Barrel pin size

[htredneck]

On a .36 caliber rifle, is it normal for the barrel pins to be the same size as the pins used on the ramrod tubes? The barrel is pinned using three staples with one 1/16" pin through each staple. Of the three pins on this barrel, only one is in the center of the staple, one is borderline acceptable and the third was almost a miss.

 

[Birddog6]

The barrel pin & RR pipe pins are whatever the builder decides to use. 1/16" is normal for them & what I have used for many years. Have used 5/64 but prefer 1/16". I have seen many rifles with 1/8" pins.
Barely hitting the lug will work. You are just holding the wood to the barrel & it takes very little strength to retain that. Even one barely into the lug, if fully in it, you will bend the pin or rip out the wood before that lug hole will break out.

Keith Lisle

 

[Vaino]

I use .062 music wire for every pin in the LRs I build. Semi-hard and very consistent in dia.

Evidently the bbl pins in your rifle are doing their job and although they should be centered in the staple opening, it's no big deal is they're not.....Fred

 

[Col. Batguano]

One of the most important things to remember when drilling for pins is to make sure you have good firm clamping pressure between the barrel (or other metal parts) and the stock when you drill your holes. But not overly tight. If overly tight you may have to use a clamp again to re-insert the pins once removed. While this probably isn't a big deal with RR pipes or a trigger guard (they are very seldom if ever removed once installed on a finished gun), with an item like a barrel, it is.

 

[Zonie]

As Birddog6 says, it's up to the builder.

Factory made guns usually use the same diameter pins.

I use .0625 (1/16) inch music wire for the thimbles and the trigger guard.
The barrel pins that go thru the underlugs on my guns are made using .0781 (5/64) inch music wire.

My reason for using the larger 5/64 diameter pins is the drill bit for these is not only larger but it is longer. That pretty much assures it is long enough to go completely thru the forend of the stock.
It also reduces the chances of the drill bit walking sideways when it hits the steel underlugs.

 

[LRB]

+1, most often.

 

[kaintuck]

Almost a miss is good enuff......." Miss only count in horseshoes and handgrenedes".....

If you've ever played with with of those you'll know why they say that! :slap: :rotf:

Marc n tomtom