Removing forestock from the barrel on a Traditions Kentucky flintlock rifle

[Jack Hardin]

I just bought a Traditions Kentucky flintlock rifle and the middle thimble was loose and eventually fell off. I stripped it down to the forestock and barrel however, I cannot get the forestock to separate from the barrel. It is tighter than bark on a tree. I pulled, pushed and tapped the end with a rubber hammer without results. By tapping the end it did manage to move forward on the barrel 1/8" but that is as far as it will go. Any solutions would be appreciated. Thank you for your time.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Did you remove the screws in the forend cap?

 

[Carbon 6]

Did you remove the barrel pins also ?

I'm surprised you got the buttstock off, usually fore stock and buttstock come off together. They forestock may be tightly inleted. Be very gentle.

 

[Jack Hardin]

I found the barrel pins, they were absolutely flush with the face of the stock and colored the same as the stock and were almost invisible. I actually had to feel the spot to see if it wasn't just a slight flaw in the wood. I punched them out and problem solved. Thanks for the assistance and thank you all for your time.

Cheers!

 

[User_Dan]

Anyone have other ideas to hold the forstock to the barrel other than the pins to make barrel removal easier?

 

[Carbon 6]

Coat the underside of the barrel with beeswax, reassemble and never take it apart again. CVA, Traditions and similar rifles don't like to be constantly taken apart.
Clean the gun with the barrel in the stock. Constantly taking it apart is going to ruin the brass nose cap screws and loosen the pins and all the wood joining surfaces.