Loose fore end cap

[BlwnGazkit]

I have a Lyman Hawken kit (GPR) that has been sitting on the bench for about a decade and it's turn has finally come...

Only issue I see right now is the factory inletting on the nose cap is sloppy and the nose cap is loose and rattles a tiny bit on the stock.

What are some good ways to fix this?

I've thought about drilling, and putting in a dowel to re-drill the factory hole for the pin hoping this may tighten it up.

Are there other, better ways?

 

[Vaino]

I have a Lyman Hawken kit (GPR) that has been sitting on the bench for about a decade and it's turn has finally come...

Only issue I see right now is the factory inletting on the nose cap is sloppy and the nose cap is loose and rattles a tiny bit on the stock.

What are some good ways to fix this?

I've thought about drilling, and putting in a dowel to re-drill the factory hole for the pin hoping this may tighten it up.

Are there other, better ways?

A little epoxy.....Fred

 

[Tom A Hawk]

A little epoxy.....Fred

I also like Ferr-l-tite, hot melt archery adhesive.

 

[Eric Krewson]

When I get sloppy on a nose cap inlet, I put super glue on my lousy inlet, sprinkle sawdust on the glue and re-inlet the cap more carefully. In this case I tried to use the cast nose cap that came with the kit, I hated it and the bulky way it looked. I bought a thin metal formed cap, built the wood back up with superglue and sawdust and installed the new cap.

Done;

 

[The Appalachian]

Epoxy is the most efficient and effective fix. 5 minute epoxy is quick....efficient, and effective. Use WD40 on a rag and q-tips to clean up any wet excess that oozes out.

 

[BlwnGazkit]

Thanks for the ideas!

I ended up using the glue and saw dust as the fit was very close.

 

[BlwnGazkit]

I wish I could remember if the forend cap was always loose, or if it's a result of me case hardening it?...

I hesitate to think it's from the case hardening since I really didn't get any warpage from the other parts, but...

 

[LME]

I had to fix one on a half stock Hawkin years past. It had what I think was a pewter cap? All I can remember is it was metal. I took a piece of a stainless nail as small as I could find and inserted it into a drilled hole . It worked well and after filing it level it disappeared to the eye.

 

[TDM]

Thanks for the ideas!

I ended up using the glue and saw dust as the fit was very close.

I see that my suggestion will be too late, but my preference is to slightly overdrill the stock and glue in a small dowel to re-drill. For very small fixes I’ve found it best to melt some paraffin wax or beeswax into the nose cap, then set in place while warm and re pin. This way the cap is still removable if needed.

 

[longcruise]

I wish I could remember if the forend cap was always loose, or if it's a result of me case hardening it?...

I've worked on and built a number of the GPR kits and they were all loose like that. I left them loose. When the is in they are not. Movable. I'm doing one more and while leaving the fit loose was ok, im going to fill the pin holes in the wood and drill for a tighter fit.