due to some fudging on the drill operation )

The plan at the muzzle is for the stock to stand just proud of the muzzle and to be rounded with a very slight schanabel hump (sp)
Maybe just a regular rifle size entry pipe? pistol entry and forward pipe?

Most a those trade guns didn't have an entry pipe, but I usually add one, just looks nicer. Those short pipes will work fine, Shape your fore arm at the pipe 1st & be careful of gaps going down. On that type of gun I go to ACE hardware & get 3/8" steel spacers for pipes--less than a buck each. File 'em up some for pretty...and you can drill & tap them from the bbl. chn'l less cross holes in the wood...Just some random thoughts. Lookin' good so far, I see your a lefty--so am I. ...Tom

You are LUCKY it came out okay. You could have easily been off as there is very little wiggle room. I've mentioned this jig in the past so please excuse me if I mention it again. This jig is a drill guide designed for a 1/16" bit. You drill in from either side of the stock and the holes meet in the middle. Since you are drilling in from either side you never have the problem of the drill flexing and exiting the far side of the stock in an off the mark location.
You make a small U shaped block of wood from three scrap pieces of wood. A base and two sides. The base needs to be longer- say 10" and the sides only 2". The sides need to be set about 1/4" farther apart than the width of the stock- this leaves 1/8" space on either side so you can see where the drill meets your pencil mark. You cut notches in the sides and then epoxy putty a tube with a 1/16" inside diameter into position. Once the epoxy sets cut away the middle of the tube and you have a drilling guide. The big problem is clamping the jig firmly to the stock- you need shims and I always have to try 3-4 times at least until I clamp just right. Pencil mark the stock for hole locations and then clamp and then run a bit in each side to make sure the bit is dead on the pencil mark. Then drill from either side. It is a sure fire way to make accurate 1/16" holes for the pipes, trigger guards, etc. Make a similar jig but with a larger tube for lock bolts. I've even used the same idea for the tang bolt and for long holes through knife handles with rat tail tangs.

I have to ask: Why order new pipes instead of just cutting the first set shorter?

The short answer is cause I simply aint that bright sometimes. I was tired and rushing to get my track of the wolf order out and did not exactly think the economy of my actions fully thru. I was so pleased with myself for thinking of using shorter pipes that I just ploughed ahead. LOL.

Huge thanks to all the above comments/ideas. I really appreciate the generosity. Anyone from here that is driving to Alaska this spring, make sure you PM to arrange stopping in for some moose meat and tea.

TEA !!! We had sort of a problem with that down here years ago.... ff ..Tom

Just to be clear Like as in Earle Grey, Orange Pekoe, or chamomille...... LOL, you big city folks and your slang. Heck around here a party is a cup of coffee after 8 pm and back to back games of monopoly!